Attracting Candidates to Northeast Ohio

A tighter job market or extremely specialized hiring needs may mean you need to look beyond Cleveland for your next marketing hire. The good news is that there’s never been a better time to sell people on the region.

Yes, Cleveland Rocks

The spotlight has been shining brightly on Cleveland for the past several years. Those of us who live here (and have even chosen to come back) have one thing to say: It’s about time. Among the accolades contributing to the city’s pride are being named to National Geographic’s list of the 21 Best Places to Visit in 2018, as well as highly favorable profiles in the Los Angeles Times and Forbes.

Personally, I’ve witnessed the effect of all this well-deserved recognition in conversations with out-of-market candidates, such as the marketing executive in Chicago who told me she had grown weary of the city and was open to considering smaller, hip markets “like a Nashville or a Cleveland.”

So, if you’re concerned about the challenge of attracting talent from other markets, don’t be. There are numerous attributes to point to and countless resources that you can offer candidates as they contemplate a move to Cleveland for their next big opportunity.

Building Your Case

While Cleveland has surely benefitted from being in the national spotlight, you still need to build a strong case. Moving is always a huge consideration, and you can help by addressing the various factors that impact the decision. For example:

• Continued growth and development. Demonstrate to candidates that Cleveland’s commitment to growth is far from fleeting. Revitalization began more than a decade ago and continues today.

• Neighborhoods close to the urban core. One of the advantages that older cities have is the character found in historic neighborhoods that were established long ago in close proximity to the city’s downtown. Here, we have several trendy (and walkable) neighborhoods to highlight such as Ohio City, Tremont, Little Italy and the Detroit-Shoreway.

• Culinary chops. Long recognized as a foodie town, we’re home to renowned chef Michael Symon, the first-ever winner of the Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef, and Rocco Whalen, whose still-going-strong Tremont restaurant Fahrenheit was recognized early on by Gourmet magazine’s 2002 Guide to America’s Best Restaurants.

• Parks and recreation. Thanks to Cleveland Metroparks, we get to explore more than 230,000 acres of parks and reservations year-round. Plus, our Lake Erie location offers additional things to do, both locally and regionally.

• A vibrant arts and culture scene. Most people probably don’t know that Playhouse Square is the largest performing arts center in the United States outside of Lincoln Center in New York. Or that University Circle, which houses both the Cleveland Orchestra and the Cleveland Museum of Art, attracts more than 2.5 visitors per year.

• Professional sports. We shed our history as gluttons for punishment when it comes to professional sports, cheering from the sidelines as the Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA Championship while the Indians made it all the way to the World Series that same year.

But one of the most compelling arguments that you can make is that you get all of the above, and more, at an extremely competitive cost of living. For example, Cleveland costs 12.9% less than Chicago and a whopping 42.6% less than San Francisco. You can share a Cost of Living Calculator with candidates to let them see for themselves what Clevelanders already know—that a great lifestyle in an incredible city is possible without breaking the bank.