Yesterday, NPA hosted a free webinar by Laurie Johnson from Recruiter Relocation about Recruiting and Candidate Relocation. Recruiter Relocation is a service NPA endorses. Their service is free to recruiters.
Here in the USA, the real estate market continues to be volatile. It is a key reason, perhaps THE key reason, why candidates turn down offers for new jobs. Since so many recruiters are involved in candidate relocation, it’s an area where it pays to be educated on the current conditions.
My biggest take-away from Laurie’s webinar is to insist that all candidates get a current market analysis on their homes BEFORE you send them on the first interview with the client. A CMA is conducted by a real estate professional and is a free service. The CMA will provide a factual representation of the homeowner’s situation:
- Is the homeowner in a negative equity situation?
- How likely is it that the home will sell?
- How long will it likely take to sell the home?
- What are the odds of a loss-on-sale (selling the home for less than is owed on the mortgage)?
Independent recruiters need to know this information early in the placement process, and need to operate from a fact-based position. Many homeowners fall prey to a “neighbor down the street” mentality; that is, “My neighbor down the street has had his house on the market for 2 years and it still hasn’t sold, so I probably can’t sell mine either.”
Once a recruiter understands the homeowner’s true situation, the recruiter is in a position to better negotiate with the client to make the placement happen. Companies like Recruiter Relocation provide valuable assistance and knowledge, but there are other recruiting resources available as well.
Here is a list of websites that provide information on housing market differences and/or cost-of-living information:
Candidate relocation is an emotional issue regardless of current housing conditions. Learn the facts and get professional advice and assistance to minimize fall-offs and turndowns.