The lure of “being someplace else” gets very strong in college. After several years toiling through school, the idea of finding someplace new, different, fresh and exciting can be very appealing. As an undergrad at Ithaca College in Central New York, I knew I needed a change of pace after graduation. I never wanted to see snow in May again! And eventually I got what I wanted – I moved to Boston in the late ‘90s and have been here ever since. I’ve even endured a few April blizzards, but that’s another story.

Last month, Experience launched its 2008 Hot Cities Survey and polled students and young grads on the topic of what makes a city desirable. But we also dug a little deeper and asked about factors on relocating both domestically and internationally. Gen Y told us some interesting things – things that should affect how employers are luring entry-level talent to not just their companies, but their cities.

New York City led the pack of most desirable cities, at 12 percent ranking it number one, followed by Washington, D.C., Chicago and San Francisco respectively. Seattle/Tacoma, Atlanta, Boston and Charlotte tied the fifth place slot at a 5 percent response rate each. Other cities in the top 10 included Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Interestingly, a whopping 85 percent of Gen Y indicated they were interested in relocating inside the country, and 70 percent even said they’d consider moving abroad if presented with the right opportunity. By far the most popular reason for relocating was chasing career opportunities, but survey respondents also reported that the social/cultural scene, proximity to family, weather conditions and availability of public transportation were important considerations as well for a big move.

Given this information, it’s pretty clear that employers have the opportunity to attract a larger entry-level talent base by sourcing beyond their geographical boundaries. Candidates will make a significant move for a job, provided the “extracurricular” considerations add up. Recruiters must know what drives Gen Y as young grads make big moving decisions – and then they should use this knowledge to optimize their workforce development efforts. By promoting the aspects of living in a specific region in their outreach, employers can not only ensure they’re dipping into a larger candidate pool – they can positively affect their local, regional and even state economies.