Outplacement/Career Counselling Case Study
Background
We were contacted by the General Manager of an organisation which supplied financial transaction authorisation equipment to businesses. Due to a restructuring of the services being offered by the banks, his part of the organisation was being closed down. We were asked to provide Outplacement Counselling for the departing staff.
The General Manager had himself been a casualty of a redundancy situation some years before and he was very much aware of the shock and consternation which would be felt by his employees. Back then, he had benefited from the provision of Outplacement Counselling. This had considerably softened the blow for him, personally. It had helped him to have a more positive outlook on his career prospects and given him practical tools with which to find alternative employment. His feelings towards the organisation he was leaving were greatly improved by the thoughtful provision of such counselling. Thereafter he had been able to speak about them in a positive way.
He wanted his imminently departing staff to benefit from similar employment guidance, thereby allowing them to leave the organisation on a more optimistic note.
What did we do?
Discussions took place with the General Manager to agree upon the ingredients of an Outplacement Counselling Seminar. The content had to match the expectations of the attendees and to provide them with the necessary information and guidance for their particular needs.
We also had to be cognisant of the amount of time available for the Seminar and ensure that this was used to good effect. What work could be done in preparation for the day and what work might be done after the day so as to make the best use of the formal Seminar itself?
A programme was put together which covered: Positive Thinking, Self-assessment, The Job Market, Letters of Application, The Curriculum Vitae, The Application Form, Research, Preparing for Interview, The Job Interview, Selection Tests and References.
What was the result?
The Seminar was very well received with attendees finding the time spent on CVs, Application Forms, the Interview and Positive Thinking to be of most benefit.
Attendees were given a firm basis upon which to build their next career move. They understood themselves better – their attributes and their limitations. They learned how to put together a professional CV and covering letter. Also, they knew how to best present themselves at interview and how to cope with difficult questions. Assessment Centres or psychometric tests were no longer a mystery to them. In short, they were prepared to move on.
A side effect of the Seminar was the good feeling it afforded its attendees. Although business dictated that their jobs were to become redundant, they were left with the conviction that the organisation actually cared about them even though they were shortly no longer going to be part of that organisation. Indeed, the organisation’s reputation grew positively as a result of the provision of the Outplacement Counselling Seminar.