How to Attract A-Level Talent to a Smaller Metro Area

Your enterprise offers a top-tier benefits package, competitive salary, and room for professional development. It’s also positioned to scale up in the near future. And while all of this sounds great on paper and should attract talent from across the country, will your company’s location deter potential candidates?

Many business owners outside of traditionally attractive destinations and bustling hotspots find it difficult to convince the talent they truly want to relocate to their area. Here, AMNY Recruitment Marketing discusses some of the marketing tips you can use to attract candidates to your smaller city.

Find Out What Your Prospects Want

Appealing to your candidates’ needs not only helps you match the right people for open positions but also helps you market your city. Many people look at the bigger picture before relocating, asking themselves, “Does the area support the lifestyle I prefer?”

 Before recruiting, start by creating a candidate persona. Personas are fictional characters that represent your ideal applicant for a specific role. Some demographics and psychological factors to consider include:

Age, gender, marital status, and number of children

Educational background

Current level of seniority

Skills and competencies

Personal and professional challenges

Goals, values, hobbies, and interests

Income

The better you understand your ideal candidate, the easier it will be to tailor your recruitment solutions toward people most likely to accept your offer.

Sell Your City

Business owners often launch their recruitment efforts with strong, company-focused advertising. This makes perfect sense because you want to be sure to attract the right talent to fill out your team and seamlessly integrate into the company culture. But if you’re in a small metro area, be sure to sell the location and leverage its benefits, as well. Consider the following:

  • Proximity to larger cities: If your business is near enough to a larger city, some candidates won’t mind a commute.
  • Local attractions: Stay on top of the latest trends and opportunities in your area, whether it’s festivals, neighborhood revitalization efforts, and noteworthy news coverage.
  • Affordable costs of living: Bigger cities mean higher expenses – your smaller city makes it easier for recruits to afford their desired lifestyle.
  • Low costs of conducting business: The more your company saves, the more you have to invest in your team and the community as a whole.
  • Work-life balance: Many smaller cities are located near outdoor recreation areas, providing a big selling point for candidates who value a balanced lifestyle.

 As you’re crafting a marketing plan that highlights the best features of your location, think back to your candidate personas. What parts of your city will they find most appealing? Where might they want to live? This could mean highlighting an apartment complex near the action or homes close to playgrounds and schools.

Highlight Your Community Impact

Many of today’s candidates are looking beyond compensation to find meaningful careers at companies that align with their values. They’re looking more toward enterprises that realize their impact and take responsibility for their outcomes within society and the environment. In addition to highlighting the best features of your city, don’t forget the impact your company has on the area, such as:

Employee volunteer work

Company investments in the area

Charitable donations

Local economic impact

Community partnerships

Incorporating your city’s benefits into your company’s culture is a great way to attract A-level talent and make a positive impact. Smaller cities often have a strong sense of community and a commitment to their residents and business owners, which can be a big draw for the right candidate.

Offer Assistance

Sometimes the best marketing solutions come straight from the source. If you truly want A-list talent to relocate for you, also consider sweetening the deal with a few perks. This could mean covering moving costs and offering a signing bonus. Some people may also need temporary furnished housing and a company car or auto allowance.

A few extra perks can make all the difference when asking someone to pack up and move to another geographic location. The more assistance you can provide upfront to ease the transition, the more confidence a candidate may have in their decision to uproot their lives for your opportunity.

Ask for Help

If you’re not sure where to start in promoting your city, help is available. Before beginning the recruitment process, ask your local Chamber of Commerce for guidance. They can provide detailed insights about the region, economic development, and other reasons for people to relocate to the area.

Assistance from a partner like AMNY Recruitment Marketing can also boost your recruitment efforts. Our digital recruitment solutions help business owners put their best foot forward and draw the talent they need through multiple channels. For more information about our recruitment agency, contact us today.