choosing an outplacement company: how to select the perfect support.

In the event of a restructuring, outplacement is a valuable service that can help affected employees transition to the next phase of their careers. Many companies offer outplacement at no cost to the employee as part of a severance package to show empathy, improve their brand reputation and to reduce litigation risks.

When outplacement is effective, it alleviates stress for employees and ensures they’re cared for – even after an organisation is forced to make a difficult choice.

This is why it’s important for companies to choose an experienced, results-focused outplacement provider that matches their unique needs and those of impacted employees. Our new resource, ‘the essential guide to choosing the best outplacement services partner’ is packed with advice that can help you navigate that process.

When you download this free guide, you’ll learn key information including:

What are outplacement services?

How employers benefit from using an outplacement service

Seven questions to ask when you need to choose an outplacement company

What sets Randstad RiseSmart apart from other providers

Case study on a successful partnership between a client organisation and outplacement company

what are outplacement services?

Outplacement services help departing employees find their next job after redundancy by offering assistance such as CV writing, career coaching, job search assistance, interview practice, networking and more. Employers that offer outplacement support will typically hire a third-party supplier and cover the costs or fees for employees to connect with experienced career development professionals or job search tools. Many outplacement providers offer virtual services. Online outplacement services have become more important in an increasingly digital marketplace following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learn more about the ins and outs of outplacement services – and tips on how to compare providers’ offerings – in the guide.

related content: what is outplacement? everything you need to know about outplacement services

how do employers benefit from outplacement services?

For affected employees, the advantages of using an outplacement provider are clear, but the employer also benefits in several ways. When companies take the right management approach to offering outplacement, they are seen as more compassionate and often have a better reputation among consumers and competitors, helping to attract top-tier talent and new business. Outplacement also builds team loyalty among remaining staff, and employers who offer it stand a better chance of retaining high-performing employees during a redundancy exercise.

Outplacement also leads to significant financial and risk-mitigation benefits. Download the guide to learn how.

how do I choose an outplacement provider?

Working through career transitions can be hard for your employees. The best outplacement providers use a mix of technology- and human-focused solutions to match job seekers with new opportunities. When evaluating an outplacement provider, look for a partner that aligns with your company’s values, offers flexible, personalised services and uses up-to-date and accessible technology.

Our guide also offers advice on several questions you should ask to gauge how each outplacement company might best serve your organisation. Find out exactly how to choose an outplacement provider and what to ask by downloading it here.

choosing an outplacement partner

Not all outplacement service providers are the same. And the fees can vary enormously. While they might look the same on the surface, the quality of the career coaching and job search support they can provide for your people can vary significantly.

Today's job market is highly competitive. Anyone going through a career transition looking for a new job needs to understand the dynamics of a contemporary job search. They also need personalised career coaching, CV writing support and help to find the best job matches available. Here are our tips on the three key areas to consider when evaluating an outplacement company:

career coaching

If an outplacement service provider cannot commit to dedicated, personalised career coaching for each of your people, it is likely that they will only get support from 'pool coaches' or an 'on duty' career coach. An on-call coach cannot develop a personal relationship with the individual, nor understand the circumstances of their job search and their goals in the same way that a dedicated career coach can when they work with the individual over a number of sessions.

cv writing and personal branding

Similarly, with CV support, some outplacement companies will only provide a CV critique - often performed by the same pool of coaches. To help each of your employees develop an outstanding, personalised CV that will perform well with current applicant tracking systems and present them at their best in today's job market, look for a company that offers a full CV writing service from personal branding experts. This should also include support with writing a LinkedIn profile and, for executive clients, an executive bio.

job matching

The third area to consider is job matching. Almost all outplacement companies will offer a technology platform that compiles job listings. In many cases, that's all they do. The programme participant is left to sort through them trying to find suitable vacancies. Demand more of your outplacement provider. Ask if their technology performs any kind of sorting or filtering to match vacancies to the job seeker's goals and preferences. Very few companies have gone so far as to develop AI to perform this sorting and deliver a ranked list of jobs that match the job seeker's personal criteria.

In addition to this, there should be some form of concierge service - such as someone with recruiting  experience who can source unadvertised vacancies and assist with matching the candidate to roles that will be a good fit with their career objectives and personal preferences. 

what else to look for

In addition to the three fundamental service areas above, an ideal outplacement company will add value in other ways with a suite of additional tools and resources that people can access at no additional cost.

networking

As well as providing learning resources on how to network, your chosen provider should also offer facilitated networking sessions as part of a programme. Ideally, the technology platform they use will also intelligently scan a participant's own network and suggest possible connections that will further their job search.

promoting candidates to recruiters

Where an outplacement provider is part of a larger recruitment organisation, there's a quick win for participants being promoted to potentially thousands of recruiters who could place them in a suitable role. What is less common, is an outplacement provider who proactively markets the candidates they have in process to the wider recruiter community through public-facing talent directories. This is an opportunity for hard-pressed recruiters to quickly access available talent to fill their roles.

reskilling and upskilling

Very few outplacement companies include a skilling component in their programmes. Yet it is vital to help people upgrade their skills to enhance their employability and land a new role faster. The very best  companies will really add value by providing access to market data on in-demand skills and appropriate learning to help programme participants develop the skills that will allow them to pivot their career in a new direction, or improve their long-term employability.

cost of outplacement

Cost is always going to be an important consideration. The best firms deliver superior value for your investment by including all of the programme features mentioned above. This will give your people their best chance of landing a new role far sooner than if they were left to fend for themselves following a redundancy. Your investment in outplacement is likely to be far outweighed by the enhancement to your employer brand and the improvement in productivity of those who remain as a result of seeing how compassionately their colleagues were treated.

why download our guide?

In our resource, ‘the essential guide to choosing the best outplacement services partner,’ you’ll learn seven key questions to ask potential outplacement firms, which technologies top outplacement firms use and how to maximise the benefits outplacement can provide to both your company and employees.

You’ll also see a case study that shows how RiseSmart supported a leading biotech company with its outplacement service. On average, RiseSmart helped transitioning employees find new jobs in less than two months, and achieved a 94% overall satisfaction rate among people who used its services.

Download the guide now to further explore how to choose the best outplacement firm for your needs.