Ask anyone in business looking to grow what their toughest challenge at the moment is, and the answer will be almost unanimous.
People.
Finding the right people.
Attracting the right people.
Keeping the right people.
It’s true at the best of times, however, in an employee’s market, it’s even more true.
However, when it comes to recruitment, many business owners and entrepreneurs fall into the trap of limiting their scope to a localised geographical area.
Whether you’re in Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmania or Perth, the quantity and quality of talent are going to vary greatly, and the right person for you might just not exist in your local geographic area.
Thankfully, you don’t have to limit yourself to a 50-km radius.
The global talent pool is massive and there are some very intriguing options for business owners and entrepreneurs keen to look outside the box.
There are many ways to be able to attract great candidates from interstate or overseas and Axia HR is here to help you cast the net far and wide to find the perfect fit for you.
However, whilst the right-fit candidate could be far away from your office, there are some important things to consider.
Nail Your Recruitment Process
You’ve sourced the right candidate, but before you get too excited, it’s important to go through a rigorous interview process.
This is vital for any prospective employee, but even more so when they’re located overseas or interstate.
Not only do you want to be sure that they’re the right person for the job, but you also need to be certain that they’re a cultural fit for your business and your team.
Best practices include having multiple interviews, with a mix of seniority involved, as well as getting a real feel for the personality behind the CV.
Additionally, ensure that there are checkpoints along the way to confirm their commitment – things like asking them to provide proof of their work visa or character references.
The Working Arrangement
It’s important to be clear on the working arrangement and how the work will be managed.
Fully remote engagements are still relatively uncommon, however, they are not impossible with the right controls in place.
The major challenge with a fully remote engagement is being able to immerse the candidate in your workplace culture.
In our experience, however, we have seen success in this respect by doing the following:
- Ensure the candidate is involved in daily team huddles
- Ensure that any staff visiting the city they live in reach out and connect for a coffee catch-up
- Hold social events in the office that the employee can attend remotely
- Budget for a quarterly trip to the office
If the candidate is willing to move closer to your office, then a relocation fee might be a good way to sweeten the deal.
Relocation fees are a great mechanism for businesses operating in smaller cities.
You might be able to secure an employee from interstate from a bigger city for less salary than it would cost to get someone from your smaller city, where the salary expectations will be higher due to the lack of available talent.
Seek Help
When it comes to finding and engaging employees from interstate of overseas, don’t go it alone.
A recruiter will be able to give you a much better insight into the local job markets in the geographical areas you are looking within.
For example, just because candidates in your city expect $150k for the role you’re advertising, doesn’t mean someone from interstate would expect that much.
A recruiter can also assist through the interview process, ensuring the right questions are asked and the right checks are conducted before you take the plunge.
Axia Recruitment has had great success in helping our clients widen their recruitment net.
Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you!
