Outplacement: A Real Opportunity for a Professional Rebound

Outplacement, What Is It?

Outplacement is mainly for senior executives and managers in career transition. It is personalized support, generally financed by the company terminating the employment contract or — more exceptionally — by the employee.

These overwhelming career changes can be haunting at times but searching for a job and the struggle to land a good job that feels purposeful are even more challenging. Outplacement can save managers from this destabilizing event, which commonly undermines self-confidence, and help them get back on track.

“I didn’t know what outplacement was until I got through one, and I can say today that it helped me regain my self-confidence” — Catherine P.

Benefits of Outplacement:

•  It considerably reduces the search time: typically employees are back in a new job in less than one year, with the same level of remuneration, or even higher

• It provides a flexible and bespoke service tailored around the manager’s needs and expertise

• The reassurance of side-by-side support to secure the next opportunity

• Ongoing guidance to ensure a smooth transition 

Outplacement, Who’s It For?

It’s for everyone!

For executives with a solid network, outplacement will serve as a springboard for an easy return to work. For others, this personalized support will be an opportunity to strengthen their interpersonal skills and develop clarity.

Without a company or status on social networks, job seekers have no professional project in mind and typically feel a lot of anxiety about the job search. Outplacement will help them develop their assets, regain their confidence, learn how to promote themselves and meet a lot of new people. Outplacement is a particularly rewarding period!

“When my employer talked about Outplacement, I thought I would be able to manage on my own.  I have to admit that it was not only very useful, but it also helped me to find the RIGHT job!” — Paul C.

How Does It Work?

In addition to forming a real partnership with the coach and gaining tailor-made support — the manager or the senior executive takes part in co-working workshops, events, etc.

This coaching takes place in 3 main steps:

Career management: Focused on building professional projects corresponding to both the manager’s abilities and the job offers in the market. 

Personal branding: Learning to promote skills and competencies and highlighting main achievements. How to make the best use of social networks and enhance one’s LinkedIn profile. 

Active research: Asking important questions such as “How to target networks?” “How to identify recruiting companies, locate human resource professionals? and so on.

“One of the main learnings of this transition period is that researching a job is a full-time job that requires a lot of method and structure!”— Marie N.
 
Mistakes to Avoid

The first opportunity is not necessarily the right one!  Some managers put a lot of pressure on themselves to find a job within the first two months. Others, to reassure themselves, rush to the first opportunity that comes along. And these are not necessarily good ideas, because the failure will only be more bitter if the position is not suitable.

Another main mistake is starting the search campaign before the project is mature and still underdeveloped. The risk is you end up wasting time with the decision-makers involved.
 
Why Is Having a Coach Important? 

As coaches, our role is to challenge managers to make sure that the opportunity really fits his or her aspirations. Clearly, we are not there to find a job at any cost, but to support the manager in the search for a permanent job, in perfect harmony with the person’s values and expectations.
 
“When I started Outplacement, I was in a hurry to find a new position as soon as possible. And my coach made me realize that I was going in the wrong direction and gave me the good and effective tips to get back on track!” Charles T.

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