How to Convince Your Candidate to Relocate

Nov 16, 2022

Picture this – you’ve been searching for the perfect physician for a long time. Finally, you find the right one. Everything is perfect, except for one thing – they live across the country. 

While a cross-country move isn’t out of the question, it can be challenging for recruiters and candidates. Let’s dive into the challenges and how you might be able to change the right candidate’s mind. 

Why Candidates Can Be Hesitant to Relocate

Changing jobs is a big move. Changing cities for a new job is a huge move and one most candidates don’t take lightly. After all, once a person has settled into a place, it might be difficult to untangle their lives from the roots they’ve planted – families, friends, and familiar routines are hard to leave. 

Physicians with families typically have even more factors to consider. Changing schools, a spouse changing their job and real estate challenges with buying / selling or renting under a time crunch. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. These are big hurdles to overcome, but it’s not entirely impossible. 

How to Help a Candidate Move? Relocation Support

When you find the right candidate, it can be worth pulling out all the stops or at the very least, providing relocation support. Relocation packages come in different sizes – the size often depends on a candidate's level of expertise and specialization. A harder-to-find physician or specialist may cost more, but the ROI is often well worth the investment. 

Either way, you’re going to need to offer some kind of relocation support and that often means money. Here are four ways you can help ease the transition:  

Moving Cost Reimbursement  – Moving is expensive. Between hiring movers, trucks or pods, selling a house or putting a deposit down for a rental, and so many more, the costs add up quickly. Consider reimbursing those costs with either a lump sum or reimbursement plan.  

Spousal Income Assistance – When a family relocates, a spouse’s career typically relocates too. If the candidate’s spouse is unable to keep their current job, they will need to start searching for a new one. It’s helpful to offer financial support for a few months while a spouse is on the hunt.  

Orientation Trips – Once a candidate decides to move, it’s helpful for them to become oriented with the area to which they’re moving. Acclimating to a new city takes time, but the transition can be made easier if a candidate has time to visit and figure out where they might want to live, which schools their children will attend, and more. 

Real Estate Reimbursement – This is a big one, but not unheard of, especially in today’s housing market. When a candidate relocates for a job, they’ll need to either sell their current house or buy a new house. Employers can offer reimbursement for temporary housing, fees for broken leases, or deposits for new leases. 

Finding the right candidate, no matter where they are, can have huge returns on your investment. At Inline, our screening process covers a candidate’s desire to relocate, timing and their expectations. So let us help you find the perfect match today.

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