Think for a moment about the likelihood that kids in Venezuela, China, or even the coastal areas of the United States are dreaming about the glamorous lives they’ll have working in Des Moines when they grow up. Right. But, as home to several companies with extensive overseas sales, recruiters from Des Moines are constantly competing for the most qualified people to fill highly specialized jobs, while at the same time, trying to make their employee bases mirror their customer bases.

A challenge that companies such as Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., Kemin Industries Inc. and Meredith Corp. encounter is that their best prospects have never considered living in Des Moines, so when they’re recruiting potential employees, they have to sell both the city and the position, says Tracy Lewis, Kemin’s senior human resources manager.

“We get a little bit of both reactions when our job candidates find out we are based in Des Moines – people who are surprised that our company is here and others who understand the strength of the agricultural base as it relates to our technology,” Lewis said. “Because our customers are worldwide, it is valuable to have a worldwide perspective in all aspects of the process of developing, marketing and selling our products.”

Lewis said Kemin compiled employee information about a year and a half ago that showed 17 percent of its local workers were born outside the United States. The company, which employs about 750 people worldwide with more than 200 of those in Des Moines, says the makeup of the workforce has a great deal to do with how its employment opportunities fit into the job market.

The same is true at Pioneer, according to Carla Cain, senior employment manager. She says her company also recognizes that it is not always possible to find certain unique skill sets locally, making it necessary to look worldwide for the best of the best. She estimates that about 40 percent of the company’s hires are from outside Iowa.

“There’s research around the world that is very complementary to what we do in Des Moines and Johnston,” Cain said. “Sometimes we may be in a collaboration with a university in Canada or Australia, and through that collaboration, we could hire someone from those research teams. It’s all about finding the best resources to help us meet our customers’ needs.”

At Meredith Corp., the company targets colleges with strong journalism programs when recruiting for entry-level positions and national industry associations to fill jobs requiring years of experience, according to Denise Rock, human resources representative for Meredith’s publishing division.

Once a job prospect comes to Iowa for an interview, these companies find ways to make the candidate’s experience with Iowa one that leaves a lasting impression. Each of these companies tries to connect job candidates with Realtors and information specific to their leisure interests, and each uses inventive means to help them learn about the company and the city.

“They’re assessing not only Meredith Corp., but also our city, because for many of them, it is a first-time visit here,” Rock said. “We always make sure to incorporate a tour of the city and tailor it to the person’s interests, and we try to get creative whenever we can. We had a situation this past week where the managing editor of Wood magazine was interviewing a candidate from San Francisco and the two went for a 17-mile bike ride. They got to know each other and see the city at the same time.”

At Pioneer, “we have had instances where hiring managers would hold a social gathering for them,” Cain said. “We also talk about the national recognitions that Des Moines and Iowa get. All the things that you can get in a big city – arts, entertainment, sports, education – you can get in Des Moines without a big commute.”

Pioneer’s interview visit would also include opportunities to talk firsthand with others who have acclimated to the company and the city after having moved here and information about how the company’s networking groups can help them settle into their new lives. The company has both professional networking groups such as the long-standing Pioneer Asian Network and family-oriented ones for employees.

“Once the employee is hired, we have an onboarding process to introduce them to the company and their immediate area,” Cain said. “We have a newcomers group made up of the families of the new hires. The group gets together and they have a chance to meet others who have been hired within the same time frame.”

Kemin has also found that making each interview highly tailored to the individual is an effective way to entice people to come here permanently. Lewis says, “It’s a matter of asking them the right questions and steering them in the right direction.”

“The first thing I do when it looks like they’re going to be a good candidate for us is ask them what they like to do on the weekends, with their families, and understand what is going to make them happy outside of work,” Lewis said. “Always, if the candidate has school-age children, their No. 1 issue is that they want their kids to have a sound educational experience, and I tell them that I’m confident that we can provide that in this market.”

Lewis said Kemin also recognizes that it is usually a family decision to move to Des Moines, and the company tries to alleviate some of the stress associated with the employee’s spouse having to relocate.

“We try to work with the spouse or partner who would be moving here to help them find employment and network with people in their field,” Lewis said. “Sometimes it has been years since this individual has gone through an interview and could benefit from some practice. We can do mock interviews with them to help them feel better about entering the local job market. We want our employees to be happy, and that means when they go home too.”