As you navigate the world of hiring professionals in the United States, it's essential to have a solid understanding of the country's geography, time zones, and demography. These factors play a crucial role in determining the availability of talent and coordinating operations across different regions. Let's delve into each of these aspects to help you streamline your recruitment efforts effectively.
Understanding US geography is crucial for anyone in the US staffing industry, as it can significantly impact your strategies and success. Here's a breakdown of key geographical aspects relevant to staffing:
Useful Facts
The United States of America is the world's third largest country in size and nearly the third largest in terms of population.
The United States is a vast country located in North America, spanning a diverse range of landscapes and climates. It is the third-largest country globally, covering approximately 9.8 million square kilometres.
On July 4th, 1776, Congress issued the Declaration of Independence for USA.
Quick Notes:
- OFFICIAL NAME: United States of America
- FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitution-based federal republic
- CAPITAL: Washington, D.C.
- POPULATION: 330,175,936
- LANGUAGES: English, Spanish (no official national language)
- Currency: U.S. Dollar ($)
The country is divided into 50 states, each with its own unique characteristics, industries, and talent pools.
The names of these states with their abbreviations are useful for us. So, it is good if we memorize them.
These official state abbreviations have all been standardized by the United States Postal Service (USPS).
| State | Abbreviation |
Popular Cities |
| Alabama | AL | Birmingham, Hoover |
| Alaska | AL | Fairbanks |
| Arizona | AZ | Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler |
| Arkansas | AR | Bentonville, Springdale, Little Rock, Jonesboro, El Dorado |
| California | CA | Los Angeles (LA), San Francisco (SFO), California City, San Diego, San Jose, Sacramento, Irvine, Long Beach, Anaheim, Oakland, Pasadena, Carlsbad, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Fremont, Fresno, Riverside, Thousand Oaks, Fairfield |
| Colorado | CO | Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins |
| Connecticut |
CT | Stamford, Hartford, Milford, Bridgeport |
| Delaware | DE | Wilmington, Dover, Newark, Delaware City |
| Florida | FL | Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, St. Petersburg, Florida City, Fort Lauderdale, Naples |
| Georgia | GA | Atlanta, Alpharetta, Savannah |
| Hawaii |
HI | Honolulu, Honolulu County, Pearl City |
| Idaho | ID | Boise, Nampa, Meridian |
| Illinois | IL | Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, Aurora, Bloomington, Naperville, Springfield, Plainfield, Waukegan |
| Indiana | IN | Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Jeffersonville, Westfield, Carmel |
| Iowa | IA | Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City |
| Kansas | KS | Kansas City, Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence |
| Kentucky | KY | Louisville, Lexington |
| Louisiana |
LY | New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette |
| Maine | ME | Portland, Lewiston |
| Maryland | MD | Baltimore, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Laurel, Annapolis |
| Massachusetts |
MA | Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Springfield, Somerville, Salem, Lowell, Waltham, Plymouth |
| Michigan | MI | Detroit, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Royal Oak |
| Minnesota |
MN | Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester, Eden Prairie, Richfield, Maplewood |
| Mississippi |
MS | Mississippi City, Jackson |
| Missouri |
MO | St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, O’Fallon, Jefferson City |
| Montana | MT | Billings, Missoula |
| Nebraska | NE | Nebraska City, Omaha, Lincoln |
| Nevada | NV | Las Vegas, Henderson |
| New Hampshire |
NH | Portsmouth, Dover, Concord, Nashua, Manchester |
| New Jersey | NJ | Jersey City, Newark, Edison, Princeton, Trenton, Hoboken, Plainfield, Paterson, Lakewood, Woodbridge, Clifton, Union City, Piscataway, New Brunswick, Wayne, Bloomfield, Berkeley, Teaneck |
| New Mexico | NM | Santa Fe, Roswell, Albuquerque |
| New York | NY | New York City, Albany, Buffalo, North Hempstead |
| North Carolina | NC | Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville |
| North Dakota | ND | Bismarck, Dickinson, Fargo |
| Ohio | OH | Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Akron, Dayton, Toledo |
| Oklahoma |
OK | Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Edmond |
| Oregon | OR | Portland, Salem, Hillsboro, Beaverton |
| Pennsylvania |
PA | Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Erie |
| Rhode Island |
RI | Providence, Newport, Woonsocket |
| South Carolina | SC | Charleston, Greenville, Columbia |
| South Dakota | SD | Rapid City, Sioux Falls |
| Tennessee |
TN | Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville |
| Texas | TX | Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth, Arlington, Texas City, Frisco, Irving, Wichita Falls |
| Utah | UT | Salt Lake City, Lehi, Provo |
| Vermont | VT | Burlington |
| Virginia | VA | Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Lynchburg, Leesburg |
| Washington | WA | Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond |
| West Virginia |
WV | Charleston, Wheeling, Fairmont |
| Wisconsin | WI | Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton |
| Wyoming | WY | Cheyenne, Casper, Gillette |
Regional Differences
- The Northeast: Densely populated urban centers like New York City and Boston offer a vast talent pool in finance, tech, and professional services. However, competition for talent is fierce, and salaries tend to be high.
- The Midwest: Manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare are main industries here. The talent pool is more focused on blue-collar and skilled labor, with moderate competition and cost of living.
- The South: A fast-growing region with booming tech and healthcare sectors, particularly in cities like Atlanta and Dallas. The cost of living is generally lower than the Northeast, and the talent pool is diverse.
- The West: Home to tech giants in Silicon Valley and Seattle, the West Coast boasts a highly skilled workforce in tech and creative fields. Competition is intense, and the cost of living is among the highest in the US.
Urban vs Rural
- Urban areas: Generally have a larger and more diverse talent pool, but competition is higher, and wages and cost of living tend to be higher.
- Rural areas: Talent pool is smaller and more specialized, but competition is lower, and wages and cost of living are typically lower.
State Specific Considerations
- Each state has its own labor laws, minimum wage rates, and regulations that impact staffing operations. Staffing agencies must stay informed about state-specific compliance requirements.
- Population density, cost of living, and overall economic health vary widely from state to state, influencing job availability and compensation levels.