Recruiting Top Talent to Remote Locations : 3 Key Tips

Getting top talent to remote locations is a challenge not often experienced by companies with offices in cosmopolitan cities.  Knowing where to look and what to offer can make recruiting the right person a lot easier.

These (3) tips for technical staffing and recruiting to remote locations are sometimes overlooked by the best technical recruiters.

Where to Look

Recruit from among those groups who are more inclined to enjoy pursuits found in the remote area, or who might look at the move as “coming home.”

• Recruit from local universities or those located in similar communities. These candidates may see the area as a more natural fit.
• Look for candidates from the surrounding community who moved away for college or another job opportunity. They may already have plans to move back to their hometown and yours is the opportunity that helps get them home.
• Find candidates who are members of groups that participate in activities popular in a remote location. If the area is known for fly fishing, skiing, white water rafting, or rock climbing; network within clubs that participate in these activities.

What to Offer

Finding a candidate interested in living hours from a major city is only part of the challenge. Companies need to look beyond the obvious to create an incentive package that will make the decision easier for the candidate.

• Develop a generous relocation package that will help alleviate the stresses of moving. Provide a relocation specialist to facilitate the move and assist with the sale of the candidate’s current home. Cover the packing, shipping, and storage of household items. Also, make arrangements and pay for the transfer of items like cars, boats, or ATVs.
• Offer more project autonomy and an accelerated path for advancement. Candidates who are not interested in local activities may still be willing to live a quiet life for a few years in exchange for a more rapid climb up the corporate ladder.
• Put a relocation bonus or equity gift on the table.

The Hard Sell

An important part of enticing candidates to out-of-the-way locations is to position the area in a way that promotes all the community has to offer.

• Remote rural areas offer opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities like astronomy, hunting, skiing, hiking, and farming. Research the area and highlight these activities during the recruitment process.
• Include family members in invitations to visit the community during the interview process. Find out their interests and connect them with opportunities in the community. Make sure they feel they are an important and integral part of the move.
• Emphasize local groups and organizations that offer leadership opportunities. It is often easier to get involved and make an impact in a smaller community.

When doing technical staffing or engineering recruitment for a job in a remote location, tailor your presentation to the candidate’s priorities and you will have a much better chance of filling the job with the right talent.