Monster and Human Capital Institute, a global think tank, educator and professional association, recently collaborated to release a study highlighting workers' attitudes about relocation. The study, authored by John Eggert, Ph.D., and Allan Schweyer, president and executive director of HCI, is intended to guide employers and regional governments in becoming more effective at recruiting and retaining talent.
"Employers and governmental entities within a given region can play an important role in attracting new talent by promoting the unique advantages they offer to residents in concrete terms," said Schweyer. "Our study found that the brand, or perception of a city, is a critical factor in the decision-making process for candidates.
Therefore, cities and employers that understand, manage and promote their brands will be best positioned to attract and keep knowledge workers of all ages."
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Respondents were asked to choose their most preferred and least preferred cities for job relocation. New York made both the most and least preferred list. The study found San Diego, San Francisco and New York to be the top three cities for job relocation, while the least preferred were New York, Detroit and Los Angeles.
Some other key findings in the study include:
People are hard to move. The majority of respondents say they are satisfied with their community, so employers should look for workers among people in transition, like college graduates or those who have recently lost their jobs.
People think about cities in the abstract, but they make relocation decisions concretely. Job opportunities, clean and safe communities, and cost of living are the most powerful factors in attracting talent to a particular area, but other amenities influence an individual's decision to move, so convey them as concretely as possible.
The negative images of the city may have a stronger impact than the positive. Employers need to acknowledge less flattering misconceptions about their region and look to address them during the interviewing process. While these issues should not be the focus of an interview, listening for concerns and addressing them head-on can help mitigate negative preconceived notions.
"Town and Gown" issues will not improve without more integration and alignment. Both corporations and universities need to continue to produce new knowledge to thrive, and must cooperate to ensure success. Corporations must learn about how the university prepares its future workers and should take an active role in making curriculum suggestions. Likewise, university faculty and administration should stay abreast of the job market environment they are preparing their students for.
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