Outplacement was developed many years ago to assist war veterans in re-entering the workforce. Since then, it has developed into a service to help many different individuals, from all walks of life, shift from one job or career to another.
Outplacement can be difficult to understand. Many questions arise. Who pays for it? Who is entitled to it? What are the benefits?
Here are some of the most common questions about outplacement and the answers:
Is Career Transition and Outplacement the same thing?
Career transition and outplacement are often inter-changed words than can mean the same thing. It is a service provided to a departing employee (at the employers cost) to assist with an effective and smooth transition to another career opportunity.
Why would a former employer pay for this service?
Most employers care about what happens to parting employees. They want to maintain their positive reputation within and outside their place of business as well as mitigate risk by offering parting employee(s) with the assistance they’ll need to land another job – fast!
Who should receive outplacement services?
Anyone who has left a job should be offered outplacement. The sense of loss, anger, betrayal, and fear of terminated employees in addition to the struggle with finances and self-confidence will occur regardless of the reason for leaving or age of the individual. Our services are tailored to the needs of individuals in the broadest form; from C-Suite Executive positions to frontline roles.
Does outplacement find new jobs for people?
Not directly. Outplacement helps individuals identify what career path is best for them and then guides and supports them in their job search to achieve their goals. It provides the support to move forward after losing a job through layoff or termination in addition to obtaining effective job search tools, strategies, and techniques to land their next job.
Is outplacement the same as recruiting or headhunting?
No and yes. No in that outplacement and recruitment/headhunting services are very different. Agilec is unique in that we have 30+ years, successful history of assisting individual’s secure meaningful employment. Not only do we assist individuals in achieving success in their career transition, we also work closely with companies to search, identify, and hire candidates to fill specific job openings.
What services are typically offered by outplacement firms?
Outplacement Services meet both the employer and departing employee’s needs. Services can include termination assistance ranging from legal consultation, termination letter development, and communication of the termination directly with employees to professional resume and LinkedIn profile development. For the departing employee(s), coaching and counselling is provided with the goal of helping the employee establish the next step in their career.
What should I look for when seeking outplacement services?
The key to successful Outplacement Services is finding an organization that provides personalized attention. An Employment Coach/Counsellor should be made available, in addition to providing continuous communication and feedback. Organizations should have extensive experience in various employment industries, and must also be current in the latest trends and hiring practices for small to large companies.
