Dive Brief:

• Silicon Valley has served as the premier technology mecca for many decades, with leading companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, and more calling it their headquarters. But, is this still the best place to work in technology?

• A new survey conducted by Indeed reveals that 88% of technical talent workers currently intend to leave a current employer for another job opportunity in the near future. Among these tech workers, “68.3% think it is either “not that important” or “not at all important” to live and work in Silicon Valley while pursuing a career in technology. However, 45.5% of millennials, who are eager to make a name for themselves with big brand companies, are still focused on Silicon Valley.

• Where is seasoned technology talent headed instead of Silicon Valley? The Indeed survey shows that Seattle, New York, Boston, and Los Angeles are also appealing to technical candidates, especially those who are in their 30s and 40s. 

Dive Insight:

In a growing global technology market, it seems that some traditions die hard. Silicon Valley has been known for providing some of the leading jobs in STEM careers, but it appears that the millennial workforce is more focused on starting out here than older generations of tech talent. Yet, talent is moving around again as the market recovers so other cities have a chance to attract this talent in the coming years as they mature.

Indeed also points out that increasing cost-of-living in tech hubs like Silicon Valley are causing tech talent to look elsewhere or work remotely for big firms rather than live there. No one wants to live in Google’s parking lot for long, apparently. 

Remote work arrangements have also emerged as a potential solution to expanding the talent pool, especially for tech workers.