Overcoming Location (CONT’D FROM PAGE 1 )
mediate access to land for things like hunting, fishing, or ATV-ing. In a big city, you deal with noise. All the time. There’s traffic that turns five miles round-trip into a 30-40-minute battle both ways. In a city, it can be hard to find open, green space to enjoy some peace and quiet without mak- ing plans to do so. Big cities also typically mean a higher crime rates. In addition, everyone is always in a hurry, and people can be ruder as they try to get to their important thing. And don’t get me started on the cost of living. On the other hand, the higher diversity typically found in a bigger city means you can find a community around any topic, cuisine or religion. Whatever your thing is, you can find it in a big city. Plus, I’m told that if I can figure out how, I can order from Amazon and have it at my door in two hours! Conve- nience and variety of choice is a huge plus for cities, not to mention the access to medical facilities for just about any ailment or emergency. After you’ve gotten past the city/small town angle, one must consider where that location is. Some people HATE cold and will deal with summers over 100 degrees for months at a time to avoid dealing with snow or jackets. Likewise, some people HATE heat and humidity, and will deal with frigid, snowy winters for pleasant, milder sum- mers. Some people won’t live in states like California, Ore- gon, and Washington because they can’t stand the poli- tics, and some will avoid the south for the same reason. And don’t get me started on cost of living. Solutions Ultimately, the solution is not a complicated one: I al- ways start a search by targeting people that currently live in similar situations. If I’m helping a facility in Dallas and have exhausted local talent, I focus on people that live in Houston, Kansas City or St. Louis, for instance. Once you have an interested party, it’s not just about the job and compensation, you have to make sure the per- son and their family will be comfortable in their new area. I get calls all the time from people that have worked some- where six months, but their spouse can’t take the location anymore, and they have to get out. So, if you’re the client, first take a look at what the draws and drawbacks of your location might be. When you find a candidate in the right place, for the right price, with the right background and skills, make your pitch and sell your company and the area! But make sure you talk about the potential concerns as well so that they don’t come back to bite you or the candidate later. I also encourage clients to make sure the candidate has enough time to check out the local area on their own while interviewing, and I will generally push for an over-
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July 27, 2020
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