If you’ve recently been made redundant, you may be experiencing a bucket load of emotions. These could include denial, anger, depression, fear and loneliness. Your former employer may have offered you outplacement support. What is it, and why should you accept it?
What is outplacement support?
If this term is new to you, outplacement support is help provided after redundancy. It is usually paid for by your former company. Services can include counselling, resume writing, interview coaching and assessments to help you make your next career move.
If you’ve never been made redundant before, the redundancy process may be new and confronting. Or you may have lived through this before – been there, done it etc. Maybe you think the last thing you need right now is outside intervention. But if your employer offers outplacement services as part of a severance package, say yes – and make sure you use it. Outplacement support can be of significant help in achieving a smooth transition into your next role.
Six reasons to accept outplacement support
If you’re still not sure whether to accept help after redundancy, here are six reasons why you should use outplacement support.
1. Outplacement support provides practical and emotional advice
Career transition services are all the more effective when practical advice is combined with emotional guidance. Your outplacement consultant understands the emotions and reactions you will likely experience. They can help you to move quickly and positively through it, by giving you the right support you need. This may give you the pragmatism to turn redundancy into a positive.
2. Up-to-date job search methods
If you’ve not had to look for a job for a while, job searching using modern technology and methods may be daunting. You may not have written a resume for years or had an interview. With outplacement support you can develop a job search strategy that’s right for you. You will find out what recruiters now look for and how to use new social media techniques such as LinkedIn.
3. A second opinion
If you are in the fortunate position of getting multiple job offers – and many of our program participants do find themselves in such a position – your outplacement consultant can assist you in negotiating those offers.
4. Career tools and assessments
Talking to an outplacement consultant can also open up new fields. With their help you can discover your strengths and skills. This can open up potential options and enable you to consider a career you may never thought have of.
Other ways that an outplacement consultant can help are developing an interview-winning resume and preparing for a variety of different types of job interviews.
5. Advice on accessing the hidden job market
Your outplacement consultant can tell you about hidden job markets and how to network. In an employers’ job market, if you want to stand out you need access to market intelligence and job opportunities that others do not have access to.
6. Potential job contacts
Outplacement support providers are not recruiters. However they often have resources to help connect job seekers who they work with to employment opportunities. They will also coach you on how to approach those opportunities.