You’ve finally got the perfect candidate but they live five states away. How can you hire more efficiently from a distance? How do you make the moving process easier on the new recruit? There are several different tactics businesses can take to simplify and streamline the long-distance hiring process. Here are some of the best for getting the best on your side.
Make Shipping Smooth
When you’re hiring someone from out of state, you want to make their moving process as easy as possible. Many businesses pay for their employees’ moving costs. It’s likely that your new hire will have a car as well. Make sure to pay for a flight and let them ship their car (https://www.americanautoshipping.com/). It will help them save gas money and wear-and-tear on their tires – and the happier your employee is during the move, the better job they’ll do on their first day.
Make Interviewing Easier
Some companies shy away from long-distance hiring for the simple reason that it’s hard to do interviews from a distance. It’s impossible to read body language over the phone, and a Skype interview can only tell you so much about how a candidate might carry themselves in your office. Instead, make it easier on yourself and your candidates by offering to host them for one-on-ones, and pay for the interview travel costs if your company budget allows. By expressing flexibility in creating an interview schedule, it lets your candidates know that you want them as much as they want you.
Do It Online
Just like interviewing over the internet, you can make you and your candidate’s lives easier by making things automated and streamlined online. Send documents over email, contact in real time through instant messaging, and get paperwork done through third-party sites. It’s up to you, how much of the process you put online, but make sure everyone from your HR department to the candidate is on board with how you’ll be handling the hiring process.
Put Them in Touch with a Realtor
Some businesses are wary about long-distance hires because the move to a new city and region is only half the battle: then there’s finding an apartment or house when they arrive. Help your candidate lighten the load by referring them to a local realtor. Finding a new place can be overwhelming on your own; by connecting your new employee with some friendly guidance, they’ll feel welcomed and ready to work.
Get a Tour
Perhaps before having your candidate make a final decision, give them a tour not just of the company, but the local area and community centers. Set aside time to show them great places to eat, shop, get to know new people, and how to get around. Having a better understanding of the city or area they’ll be relocating can get them off to a better start and make their decision easier to make.
Connect Them with Local Employees
Before your new employee sets foot in your office, offer to connect them with a local employee who can help answer questions about the region, what housing and rental costs to expect, and ease any other concerns. As the hiring manager, it’s likely you don’t have time to answer these questions yourself, but point your new hire in the right direction so they know who to talk to while they’re getting their sea legs.
It’s as hard for a candidate to conduct a long-distance job search as it is for employers to hire from afar. By thinking creatively and empathetically, you can make your new hire feel welcomed.