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Outplacement support is an independent, post-employment employee support and guidance service commonly provided in many industries but there are major industry sectors where such services are not provided.

Within the sectors that do provide this support, there is a wide range of attitudes among employers regarding the degree of support they are willing to fund. Some employers think that providing help with the resume is sufficient, others think that this is insufficient and want to provide a more comprehensive support.

The decision on providing outplacement and the degree of support reflects the Employer organisation’s workplace culture and its profitability.

An employer who sees employees as expendable or low value will be unlikely to provide outplacement. An employer with poor profitability is very unlikely to choose to spend money on this.

An organisation that knows its success is dependent on the quality of its staff and has sustainable profits is very likely to provide this type of support for retrenched personnel.

To meet this wide array of attitudes in the market, the various providers structure their services to appeal to the various buyers’ requirements.

Accordingly there are a variety of services, ranging from superficial to comprehensive, on a personal ,one-on-one basis to group workshops to access to a website.

These all have their merits and deficiencies but are mainly tailored to the needs and attitudes of the employer and how much they are willing to pay. The generic comparison below may differ for particular services from particular providers.

Comparison Table

An effective and supportive outplacement program is not a training course.

Outplacement is not simply a matter of writing a resume and telling you how to write a job application. It can be this simple but it is actually offering a lot more. It offers a personal coaching and counselling process aimed at restoring your self-confidence and clarity about what you should be seeking and accept. This clarity is the platform for all your future career decisions.

While some people will have a clear vision of where they want to go and what they want to do, they may very well need a reality check on how to get there. For other people, the shock from retrenchment may be debilitating. Each person needs a personalised support and approach to suit their particular requirements and timing.

ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF A SUITABLE ROLE

A good role, one in which you can thrive, requires three key features to be aligned with your employer, partner or clients. These are illustrated in the VRF© diagram below;

suitable role wheel

These three aspects must be aligned to your needs for your to thrive.

Values

Your values must match those displayed by the employer, not those claimed by the employer. Otherwise, you cannot maintain commitment.

Role

Your suitability for the role must be supported by:

  • Your “commercial offer” or Personal Value Proposition; evidenced  by your track record embodied in your resume and interview responses.
  • Your aspirations; the next role should serve an identified purpose for you.
  • Your style: you must be suited to the type of role and work environment.

Fit

The nature  and style of the key people in your immediate work space and reporting chain must be compatible with your personality, otherwise success is unlikely. Assessing your fit with the  proposed role, organisation and  immediate key personnel requires a confident understanding of your own personality traits and  what  they  require in the  nature of the  work environment for you to be most comfortable and  at your best.

Assessing your fit with the proposed role, organisation and immediate key personnel requires a confident understanding of your own personality traits and what they require in the nature of the work environment for you to be most comfortable and at your best.

A combination of a rigorous psychometric profile and structured discussions is the most effective way to arrive at an un-biased and honest self-knowledge on these matters.

There are many Psychometric profiling tools available but in our view, many of them are essentially gimmicks that at best, illustrate on a high level the differences between people and personality types and at worst, mislead, wrongly label or mis-characterise someone which can lead to erroneous conclusions and diminish their self-esteem.

Beware of the many false claims, rely on scientifically rigorous tools that use opaque questionnaires are not judgemental and are normed against a substantial data base. Two good examples are the California Personality Inventory (CPI) and the Birkman Method ™.

The Journey

The journey can be an emotional roller coaster as uncertainty and set-backs along the way can destabilise or excessively worry you.

You currently know what role you are doing but have no idea what the next role may be, where and when. This uncertainty and a feeling of not being in control can cause significant worry. You should be aware of this, it is a perfectly normal reaction, be alert to these feelings so you can respond accordingly.

Having confidence and clarity about who you are , what you have to offer and the best environment for you helps minimise the anxiety and uncertainty. As you gain traction in your job search and start receiving positive responses you will feel more optimistic and positive about yourself and your prospects.

The roller coaster is illustrated in the William Bridges diagram below.

The nature of stress: stress is addictive

Stress is addictive, so apart from your normal daily sources of stress, you are now adding a degree of stress from the uncertainty and insecurity  from having to look for a new source  of income. If you discern that stress symptoms are significantly effecting your capability  to function, it would be sensible to seek  relevant professional assistance.

The framework of a bespoke service (Career Navigator (TM) Programs)

To provide a personal and bespoke service for each participant, we apply the following approach:

Homework

  • we use a structured workbook and reference material. Before each meeting, you need to complete the preparation to make the meeting productive.

