Outplacement services have come a long way from the time when every manager impacted by a layoff expected an office and an assistant, or where professionals got lengthy programs and hourly staff would go through days and days of workshops to finish with 20 hard copies of their resume.
Yes, it’s changed because talent management has evolved as well. The digital freedom of today has given us endless tools and processes which has impacted the behaviors of would be job seekers and employees alike.
So, what are the top trends we see in outplacement? Find out below:
1. Jobs, jobs, jobs! Laid off workers care mostly about getting a job. But, be careful! Many outplacement providers may feed your departed employees a lot of job leads of poor quality. It is important to understand each candidate’s skills and goals so that job leads can be a good match. If not, too many job leads can be a huge waste of time and affect the result of one’s job search.
2. Resume matching has come a long way. In the old days you would develop a couple of resume styles for, say a supervisor job versus a professional role. Nowadays, companies like Newland Associates offer “PowerMyJobSearch”, a tool that can evaluate your resume for each job opportunity. This technology allows you to fine tune your resume to each job lead, ensuring a high job match each time you apply.
3. In-person vs virtual service is a highly debated topic today. While many organizations are trending towards more remote services, they often miss the mark. In a world where people work remote all the time, this is the way to go when you can but use service providers with local career coaches. Remember, even if your departed employee will not meet in person with the career coach, local market knowledge offered by local experts will be the key to a successful job search, networking, potential job leads and introductions.
4. The role of the career coach is more important than ever. While technology is a great aid in the job search process, every study on outplacement over the last 10 years suggest that the career coach is still the most important component of the process. The nuanced feedback of a seasoned career coach can’t be replaced with a video. However, be sure to use firms where coaches are modern in approach, technology savvy and know how to best leverage it for success.
5. What about millennials? This often talked about and seemingly misunderstood group have the same needs when unemployed…they need a job to pay their bills. So what changes? When it comes to millennials, you want to work with an outplacement organization that understands their preferences. For example, rather than having formal sessions, millennials are more likely to enjoy communications via text message and on-going feedback. Choose an outplacement organization experienced in supporting multiple generations and who can match local career coaches accordingly.
6. Social media networking is a science that can be learned. If an impacted employee does not know how to conduct a job search using channels like LinkedIn and Facebook, they are at a tremendous disadvantage. Find firms with career coaches who have solid social media experience and that also have strong online learning content on this subject. There are just too many opportunities that come from networking online to be glazed over. Make sure to discuss technology and e-learning in-depth with your outplacement provider.
7. Are we really retiring? Sort of, would be a good answer. Many boomers want to talk about retirement, but lack of traditional pensions or sufficiently funded 401k’s create a need for this group to seek blended lifestyles of semi-retirement. As such, it is important that you choose an outplacement provider who will provide your affected employees programs that address job search needs as well as traditional retirement elements.
8. Protecting your brand is high-priority for reputable outplacement providers like Newland Associates. Although, the role of outplacement in organizations remains relevant in terms of alignment with corporate values and risk mitigation, organizations today must also be cautious of their brand on public platforms. Sites like glassdoor.com give top talent the opportunity to learn about organizations and those who do not provide a solid “parting of ways” or outplacement experience which can tarnish their brand in a very visible way. As talent management continues to evolve, organizations must also evaluate what kind of outplacement services have been offered to their departing employees and choose a provider who will help mitigate risk to the client’s brand.
Newland Associates can help make sure what you offer is current, valuable and price competitive. Contact us today to discuss your outplacement strategy at 888-739-8504, ext. 240 or email us at info@newlandcpi.com.
