How to Leverage Government Relocation When Hiring a Transitioning Veteran
One of the most common questions I receive when speaking with employers is, “How can I find solid local candidates to fill my open roles?”
If you’re looking for a very specific skill set or background, it can be challenging to find the right job seeker in your area. Many employers don’t have the budget to offer relocation assistance to candidates either, so what should they do?
My advice is to not limit yourself to a specific geographic area just because relocation assistance is not in the budget. Looking outside of your area opens up so many possibilities and increases the odds that your new hire will be the closest match possible to what you’re looking for. Finding the right candidate for your opening and not settling will benefit your company by reducing turnover and cutting costs in the longrun. It just makes business sense.
Many hiring managers don’t realize that they can leverage government relocation when hiring a transitioning veteran. The military will move transitioning service members and their families from their last duty station to as far as their home of record after their separation date. Using a national talent pool can help your company target the best job seekers at no cost to you.
In my personal experience, I was born and raised in Connecticut but was stationed in Georgia at the end of my service. When I was transitioning from the Army, I was extended a job offer in Virginia. I was able to move to Virginia with the government covering all of my relocation costs and the company did not pay a dime. It was a win-win.
After you decide to expand your talent search, the next roadblock you may run into is how do you begin recruiting across the country? Connecting with a recruiting service like Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI) offers allows you to efficiently hire from a national talent pool of candidates, many of which are willing to relocate for their dream job or location. BMI does the leg work by introducing you to pre-screened military candidates that are up to speed on your company and are excited about your opportunity.
While it may be difficult to fully quantify the value of importing great talent to your company and community, it’s easy to see that great talent + free relocation = a winning combination.
Jake Hutchings
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jchutchings
Image courtesy of Matthew W. Jackson