In today’s world, many things affect your business and how it performs – but have you ever thought about the influence geography can have?
The location of your business can have a profound impact on the level of success you attain, but how?
Proximity to opportunity
According to research by IT course providers Computeach, understanding geographic data relating to the IT industry can help you expand by indicating where there is a demand for the jobs and services which you are supplying.
They teamed with recruiters Reed.co.uk to look at the IT industry, according to their data, emerging ‘techie’ towns and cities were often found in close proximity to larger business communities. Suggesting that large businesses and areas have an influence in the decision making process of individuals considering courses/higher education. The research also indicates where there prospective employees are located based on the number of It job applications.
Wembley and Brentwood (which is found in the London commuter belt) were among those areas with the highest amount of individuals most likely to start an IT course – 6.90% and 7.45% respectively.
It’s comes with little surprise , that London came out on top when looking at the cities with the highest number of job applicants for roles in the sector. In total, London was reported to receive as much as 390,632 job applications; a figure considerably higher than tenth position holder Nottingham which receives 20,249 applications. For those with a business in IT, location could therefore have a significant impact on the amount of job interest you receive with a higher number of applicants potentially yielding higher calibre applicants.
Following the crowd and setting up shop in an area with thriving opportunities for your industry or field is always advisable, but there are other options you can look into to avoid limiting the selection of applicants you receive for any advertised positions.
Nowadays, workers find the idea of relocating or travelling for a job less than practical given the costs involved.
Applied knowledge
For other industries, similar statistics will no doubt be available to highlight the best areas for opportunity, but as always, gaining access to this information is the easy bit. Applying it to your business is where things become trickier.
If you’re still unsure how geography affects your business or how to use geographic data about your sector to your advantage, then these tips might help.
Try and target areas with large business communities relevant to your industry when choosing locations for your business
Always focus on geographic data concerning your industry when looking at expansion opportunities for your business
Consider how you can tap into talent pools outside of your immediate locality – this could include opening new offices in other locations or providing flexible working conditions that allow employees to work remotely from their homes
Consider what links your chosen area of operation has with other business and industries, and consider how this will impact your ability to grow/expand in the future
Remember that areas which have higher numbers of job applicants for your industry will equate to greater competition between job hunters so you’ll need to establish a clear procedure for vetting applications to ensure ultimate efficiency in the hiring process
Key findings of the research undertaken by Reed.co.uk and Computeach are copied below:
City
Most likely to start a course
1
Blackpool
7.77%
2
Bushey
7.47%
3
Brentwood
7.45%
4
Wembley
6.90%
5
Southampton
6.53%
6
Sale
6.37%
7
Dudley
6.36%
8
Coventry
6.35%
9
Leicester
6.34%
10
Oldham
6.19%
11
Norwich
6.16%
12
Brasted
6.10%
13
Glasgow
6.10%
14
Aberdeen
6.05%
15
Cambridge
6.00%
16
Ipswich
5.96%
17
Poplar
5.95%
18
Colchester
5.92%
19
Reading
5.90%
20
Iver
5.90%
Town/City
IT Job Applications
1
London
390,632
2
Manchester
61,020
3
Birmingham
59,453
4
Milton Keynes
36,165
5
Leeds
35,682
6
Reading
31,723
7
Newcastle Upon Tyne
28,283
8
Bristol
27,981
9
Cambridge
20,783
10
Nottingham
20,249
*Figures from October 2012-October 2013
