In the fall of 2018, when a California-based software company held a grand opening of its second North American headquarters in Dublin, it wasn’t a surprise. There are smart, talented people in Columbus, especially when it comes to the tech industry.
Whether the emergence of innovative new startups or large, multinational companies, there is a surge happening in Columbus, and job seekers are getting in on it. Developers and tech professionals understand where the jobs are, simply based on the sheer amount of tech companies and startups that call Columbus home. And those companies know where the talent is, given the city’s reputation as a great place to live, buy a home and raise a family.
A part of why tech professionals want to work in Columbus are its emerging art, music and food scenes. This, acquainted with the fact that the cost of living is comparatively lower than cities like Chicago and New York, and the appearance of Columbus in national rankings as a great place to live makes sense.
The unemployment rate is also comparatively low, especially in the tech sector, which has led Columbus to be named the number one city for U.S. tech workers.
Workers are so in demand, in fact, Central Ohio tech companies are in need of more employees.
Don Carroll, vice president of business development at Vantage Point Logistics, says his company is among those looking to fill roles. In fact, these tech companies are likely looking for the same thing.
“The thing that we’re really probably saying is that the hardest roles for us to fill right now are developers, and in particular senior developers,” he says.
VPL currently has approximately 50 to 60 full-time employees, and may be adding 30 to 40 more within the next year in order to keep up with new technology platforms in development. VPL predominately serves hospitals and health systems in the healthcare provider market, so hiring senior developers allows them to slide people into roles quickly and efficiently.
“Because we’re trying to bring solutions and technologies to market so fast that we want to hire senior folks that can hit the ground running, full stack developers that understand very quickly what it is we’re trying to accomplish,” says Carroll.
But to attract top talent, companies aren’t simply relying on pay and benefits. They’re offering dynamic company cultures, complete with company events, open-door policies and flexible schedules, with the added bonus of an exciting city to work and live.
It’s the kind of approach that puts Columbus companies like CoverMyMeds on “Best Places to Work” lists every year. Early 2019 saw VPL make Inc. Magazine’s 346 Best Places to Work, one of four Central Ohio companies to do so. The company listed their work-life balance, annual health and wellness stipend and team-building events for why they’re is a great place to work.
“It’s an entrepreneurial environment. It’s a very open door environment,” says Carroll. “We really want people leaving every day with the feeling that, hey, what I did today really contributed towards moving the business forward.”
Carroll says VPL is in the process of making VPL an even more comfortable place to work. In the next few months, the company plans to move out of its current office space to a space double its size.
“We’re going to be doubling our office space to not only allow for our growth but to add a lot of really cool things,” he says. “And again, to attract, and maintain, and keep our great talent that we have working here.”
“We think the city is a great place to grow a business. We’re really excited to be here and be a part of everything that’s going on right now,” he says.
This is part of a multi-part series presented with paid support by Vantage Point Logistics.
VPL is a leader in delivering supply chain technology and solutions to the healthcare market. With years of experience, the continuous development of leading-edge technology and proactive account management, we are transforming their supply chain making it smarter, easier and better. Recognized as one of America’s fastest growing companies, we are poised to develop even more innovative technology solutions providing transparency and savings across the ever-expanding continuum of patient care.
For more information on Vantage Point Logistics, visit vantagepointlogistics.com.