Outplacement Services after a Job Layoff
Many employers offer outplacement, a job transition service, to the workers they are laying off.
Employers contract with a firm that specializes in outplacement. The employer then offers the service free of charge to employees.
Common outplacement offerings include:
- Resume writing
- Job searching
- Interview skills
- Group workshops
- One-on-one coaching
Some outplacement services include office space for laid-off workers to use in their job search. The office may include a telephone answering service, word processing, photocopying, and access to library and database information.
In a large layoff, the same employer may offer different packages to different groups of employees. Higher-paid employees often receive more one-on-one career coaching or a broader range of job transition services than lower-paid employees do.
Outplacement services are time-limited, so use them early in your layoff.
Who Provides Outplacement?
Some firms are huge, international firms. In the U.S., the largest firms have hundreds of offices across the country.
Other companies are regional or local. They may specialize in one geographic area. Some are individually owned.
Most provide services only through contracts with employers. They do not offer career coaching or workshops to the public. One exception is the Five O'Clock Club, primarily a career coaching group for individuals. It now offers what it calls non-traditional outplacement services through employers. These services do not include the office support offered by many other firms. But they do include longer periods of private and group career coaching.
Nearly 400 outplacement firms in the U.S. belong to the Association of Career Management Consulting Firms International (AOCFI). This trade association's members represent about 70 percent of the industry worldwide. Its Web site offers a searchable database to locate firms your area.
Be careful of offers you get from companies not connected with your employer. Some unscrupulous career marketing firms charge very high fees but offer little help.
Who Benefits?
Laid-off employees, employers, and outplacement firms all appear to benefit from outplacement services.
Outplacement does not guarantee that you will get a new job. At the same time, laid-off employees often report positive results - both in finding a new job and in dealing with the stress and emotional difficulties of a layoff.
Outplacement firms attract and employ skilled career professionals. You are unlikely to be exposed to scams or fraudulent schemes. You can probably get coaching or counseling in Spanish or another language. You obtain services that are costly to purchase on your own. You receive confidential coaching and guidance from career professionals who are not tied to your employer.
Employers offer these services because they care about the employees they are laying off. It is also in employers' best interests to provide outplacement.
DBM, a large outplacement firm, and the Center for Organizational Research asked more than 1,200 human resource executives about the impact of outplacement and career transition services on their businesses. Most who used such services reported improvements in their organization's image, productivity, profits, and staff morale.
Laid-off employees from these companies were less likely to sue than were employees from companies that did not offer these services. And managers in firms using outplacement experienced less stress than did managers in other firms that did not use outplacement.
Tips for Using Outplacement
- Use every service your employer offers. Or at least try out each different service before you make a decision to opt out. You may be surprised at how much you benefit from professional help. And the emotional support can be crucial.
- Check out the variety of services offered by the large firms. Ask your employer to add a service that you think could help you find a new job.
- You may want help dealing with feelings about job loss. Most outplacement services do not include psychological counseling. Ask your employer if you can get counseling help through their EAP (Employee Assistance Program) for a while after you lose your job.
- If your employer cannot afford to buy outplacement services from a firm, suggest an individual career professional instead. Or ask for help in paying dues for several months to a job club like Forty Plus.
- Some employers continue paying salary and benefits during outplacement services. Try to negotiate some paid time.
- By using outplacement services, you do not waive your right to take later legal action against your employer.
Additional Resources
Association of Career Management
Consulting Firms International (AOCFI)
Search for outplacement firms in your area and get ideas about
what will help you find your next job.
Outplacement
from the Five O'Clock Club
Review employer-paid outplacement packages from this career
consulting organization. Get new ideas to propose to your
employer. You can also obtain career coaching on your own.
CounselorFind from the
National Board of Certified Counselors
Find a National Certified Counselor - someone who has met certain
standards of counseling education and experience, passed a
national examination, and adheres to a code of ethics in their
practice.
Find a Career Services Expert from the Association of Career
Professionals
Member of this Association specialize in career management and
transition and adhere to a code of ethical standards.
Forty Plus
Job Clubs
Find Forty Plus clubs in about a dozen large cities. Get ideas
about how a job club can help you.