Time to think

  • We will proceed at the pace that suits you. We can have you armed and dangerous and actively job searching after 4 meetings.  If you want more time on interview preparation and practice, we will provide as many as you need to become confident.
  • If you need time to contemplate and explore new options, then we will provide as many meetings and support as you require to reach your conclusions.
  • You can meet daily with your consultant, or monthly, its your decision.
  • You can take a break halfway or delay your start, it is up to your
  • We place no limits on:
    – Number of meetings
    – Number of options to explore
    – Total time taken
    – Frequency of meetings.

Consistency

  • We provide the one dedicated consultant to work with you through the whole process

Pace

  • The whole process will proceed  at the pace, and with the degree of personal attention that suits you and your current circumstances.

Flexibility

  • we will change the order of activities to suit your priorities eg. you want to get back into the market quickly (or someone  is offering you an opportunity), we will focus on your resume and interview practice but if you want to consider new directions, we will start  with your personality profile and work style. It’s your choice and you can change your mind anytime.

Focus on life.

Throughout the process of deciding  “Where to from here?” and the subsequent search, this is important to be in a balanced frame of mind and keep in perspective the task and goals, the realities of the market, the need to look after yourself,  both for you and your family’s wellbeing. This will  ensure  you perform well in meetings and make sound decisions. Accordingly you must pay attention to your:

  1. Physical condition; set up a regular, appropriate exercise routine to keep you fit and alert.
  2. Stress & wellbeing; create structure in your day and week so that you have a regular routine and purpose  for each day. Set goals that are achievable. Examples are hobbies, improving your sporting prowess, learning and studying, volunteering, house repairs  and improvements.
  3. Family; devote genuine time and attention to your family, help with chores and school runs, shopping  and relaxation activities.
  4. Friends & other interests; stay in touch with the world and your network and

It prevents you becoming insular and isolated, helps maintain a balanced demeanor and can provide significant feelings of achievement and success

When you start your new role, you should be able to say; ”I made good use of the time between roles.”  You need to present yourself in a good light; confident, capable, balanced… Potential employers rarely look for the most depressed or needy candidate to join their team.

Nine Lives Outplacement Methodology (process)

Our Career Navigator (tm) programs provide a 7-step process, including investigation, career strategy and the practical aspects of job search (resume(s), interviews and related documents). The order of the steps is decided by you, the participant. Working with you with one personal consultant and our workbooks and reference material, we articulate:

Who are you?

  • Psychometric profile; a detailed Birkman profile indicates your interests, aptitudes and style as well as describing the most suitable workplace environment for you.
  • Structured discussions on history and interests elicits key information about your personal style and interests.
  • Review personal profile from 5 perspectives to ensure  you are clear and comfortable with whom you are.

Achievements

  • Commercial offer & Personal  Value Proposition is derived for an examination of your recent and major achievements in the workplace and private life and personality.
  • Interests and drivers are confirmed from your achievements.

Options & Career plan

  • Combining the information from steps 1 & 2, we can build a Personal Value Proposition and your Commercial Offer.
  • Short, medium and longer term goals can be articulated to ensure the next role is serving a purpose in your medium and longer term plans.
  • Various formats of roles (employee,  self-employed, full- time, part-time, volunteer) can be explored.

Documents; to provide the evidence of your offer

  • Resume(s), several versions  may be required as well as I pager summaries for networking.
  • LinkedIn, must convey your key messages on your Personal Value Proposition.
  • Application letters, must be succinct and informative, no waffle.
  • Fit to Criteria must concisely convey your relevant experience.

Interview skills

  • Preparation , employer background, current issues and your likely responses to a wide array of questions.
  • Practice in responding to various questions. iii. Etiquette and communications.

Job search

  • Advertised
  • Not advertised & Networking
  • Direct approach
  • Self-Promotion

Coaching

  • Through job search phase
  • On-Boarding  in the new role.

So would you benefit  from such a service?  Only you can judge. The following set of questions may help you decide…score each out of 10. ( 1; totally  disagree, 10; totally  agree)

STATEMENT                                                                                                                                          SCORE

I am confident I know what role I am looking for
I am confident about my Personal Value Proposition
My resume conveys my skills and successes succinctly and effectively
I know the key characteristics of the work environment which enable me to thrive and perform well
I am clear about my aspirations and goals
I am clear what purpose my next role serves in my career
I performed very well in my last interview
I network well and frequently
I write good job applications
TOTAL SCORE

 

If you score:

  • Less than 65; you need the service
  • 65-80; you will benefit from the service
  • 80+ ; We can help but if you feel confident in your preparation, we wish you every success in your search.

 

The information provided in this article is of a general nature only and not intended to be advice