Tips for Recruiting Out-of-Town Executives
When it comes to hunting down the right candidate for an executive position, the ideal person for the job is rarely ever in the same town as your company. Filling demanding executive roles often requires recruiters to look beyond their physical region and out into markets across the country. However, recruiting out-of-town candidates also comes with a number of challenges. The added elements of moving, relocating families and selling and buying homes all make this type of recruiting even more complex than the traditional process. However, most companies will agree the extra work is more than worth being able to find the right executive for the position. With this in mind, there are a few key tips that companies and recruiters alike should keep in mind while attempting to find and hire out-of-town executives
Offer Flexible Remote Working Solutions for Personal Objections
One of the biggest challenges for individuals looking to relocate for a job comes from their personal or familial obligations. Personal objections such as having school-aged children selling a home, waiting for a spouse’s contract to end, or relocating with a new baby are all obstacles that can make it difficult for a potential candidate to take a job in a new city.
One solution that many companies offer is a temporary remote working relationship. Typically, these relationships last a year or less, giving candidates and their family time to transition. Whether the company extends the time for the candidate’s child to finish the school year or for the family to find a home, this extra time, without a strict deadline in place can often help them ease into the transition process. Offering this type of flexibility, where the candidate will be able to stay in their hometown for a bit longer, except for when they need to attend special events or meetings, can often be the compromise needed to convince candidates to accept the job.
Help Candidate’s Spouses Find Work
Besides personal familial obligations, many candidates worry about their spouse finding work. As many of today’s modern couples are dual-income families, it is important for potential executives to know their spouse will have a job before they move across the country. Many companies will provide career counseling service for candidates worried about their spouse finding employment. Companies serious about bringing new executives may also consider paying for contracts with headhunters or executive recruiting firms in order to help this candidate find a job.
While it may seem out-of-the-box for a company to help another organization find a great candidate, competitive firms need to consider opening up their professional networks in order to help a trailing spouse find the right job in a new city.
Financial Incentives to Accommodate Living Expenses
Financial objections are often common obstacles that companies need to overcome when hiring out-of-town executives. Many times, candidates find that their home is not valued enough to sell, or that the cost of living in your city is more than the city they are living in, making the transition too difficult to afford.
Issues in the housing market have long been and will continue to be problematic for employers and candidates alike, but many proactive organizations have found solutions to this issue. Some companies will have loss-on-sale provisions to cover the amount that a candidate would lose if they sold a home that is underwater on a mortgage. Relocation packages with incentives such as help on closing costs, a bonus or a percentage of the down payment can also be enough to convince a candidate to move even in a down market.
Issues with cost of living can also present a unique challenge. The most simple and straightforward response involves convincing the candidate that the compensation they will be provided is fluctuated to match the cost of living in your area. A small pay increase can also be included to help ease their concerns over higher living costs.
Ultimately, this is a concern where little can be done as outside of ensuring the candidate that the amount they are being offered will help them afford the lifestyle they are accustomed to in a new city. There may also be situations where it is simply unrealistic to expect a candidate to adjust living styles, and it may be worth pursuing other individuals.
While there will always be obstacles to recruiting out-of-town executives, being aware of the common issues that hold candidates back from moving, and having solutions to these issues is the best way to expedite this long-distance recruiting process and to make sure the right person ends up with your organization.