Most hiring managers and recruiters are Boomers and Gen X'ers. Most of our generations who relocated after college or grad school did so because we found a great job in another city and then moved to that city. But Gen Y (a/k/a Millenials) correctly believes that is backwards. People should first choose where they want to live and then choose their employer. People, this generation really has its priorities straight.

As reported by The Future of Work Weblog, younger folks

are choosing where to live first, and then - and only then - worrying about who to work for. In other words, location matters - more than ever.

That puts cities and regional economies in the driver's seat - if they sit up and take notice (sorry for the mixed metaphor there). If you recognize the opportunity, you should be focusing your economic development efforts on ensuring that your community is a desirable place to live - that means reasonably priced housing, good schools, clean air, recreational opportunities, and so on. You want a healthy economy, create a great community.

So this trend poses both a threat and an opportunity to communites everywhere. If your community is not attractive to young adults, your firm needs to invest more heavily in its community rather than just investing in its recruitment advertising and spin doctors. If you live in a rural community with high unemployment and a failing downtown, don't focus on selling candidates on the benefits of living in a low cost region. Instead, focus on rejuvinating your downtown, which will bring down the unemployment rate and make your region and therefore your firm more attractive to Gen Y. If you live in an urban community with high taxes and polluted lakes, don't focus on selling candidates on your client base. Instead, focus on bringing down the tax rate and cleaning up the lakes. By making your region healthier, you'll also take a big step towards solving your recruiting problems.