Nearly 15% of NYC Job Seekers willing to leave city

Posted in Uncategorized on February 24, 2010 at 6:41 pm

From Crains: New York’s a tough town. It’s gotten even tougher with its 10.6% unemployment rate. But a surprisingly small number of mid- to senior-level job seekers in New York City—just 14%—are relocating elsewhere, according to a study released Wednesday by career consulting firm Right Management.

This relocation number is up from the 11% reported in 2007, when the local unemployment rate was less than half of today’s and the city had over 128,600 more jobs, according to the New York state Department of Labor.

“There’s this uniqueness of New York,” explained Ed Witherell, the New York market vice president of Right Management. “There is a great deal of opportunities, beyond your industry and beyond the function you may be performing.”

Mr. Witherell said the ranks of relocators is lower here than many people might expect because the city is home to scores of significant technology, publishing, financial, media and fashion companies, and individuals want to pursue the opportunities in their backyards. People are moving to New York for the same reasons.

The survey did not include information about job seekers coming to New York, or break down the areas of relocation by industry or demographics.

The relocation rate from New Jersey increased to 13% from 9% in the same period; meanwhile, 7% of job seekers are leaving Long Island, from 4% in the last survey. The nation’s average of 15% remained constant.

Of the surveyed 27,000 individuals nationwide, 3,000 were from the Northeast.

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100224/FREE/100229940