Research

KC 2.0 staff have spent countless hours reaching out to regional and national recruitment experts to identify key issues, assets and challenges to recruiting job candidates to the KC region.

The following summaries are available to KCADC investor members for background, presentations and use in developing messaging and marketing materials.

Please contact us with questions or for more details.

KC Area Recruitment Research

Through interviews with the top 20 largest employers in the KC region, we learned that the primary recruitment challenges were:

• Recruiting minority candidates
• Lack of materials or lack of updated materials that provide information on the assets of living and working in the KC region.
• Kansas City, Missouri Schools’ reputation creates an overall perception of lack of quality education across the region.
• Antiquated perceptions of the region – rural; lack of entertainment options; unsophisticated; non-cosmopolitan; second-tier
• The most difficult demographic to recruit to Kansas City is the 24- to 35-year-old, single, college-educated professional. This is also the group that appeared to be the most needed, and most sought-after for future success of the company.

“Young and Restless”: Impresa Consulting

A study focused on the 24- to 35-year-old, single, college-educated professionals. Explains challenges and opportunities related to this highly sought-after demographic:

Positives:

• KC is gaining college-educated young people
• KC does well attracting young college-educated people from Iowa, Nebraska, and smaller towns in Kansas and Missouri. Also attracts net migration from several coastal Sunbelt cities.
• Low housing prices and lack of traffic congestion are viewed as a plus.
• KC is viewed as a friendly city with a good work-life balance.
• KC has competitive salaries and work options.
• KC is a strong environment for families.
• Revitalization of downtown is a plus.
• Strong sports and entertainment options

Negatives:

• Lack of strong transit
• Lack of diversity and significant out-migration of African-Americans
• Weak close-in neighborhoods
• Inability to pinpoint its own distinctive identity and DNA
• Feelings of disconnectness, both geographically and socially, among young singles
• Concerns about quality of the public schools and crime

>> Download an Executive Summary (115 kB PDF)

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