If you ask almost any company about relocating new employees in today’s market they’ll probably tell you that they have no problem doing so, and in the same breath they’ll tell you that their recent experience with relocating candidates has been poor. Meaning that the candidates they been interviewing aren’t interested in moving, chose not to move once the process was complete (i.e. turned down the job), or have been making excessive demands on the company.

Unfortunately that’s not really what I’ve seen recently. I have plenty of candidates that would move for the “right” career opportunity or that could get a package that wouldn’t put them in a financial hole. So where does reality lie in this conversation. Well, as with many aspects of the interview process the conversation on relocation between candidates and companies ebb’s and flow’s with the supply and demand of the market, and of course the health of the economy. So with the bantering around of the word “recession” it has caused some companies to try and “hold the line” if you will on expenses including relocation costs. So where does that leave recruiters and candidates in today’s market?

Asking questions!

With companies changing their packages (reductions) or limiting some of the additional perks (closing costs, temporary housing, relo bonuses’, etc.) or even moving to lump sum packages that put the onus on the candidate to make the arrangements as well as making sure the numbers work. Recruiters and candidates need to make sure they ask all of the questions up front before spending time pursuing positions that simply aren’t realistic options.

With that said companies too have their own set of concerns what with the added difficulty of the mortgage/housing crisis. They to need to be diligent about making sure they look beyond the willingness of a candidate to relocate, and focus instead on their ability to do so. Specifically they need ask about a candidate’s mortgage to make sure that they aren’t upside down in their current housing situation and can in fact sell their house and move should the offer be made.