Your Next Great Hire May Already Be Looking at North Dakota
Workforce attraction is one of the most pressing challenges facing employers across the Greater Fargo-Moorhead region. Competing for talent in a tight labor market, while also working to grow the regional workforce, requires more than traditional recruiting. It requires reaching people where they are and connecting them to what our region has to offer.
North Dakota’s Find the Good Life Candidate Marketplace, a program of the North Dakota Department of Commerce, is one tool designed to do exactly that. Through strategic marketing campaigns and targeted outreach, the program captures leads from people across the country who have expressed genuine interest in relocating to North Dakota and connects them directly with employers. These aren’t passive job seekers. These are candidates who have already taken a step toward making North Dakota their home.
What the Data Shows
The program has gained real traction since its launch:
- Roughly 7,000 leads generated through the Find the Good Life initiative
- More than 3,700 candidates active in the marketplace
- 2,000+ resumes collected and available to employers
- More than 120 candidates have already relocated to North Dakota
- 215 employers engaged in the candidate marketplace
Candidates span a wide range of industries, from healthcare, business, retail and food services, to manufacturing and skilled trades.
Where Are These Candidates Coming From?
The top states represented in the marketplace include:
🔹 California
🔹 Florida
🔹 Texas
🔹 Arizona
🔹 Minnesota
And here’s what’s particularly relevant for our region: Fargo is a top preferred destination city among candidates in the marketplace.
When it comes to relocation timeline, the candidates are ready to move:
- 28% are ready to relocate immediately
- 23% within three months
- 15% within six months
More than half of the candidates in the marketplace could be available to employers within six months.
What This Means for FM Employers
Innovate28 has set a bold regional goal of growing the labor force by 12,000 workers by January 2029 — a 30% increase over historical trends. Reaching that goal requires connecting motivated, qualified candidates with employers who need them. The Find the Good Life Candidate Marketplace is one practical way to do that.
As Katie Ralston Howe, Deputy Commissioner Director of the Workforce Division at ND Commerce, put it:
“Our goal is for employers to think of the Find the Good Life Candidate Marketplace as your shortcut to great talent. Instead of sorting through endless applications, you get connected with people who actually want to live and work in North Dakota. It’s an easy way to find candidates who are excited about the community, the lifestyle, and the kind of work you offer.”
How to Get Connected
Employers can register for login credentials and begin connecting with candidates directly.
👉 Register here: relocate.findthegoodlife.com/employer-request
Have questions about this tool or other workforce resources available in the Greater Fargo-Moorhead region? Reach out to the EDC’s Tifanie Gelinske at 701-364-1900 or tgelinske@fmedc.com.
