Despite the growing sophistication of telecommunications tools and employers’ increasing willingness to allow employees to work remotely, being located in a desirable location can be a draw for companies looking to attract top talent.
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Unsurprisingly, companies pay attention to periodic rankings of best cities or best metropolitan areas to live and work in, but these municipalities often pay close attention to those rankings, as well.
After all, if the companies in their area are doing well, their tax revenue goes up, both from the companies and from their employees.
Omaha Leads in Key Rankings
Here’s a recent example. While Omaha, Nebraska, might not seem like a hot location for young professionals—other than those trying to cozy up to billionaire local Warren Buffet—the city recently ranked fifth on Fortune‘s “10 U.S. Cities Where Employees Are Happiest—And Most Miserable” list.
By itself, that one-off ranking might not persuade someone to pack up and move, but Omaha also ranked number one in RealtyHop’s “The Best Metro Areas for Millennials in 2018” list.
Best Place Surprises
Omaha isn’t the only surprising city on these lists. While the Fortune top 10 list contained cities like Miami, Los Angeles, and Seattle,, the RealtyHop list was heavily weighted toward small to midsize Midwestern metro areas:
- Omaha-Council Bluffs, Nebraska/Iowa, Metro Area
- Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa, Metro Area
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Metro Area
- Midland, Michigan, Metro Area
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Metro Area
Factors that were considered were percentages of residents with college degrees, median income to median home value ratio, and percentage of international/out-of-state residents.
Good News for Mid-Market Recruiters
The good news for companies and recruiters in mid-market areas is that you don’t have to be based in New York, L.A., or Miami to attract the best and brightest.
Taking time to understand what really matters to candidates can help you position your town—and your company—as a sought-after place to be. You may be able to bring in world-class talent to work at companies in cities many wouldn’t have thought of—or that many haven’t even heard of.
What attributes does your community possess that could pull in top candidates?