This past year has been difficult for U.S. businesses to develop technical talent due to the transition to remote work and with the pandemic halting business advancements. Conducting on-site training is nearly impossible due to the restrictions in place. Renowned tech-hubs such as the San Francisco Bay or the New York City area have experienced a negative shift in migration due to it’s high rent prices. This has caused engineers and top candidate talent to relocate to smaller cities for better cost-of-living.
Increase Tech Hubs: Madison, Colorado Springs & Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill
Smaller cities in the Midwest, South, and Mountain time zones have been experiencing an upwards trend of qualified engineering workers and top candidates migrating to smaller cities. According to a 2021 research study, Madison, Colorado Springs, and Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill served as the top three cities where there has been an increase in tech-hubs and pool of engineers.
Amazon Relocates To Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, named as the most resilient tech hub has progressively been making a name for itself when it comes to engineering talent where they experienced a 4.6% growth in the tech talent pool. This shift has caused top companies such as Amazon to relocate their recruiting into these smaller towns since talent is readily available. Amazon’s business units such as Amazon Web Services and Shopbop have already been on the lookout in Madison, Wisconsin for talent offering over 46 new jobs just for tech talent.
Cybersecurity Flourishes In Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, taking the number two spot is renowned for its cybersecurity expertise. A software company named Ivanti has taken notice of the increase in talent in Colorado and has been actively growing its presence in Colorado. The company is planning to hire 50-75 of new candidates in Colorado Springs in pursuit of making the city Ivanti’s “center of gravity” for two main software lines.
Consider Hiring From Outside Your Normal Geographic Area
Much of the talent that has moved from large urban areas are unlikely to return due to cheaper costs of living, particularly for housing, and improved quality of life. Organizations need to develop their company’s technology infrastructure and organizational culture in order to support remote and hybrid work. Especially with the rise of digital workspaces, companies are continuously expanding and reaching out to smaller states to find top talent. Companies that adapt to the new geography of work will not only cut on their costs by decreasing the requirement for real estate, but they will also gain a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining highly mobile people.
Could Remote Hiring Be The Best Fit For You?
Considering the growth of smaller city’s talent, the gig economy is a powerful solution to reaching out to a wider range of candidates. The gig economy allows your company to attract top candidates virtually from anywhere. Besides that, you can cut on costs without compromising on the quality of work. The way the gig economy works is that an employee enters into a formal agreement with a company to provide the necessary services. Factors such as hours worked, benefits offered, and duration of contract are just a few of factors in consideration when pairing up staffing needs with a potential gig worker. With the gig economy, the opportunities for company expansion and growth are truly endless.
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