What is Tech Valley Connect?
Tech Valley Connect (TVC) is a consortium of professional hiring employers in the Capital Region with the focus of providing relocation resources for new and recent hires and their families. The organizations belonging to the consortium commit to high-level informational interviews for ‘accompanying spouses’ of hired professionals within the consortium. In addition, TVC meets with each family to conduct a thorough intake in an effort to connect them to local resources specific to their family’s needs. The Tech Valley Connect model serves as a valuable recruitment tool as well as a significantly effective method for retention.
How can this resource be beneficial to my family?
Moving into a new area, can be stressful and time consuming for professionals with attending to all the minute details involved with relocation. Tech Valley Connect is designed to eliminate a good portion of that stress by providing a coordinator who can address each family’s specific relocation needs. From swimming lessons to special needs resources for children to finding a veterinarian, a trusted mechanic, a reliable plumber, an experienced realtor, the right bank, close-by health food stores, doctors, dentists and a great workout gym; our coordinator is on-call to make this transition as smooth and efficient as possible.
How will this resource work?
During the interview process and even before the actual onsite interview, each organization identifies a point person who will contact our Tech Valley Connect coordinator to exchange the candidate’s contact information and schedule a half-hour session to meet with them to ascertain specific and confidential aspects and needs of the family. From there, a portfolio of focused information will be gathered to meet those needs. During this interview, if the candidate has requested information on available postings for a spouse/partner, informational interviews will be set up with decision makers in the region within the spouse’s discipline.
What is an ‘informational interview’?
An informational interview guarantees a face to face with a senior level managerial person in the specific field of the applicant. Although the interview does not guarantee a position, it offers valuable elements from an overview regarding the local landscape of this particular field of study, projecting when there may be openings, possible referrals to other colleagues in the field who may be able to further assist with job search, invaluable networking and the all important face to face which becomes a powerful tool in the effort to professional making in-roads in a new area.
How will the intake process be different from the information provided on the website?
The intake is a confidential exchange offering the candidate and their family an opportunity to ask questions, they may find uncomfortable in a professional setting. For example, if there is a child with special needs or a medical condition, they may want to make sure there are appropriate medical facilities and reputable specialists available. The TVC website, however is valuable too! It will provide access to each core partners foreseeable postings for the upcoming year. With advance knowledge of available jobs for a spouse, the original hire may find their offer more desirable. The site also offers regional resources which have been carefully vetted through the TVC staffers to ensure the service or products are reliable and have a good reputation in the community. Through word of mouth by locals, we have been painstaking in making sure we have a quality list of resources for our client’s to choose from.
If the professional hired has a partner/spouse who is NOT in the professions, will this resource be effective in landing a networking interview?
Yes. Tech Valley Connect has recruiters in place to put out a search and ascertain similar interviews along with our own network through the local Chambers and the Center for Economic Growth. Every effort is made to find the appropriate professionals to connect the spouse/partner with.
Are there any specific accommodations made for international hires?
Yes. Tech Valley Connect has partnerd with Lingua-Linx, a translation agency and the Capital Region Language Center to create a series of seminars addressing both cultural differences and language. These classes are geared towards providing information which will eliminate what can be a very time consuming and confusing process for people entering the U.S.
Will there be follow-up after the initial move to the region?
Yes. Not only do our clients have access to our Tech Valley Connect coordinators throughout the first year after the inital hire, the coordinatorsy check in with the family monthly making sure the family is not facing any challenges that could be circumvented through our intervention.
How will the Tech Valley Connect’s coordinator be most effective?
By setting up visits with local schools, real estate firms, home builders, mechanics, banks and other resources unique to each family, Tech Valley Connect will eliminate much of the confusion and searching for trusted vendors when moving to a new area. Gathering specific personal information about the families give the Coordinator an opportunity to build a confidential and individualized portfolio for each client. Providing a ‘go-to’ person puts a very time consuming process into the efficient hands of someone who has access to vetted resources. No organization is referred to TVC clients without proper references. For professionals whose time is at a premium, Tech Valley Connect can be just a huge relief when setting up a new home.
