With return-to-office mandates in full swing, most new college graduates expect to relocate to the city where they’ve landed a full-time role. This aligns with Gen Z’s preference for in-person work, with 79% saying they hope to work in a hybrid structure, while only 7% prefer a fully remote role.
One of the best ways to ensure you’re connecting with candidates open to relocating is by using a tool like RippleMatch, which factors in candidate location preferences when matching them with roles. This means you’re already reaching candidates who have expressed interest in your city or are open to relocating.
However, the reality is that many candidates are applying to roles even if they aren’t sure about the location—especially if they see strong career potential.
This means employers need a clear strategy to sell candidates on their city, ensuring that location isn’t a barrier to offer acceptance. From that same survey, the most influential factors for Gen Z candidates when considering a move boil down to money and how welcome they feel in that community.
With all of this in mind, how do you convince entry-level candidates to not only take a chance on your company, but also on a city they may be unfamiliar with? Whether your company is situated in a well-known tech hub or a small city, there are pros and cons to every location. However, there are several ways you can cater to new graduates to ensure they don’t turn down your opportunity because of location alone. Here are our top tips:
If your company is located in a city with a lower-than-average cost of living, highlight that among its other benefits.
In a time when levels of student debt are higher than ever, a job located in a city with a lower-than-average cost-of-living has real appeal. And it's clear from the graph above that Gen Z candidates are taking cost into account when considering a location. If your company is located in an affordable city, embrace it. Among the follow-up materials you send candidates after you have sent an offer, include information about the affordable cost-of-living compared to high-demand cities like NYC, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. Chicago, for example, has a 40% lower cost-of-living than San Francisco, while cities like Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Phoenix and the surrounding areas have a 50-60% lower cost-of-living than San Francisco or Manhattan.
While it may feel like a lot of additional work, including this information in your post-offer follow-ups doesn’t have to be a big lift – this tool from NerdWallet does all the work for you when you select two cities to compare. With everything a candidate considers about their first job offer, calculating the cost-of-living might not be the first thing on their mind, so make it easy for them to see the long-term value your company provides financially.
If you’re located in a city with a high cost of living, offer some kind of relocation assistance.
If your company is located in a city like New York or San Francisco, it likely won’t be as difficult to convince candidates that it’s an interesting place to live. However, the high cost of living of both of these cities can be a barrier to entry for candidates who may be otherwise excited for your position.
Unlike professionals who have been in the working world for several years, candidates coming right out of school may not have the savings or the means to relocate to an expensive city for your opportunity. This is especially true for candidates who come from low-income backgrounds, who are disproportionately people of color and first-generation college students. Approximately 27 percent of first-generation students come from families that make $20,000 or less annually, and 42% of African American students and 48% of Latino students at four-year institutions were reported to be first-generation students.
Even if the salary you offer covers the cost of living and then some, many college grads will struggle to come up with several thousand dollars to cover a security deposit, moving costs, travel, and any other costs to get situated before they start receiving a salary. To convince new grads to relocate for your position – especially if you care about bringing candidates from diverse backgrounds into your organization – consider offering a relocation stipend to help them get established in the few weeks before their first day.
Fully showcase your company culture and welcoming community.
Starting a new job can be stressful for any new employee. But moving to a new city for a first “real” job is sure to be a source of nerves for any candidate. According to the info above, nearly 50% of candidates are thinking about the availability of community when deciding whether or not to move. One way to address this is by ensuring candidates get familiar with your company culture during the interview process.
At a minimum, flesh out your careers page to include details about initiatives and resources that contribute to company culture. This can include videos, testimonials, pictures, and written descriptions of employee resource groups, company outings, or group activities. During the interview process with a candidate, you can also carve out time to discuss the culture and community at your company.
Give candidates a chance to learn more by connecting them with current employees after the interview.
Even after several rounds of interviews, candidates may have some lingering questions about a company’s culture and how they would fit in. Once you’ve extended an offer to a candidate, connect them with a few employees who weren’t directly involved in their interview process to discuss their experience within the company. Of the employees you connect with candidates, include an employee who relocated for their role that can discuss the transition, how the company made them feel welcome, and their experience living in the city.
To make candidates feel even more comfortable when asking current employees additional questions, you can take your connection emails a step further and designate specific employees for specific topics. Employee 1 can speak specifically about moving to a new city for a job; Employee 2 can speak on internal company culture initiatives; and Employee 3 can discuss how the company has helped their career grow.
Showcase Your City: Strengthening Offer Acceptance and Reducing Reneges
A candidate’s decision to accept an offer isn’t just about the role—it’s also about where they’ll be living. If they’ve never visited your company’s city, uncertainty about relocating could be a barrier to acceptance. Whether through an onsite interview or a post-offer visit, giving candidates a chance to experience the city firsthand can boost enthusiasm and help prevent reneges.
If your company hosts onsite interviews, treat them as an opportunity to showcase both your workplace and the surrounding area. Provide candidates with resources on nearby coffee shops, restaurants, parks, and must-see spots to explore while they’re in town. If an onsite interview isn’t part of your process, consider inviting candidates to visit the city after they receive an offer. Encouraging them to experience the area—whether through a company-sponsored visit or simply by sharing recommendations—can help them feel more confident and excited about making the move.
By integrating city experiences into the interview or offer process, you’re not just selling the job—you’re selling the lifestyle that comes with it. This extra step can make all the difference in securing top talent and reducing last-minute reneges.
Winning over Gen Z talent is influenced by everything from your recruitment marketing efforts to your candidate experience. Speaking to Gen Z’s priorities throughout the hiring process can help you attract the most talented candidates, but selling them on the location of your company is important to pushing an offer over the finish line. Use these five tips to ensure that the only impact your location has on a candidate’s decision to accept an offer is a positive one.
For more tips on appealing to the latest cohort of Gen Z candidates, download our latest report, 'Bridging the Great Gen Z Disconnect' here!
