3 Talent Attraction Myth-Busting Truths from ACCE 2017
July 19, 2017 | By: Dariel Curren
DCI’s Director of Talent Attraction, Rebecca Gehman, and I moderated a session called “Place Branding and the Battle for Talent” at the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) 2017 Conference in Nashville this week. It was a standing-room only audience – testament to how communities across America are grappling with low unemployment rates and talent shortages.
Our first-rate panelists included Adrienne Cole, President and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce; Sybil Topel, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and Caitlin Holland, President of the Shoals Chamber of Commerce in Alabama. Each had compelling stories to tell about how their regions are marketing their assets to talent.
What DCI brought to the session was fresh research on what people actually look for in jobs and locations, which we published this spring after surveying 1,000 working age individuals across the U.S. We presented these three myth busters from DCI’s “Talent Wars” Q Report:
Myth 1: People aren’t moving, people already have jobs and they aren’t looking for new opportunities.
BUSTED: Almost 90 percent of our survey respondents reported that they search for new employment opportunities at least a few times per year. The survey also revealed that nearly half of respondents are somewhat or extremely likely to relocate for a new job opportunity in the next five years again – this percentage increases to 57 percent among respondents under the age of 35.
Myth 2: People choose location first, jobs second.
BUSTED: When we asked respondents to identify the primary motivating factor for a job search, we found that salary, work-life balance and benefits trump location when it comes to considering a new job opportunity.
Myth 3: Quality schools and plenty of activities are top location factors.
BUSTED: Respondent’s top factors in location decisions were cost of living, housing cost and housing availability. People want to easily find a home and be able to afford it without breaking the bank. Neither K-12 schools or amenities rank anywhere close to the top five.
To get more facts to shape your talent attraction marketing programs, download the full Talent Wars report.
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P.S. On a lighter note, the “Sticky Note Confessions” at our booth revealed these common work perks and peeves of chamber professionals:
- Peeves: Being everything to everyone all the time; constant interruptions; always having to be “on;” serving as the local “411”; talk about the brilliance of slaying the sacred cows, but still hearing moo; too many happy hours.
- Perks: Being in the know; knowing everyone; connecting people; making a difference; unexpected and fun things always come up; free parking, food and drinks!
Do you experience any of these talent attraction myths in your community, or have any other Chamber peeves and perks to share? Let us know in a comment below or tweet us @aboutdci.
