Each September Executive Arrangements hosts a gathering we call EA Connects which brings together professional women we helped to woo and on-board to Cleveland/Akron during the past year. As part of our commitment to stay in touch with newcomers during their first year in town we host this happy hour on my back patio in Shaker Heights. It’s one of many outreaches EA provides to ensure retention and help acclimate recent transplants to their new city.
These gatherings are intentionally intimate, giving each guest time to connect with everyone present.These professional women all relocated to our region within the last year, either for their own career opportunity or because their significant other took a job here. As each person shared their back story you could see the connectivity sparks starting to fly….you came from Chicago? So did I! Wait, you live at the The Lumen apartments in Playhouse Square? So did we! We live just two blocks apart in Shaker’s Fernway neighborhood let’s plan to get together!
A bright yellow paper was passed from woman to woman to prompt answers to some “Get To Know a Newcomer” questions:
- What brought you to Cleveland? They came to CLE for senior level jobs (theirs or their significant others) with University Hospitals, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic, Holden Forests & Gardens, Playhouse Square Foundation, Cleveland State University and Case Western Reserve University
- From which city did you relocate? They arrived from Seattle, New York City, The Cayman Islands (yes everyone said “ohhhhh!” when she shared this Caribbean relo), Detroit, Charlotte, Richmond, Houston, Chicago, Troy and Indianapolis.
- In which neighborhood did you settle in Cleveland? Several live in rentals in Downtown Cleveland and University Circle as they eagerly await reduced interest rates and the real estate market to open back up. Others live in Shaker Heights, Pepper Pike, Middleburg Heights and Gates Mills.
- What are your hobbies and is there anything you are still trying to find in Cleveland? I love to ski. Where can I do that close to Cleveland. I miss my book club and wondered how to join one here (luckily EA has several book clubs filled with other newcomers). Who sells the best sliced lox? My husband and I enjoyed hiking in the Virginia mountains. What trails are nearby with elevation? How can I connect my adult children to job opportunities here? Our favorite comment was this classic one from a busy working mom: “Hobbies? What are those? I have a busy job and little kids. I don’t remember what my hobbies are! Maybe I’ll find some in Cleveland!”
One of the guests shared something we hear frequently, “Thanks, this is first time I’ve been invited to someone’s home since I moved here.”
So in the spirit of our annual EA Connects we encourage everyone who is reading this to intentionally add a newcomer to your social circle this month. Invite them over for dinner. Ask them to join a round of golf. Take them to a show or ballgame or take a walk in your neighborhood. We all brag about Cleveland’s friendliness but that should mean more than waving over the back fence. In many midwestern cities the majority of the residents are natives and have friends that go back to grade school days. That makes it very hard to break in socially and feel like you belong. Let’s all go a bit deeper than that and make a newcomer really feel welcome in their new town!
If your new hires could use these kinds of curated experiences & introductions to make sure they fall in love with our town, create networks and stay for the long haul, Executive Arrangements might be the talent attraction & retention partner you have been looking for. We help candidates and new hires alike see the possibilities for themselves and their families in Cleveland/Akron by connecting them to the people, places & resources they need to say yes to the job offer and then grow roots and stay put. It works….call us at 216.231.9311