Searching out of state for qualified candidates for critical positions in your organization has many advantages. It expands your candidate pool, and in today’s challenging talent market, expanding your search can make the difference in finding the perfect candidate for an available position.
But hiring from out of state comes with some additional hurdles that can seem overwhelming no matter how promising the candidate is. Thankfully, there are ways to cut through the red tape, streamline the process and make your organization stand out from the competition.
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Offer a good relocation package
Even under the best of circumstances, relocating can be a real headache. Why not make it easier for candidates to say yes to your offer letter by adding a generous relocation package? Assisting with housing and helping candidates with shipping a car to another state can elevate your company from the other organizations seeking out these same applicants.
Keep the process simple
Technology makes the initial interviewing process as painless as possible for everyone involved. Conducting the first interviews via Zoom or Skype will allow you to see the candidate in a more relaxed environment. While not replacing the value of an onsite visit, keeping initial interactions virtual will show the interviewee that you value their time.
Ask about their motivation for moving
Hiring and training new hires is one of the most significant expenses for most businesses. Keeping this in mind, it just makes sense to hire candidates for the long term who will be happy with the organization and have no reason to seek employment elsewhere.
Out-of-state applicants are looking to relocate for friends or family obligations, to change their current situation, or maybe just for a change of scenery. Discussing the motivations behind the move will provide excellent insight into whether or not you can expect this employee to stick around for a while.
If the candidate is looking to move from New York to Atlanta to get away from traffic in the big city, be honest about the traffic situation in the Atlanta metro area. Armed with information about their relocation motivation, try to be as transparent as possible about the local area. Transparency will help safeguard valuable company resources in finding a future replacement.
Is remote work a possibility for the position?
Remote work is not a possibility for many jobs. Still, with virtual conferencing software and the availability of chat and collaboration tools, employers are converting many positions to partial or fully remote.
Hiring remote workers can provide an ideal situation by giving you to flexibility to cast a wider net to attract qualified candidates and providing job seekers the freedom to apply for positions that are not location-specific.
Wrap up
Finding the perfect person to fill a vacancy in your organization can be a tall order. Using every advantage to your benefit helps the process run smoother and increases your company’s chances of hiring the best person for the job.
