It wasn’t long ago that nearly everyone in Rochester, NY had ties to Kodak or Xerox. For decades, the city thrived on steady jobs and long careers in manufacturing—and for a while, that dream held true.
But times have changed. As the manufacturing base declined, so did the legacy job pipelines. Yet Rochester’s job market didn’t collapse. Instead, it’s reinvented itself, and today, it’s thriving in new and exciting ways, especially in technology and IT.
Today, as the memories of Kodak and Xerox fade, Rochester is quietly emerging as a technology hub, attracting talent from high-cost cities like New York and San Francisco who seek a better blend of innovation and affordability. Enter Rochester.
The result? Population growth and national recognition, with our city ranked as the #10 up-and-coming tech talent market in North America in CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent 2024 report.
But with that growth comes new challenges: finding—and retaining—the best talent.
The State of Hiring in Rochester, NY
Rochester’s tech scene has been on the rise for years—and not by accident. With top-tier universities like the Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Rochester, and Monroe Community College, the area produces more tech graduates per capita than most cities of its size. That pipeline alone has long made Rochester a prime destination for both employees and employers.
But the market has shifted.
Rochester’s emergence as a true tech hub has brought growing pains. Job growth is up, unemployment is below the state average, and the demand for technical talent now outpaces supply.
At the same time, two longer-term trends are adding to the challenge. First, experienced leaders and executives are retiring at record rates. In 2024, more than 11,000 Americans per day reached retirement age, and Rochester felt the impact as some of the city’s most seasoned engineers and executives stepped away—and took decades of institutional knowledge with them.
Second, talent is more mobile than ever. Recent grads, in particular, are prioritizing the flexibility of remote work, making it harder for local employers to keep them rooted in Rochester. All of this means that hiring, especially for technical and leadership roles, requires a sharper and more strategic approach than ever.
WSA: Your Staffing and Recruiting Partner in Rochester, NY
“Rochester’s job market is unique, and requires more than just good intentions,” said Kevin Gerken, Partner at Wellington Steele & Associates (WSA). “You can’t just post a job or go to a career fair and expect top talent to come to you.”
He’s right.
In today’s market, the best candidates aren’t scrolling job boards. They’re already employed, doing meaningful work, shipping code, solving problems, and not actively looking to leave. At WSA, we specialize in helping you reach this untapped and passive talent pool—and close the right candidates before the competition even knows they’re available.
Here’s how we deliver:
- Local market intelligence: We’re deeply embedded in Rochester’s hiring landscape. We understand what top candidates expect, what competing companies are offering, and how to structure roles and compensation to attract and retain the best talent.
- We know where the talent is going: When layoffs occur or new players enter the market, we’re already having meaningful conversations. Whether it’s engineering talent transitioning from legacy manufacturing to emerging tech or healthcare IT professionals seeking the flexibility of technology, we stay ahead of the local movement that others may miss.
- We have real relationships: We’re not dialing in from another state. Rochester is our home, too, and we’re deeply connected to the professional community, local institutions, and alumni networks to make sure you have access to top talent before anyone else.
That same philosophy applies to our partnership with you. Whether you’re hiring for a permanent role, bringing in contract support, or building a project-based team, we tailor our model to fit your goals, ensuring we focus on long-term impact.