Welcome home for the holidays. We miss you. Why don't you stay?

ReThink West Michigan has a pretty simple ask. If you're a native Michigander who has moved away to start a career in another state, when you come back to Grand Rapids for Thanksgiving weekend to visit your family and friends, why don't you stay?

In fact, ReThink West Michigan would like to introduce you to other professionals and have you meet representatives from some of the largest and most dynamic companies in Grand Rapids who are looking for talent and are eager to share some cool projects they are working on.

That is the premise behind ReThink West Michigan's recruiting event on November 26. The casual networking event targeting former Michiganders who will be in town for the holidays is being hosted by Hello West Michigan and The Right Place. It will be held at The BOB from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Right Place's Megan Sall says the organizing team has lined up employers from very diverse industries, including Spectrum Health, Amway, OST, Steelcase, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Ranstad Technologies, Mercy Health, Crowe Horwath, and Northwestern Mutual, who will have representatives attending and be available to informally talk about job and career opportunities.

To get the word out, Sall says they have partnered with local college and university alumni groups so that individuals who have left the state after graduation for jobs elsewhere can see the career opportunities here with a fresh set of eyes. "The event is for everybody because the job story of West Michgan is not just manufacturing and not just health care," she says. Sall points to Grand Rapid Public Schools as an employer who will be attending and has openings for teachers.

Sall hope that anyone reading this story will share information about the event: "If you have friends and family coming back for Thanksgiving weekend and want them to move back, have them attend."

Additional information can be found at www.rethinkwm.com.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor