Prior to the pandemic, there were already several options for outplacement services available on the market. Due to mass layoffs that occurred within the past two years, there are even more options out there now for companies looking to help their laid-off employees transition into new roles. Many of these outplacement providers offer a wide variety of services, but you may not need every single one. When searching for the right outplacement provider, it is important to understand what services are absolutely necessary to offer your employees so they have the most assistance.

Benefits of hiring an outplacement provider

Depending on what services are offered by your outplacement provider, there can be several potential benefits. Below are some of the most impactful (for both you and your employees):

• Laid-off employees find work faster: Outplacement services typically include a variety of services geared toward job seekers, including resume writing, interview coaching, network support, and more.
• Increases loyalty and satisfaction with current employees: When layoffs start, it isn’t uncommon for the remaining employees to feel a surge of anxiety and a lack of job security. While it is unfortunate that some employees did lose their jobs, taking the initiative to be as helpful as possible during that transition shows your remaining employees that your company cares about their wellbeing and success no matter what happens.
• Decreases unemployment insurance fees & taxes: Layoffs are a messy and costly process. Offering your employees services from an outplacement provider helps to mitigate some of the costs and issues associated with layoffs, such as a severance package.
• Maintains company’s image by increasing brand sentiment: In the age of the internet, news travels incredibly fast and public opinion can spread like wildfire, either to your advantage or detriment. Offering outplacement services to these employees can carry into your public reputation and your future talent acquisition efforts.
• Reduces lawsuit claims and provides liability protection: As previously mentioned, layoffs can get messy. When handled improperly and unprofessionally, they can get even messier. As much as you want to protect your employees, you also need to worry about protecting your company.

We’ve provided a brief snapshot of the benefits outplacements services can offer. To learn more, read this article on how outplacement services can help save your company’s reputation following mass layoffs.

What services are necessary from your outplacement provider

Again, different providers will offer different combinations of services. Before determining which provider to choose, you want to be sure that the company has at least the following services:

1.  Professional resume writing

Depending on when your employees were hired, they may not have updated their resume in years. As of recently, the standard for resume writing and hiring has changed significantly. Many job seekers, without guidance, make fatal errors that will prevent them from being called into interviews. The first step in landing a new job is to be able to beat an applicant tracking system (ATS) and intrigue hiring managers. Without a strong resume, employees won’t be able to overcome those initial obstacles.

Professional resume writing will include proper ATS-optimized formatting, achievement-based bullet points, and integrated keywords. To provide your employees with their first essential job-seeking tool, you’ll need to have the help of professional resume writers.

2.  Career and interview coaching

Being laid off can cause a huge mental and emotional toll on your employees. When they first begin interviewing, they may be unprepared to speak on their achievements. They may feel unqualified or unsuccessful, despite having many skills and achievements under their belts. Nonetheless, they will need guided and strategic practice before their first interview so they can overcome those anxieties and impress hiring managers.

Additionally, the way interviews are conducted has changed drastically. Remote interviews via platforms such as Zoom have become the new norm. Interviews have always posed a challenge for even the most confident of candidates. Now, there are even more obstacles standing in the way of a job seeker hoping to nail their interviews. With the proper help, they can arrive at their interviews (virtual or in-person) with confidence.

3.  Job application assistance

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the job market has been extremely competitive. The average number of applicants per job listing has soared as many companies experienced mass layoffs. Job seekers may have to apply to 50 or 100 jobs before they hear back from a single one.

A strong outplacement provider not only helps give your employees the tools they need to land a job, they also assist them through the process. Doing so helps increase their overall success during the job hunt and decreases the amount of time they spend without a new role.

When it is all said and done, layoffs take a toll on everyone involved. It isn’t easy news to hear nor is it easy news to deliver. However, bringing in an outplacement provider can dramatically help lighten that load. If your company is interested in outplacement services, you can book a demo here with the BrandResumes team. Our team offers high-quality professional resume writing, interview coaching, job search preparation, and much more. You can learn more about our team and our services here.