The largest percentage of America’s workforce is now represented by those aged 19 to 35 (permanently known as the Millennial Generation). Targeted with many stereotypes, one thing that is undeniable is the relationship between the high percentage of millennials living in urban areas and the revival of great American cities and urban life.
Reaching working age, this group flocked to cities to chase opportunities and urban life is now flourishing even compared to just 8 years ago. The big debate nowadays is whether this generation will stay in the cities as their preferred way of life, or if this is a temporary stage as this generation finds financial stability (see below for debating articles).
Whichever view you side with, as recruiters we can’t help but be convinced that living in urban areas is preferred. This is a very convincing argument to us because trying to fill positions in rural areas these days is like trying to entice a fish to live in the dessert - maybe not that hard but close.
“Sounds like a great opportunity! If it was in a different location I would have been interested.”
“Wait… the position is located WHERE?”
It’s an endless struggle.
On top of finding someone who will actually entertain the idea, you also want to make sure they know what they’d be signing up for. The only thing harder than filling a rural job is having to refill it after a few months once your first candidate realized they weren’t built for country living.
But there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. We have recently had to overcome this sort of hurdle. Knowing we are not the only ones dealing with this situation, we looked for some outside inspiration. There are a great many resources – especially on how to attract health professionals to rural areas but these tips can be applied to many different industries.
Tips for Rural Recruiting
▪ Find people with roots in the area you are recruiting for. Even if these candidates have moved away to a different State, they might be willing to return.
▪ Find people who went to a nearby University. These people will already be familiar with the area and will probably have fond memories of the location.
▪ Find people from other rural areas in the U.S. These people won’t flinch when you tell them where the opportunity is.
▪ A reason why many fear the idea of moving to a rural area is the lack of opportunity for career advancement. Address this issue. If the company you are trying to recruit for is growing, if there is room to grow with the company, share these prospects with the candidate.
▪ Do your research part 1 - If the small town has a tourist station, give them a call. Have them send you promotional materials about the area. Ask them about their town’s hidden gems. This is a great way to identify some awesome features about the location. Your excitement will be contagious.
▪ Do your research part 2 – You want to give your candidates a clear picture of what it would really be like to live there. Spend time researching what it would be like to live there. Reach out to locals who could give insight into things like what the commuting traffic is like, how affordable it is to live there etc.
Advantages for considering rural career opportunities:
▪ There is less competition in rural areas. Which can mean climbing that career ladder more quickly and easily within a company.
▪ Living is much more affordable outside of big cities – and so are houses.
▪ Less of your time is wasted in high-traffic commuting.
▪ Rural communities, on average, are exposed to less crime.
▪ The sense of community in a rural area is unlike what can be experienced in urban areas.
Of course, wherever one decides to live, grow and work is a personal choice and everyone has their reasons for it. We hope this article either helps you to work with these challenges or opens your perspective on how much opportunity might be out there for you.
