We are sales recruiters so we have been fairly immune to this question, but it is even appearing in our world. For salespeople, the question is some variation of “How often will I be expected to be in the office?” This question doesn’t mean they are planning on playing hooky; the candidate simply wants to start the discussion about working from home, their car, coffee shops, etc.
The Career News newsletter (sorry, no link) offers up a quick article on this topic:
When it comes to making a living, how many miles would you travel? According to many hiring agencies and recruiters, people job hunting are taking climbing gas prices into consideration. “If we were looking at them commuting 20, 30, 40 miles for a work assignment, they’re hesitating,” Blaise Krautkramer at Firstaff Staffing Services said.
Each week, about 50 people walk into our agency office, all of them expressing serious concerns about these high gas prices. A fair amount of these people are passing up job opportunities. “The cost of gasoline is a component in their decision, and it’s a difficult decision for them,” Krautkramer said. A short commute is now a top priority for job seekers.
If you haven’t done any hiring recently, be prepared for this topic.