Outplacement until placement: what is it and why do you need it?

Ensuring your employees are well looked after is vitally important in any business. It’s the people who make the difference as to whether your business sinks or swims. But what if the worst happens and you’re forced to lay off some of your employees? You’ll certainly want to give them the best possible chance of thriving elsewhere.

This is where knowing what differentiators count when shopping for an outplacement provider. Apart from the cost, one of the biggest elements to consider is how long an outplacement programme lasts.

• Are there limits that dictate when the outplacement service finishes?
• Is this calculated in terms of how many hours are worked with an outplacement coach?
• Is the length of the outplacement service flexible for each client or is it set in stone for a predetermined period?
• Are there retainer fees, even if a client doesn’t have any participants in the programme?
• And what if some of the participants take a really long time to complete the programme?

These are all valid questions to consider when settling on an outplacement provider.

At Careerminds, we’ve made this very simple. In short, we work with all participants until they land a new job. It’s that easy. And the term we use for this? It’s called “until placement”. It really does what it says on the tin.

In this article, we’ll explore in more detail what’s meant by the term “until placement,” alongside the benefits that come with it.

Here’s what you need to know:

“Until placement” is exactly what it sounds like – it’s outplacement support that lasts right up until a participant in the outplacement programme secures a new role. Instead of just working with participants for a specific amount of time, we continuously provide them with support until they land their next role. This means they’re never on their own, scrabbling around in the dark without a clue as to what to do next.

Most outplacement providers only work with participants for between a few weeks and a few months, with the majority of outplacement services only lasting between one and three months. If you’ve had to search for a new job before, you know that the process can take so much longer than that. But with most outplacement providers, if the participant hasn’t landed a job within a specific period of time, they’re on their own after that. Not only does this time frame put a huge amount of pressure on the job seeker, who has to try to find a job within a short space of time, it also doesn’t make sense for the business that hired the outplacement firm in the first place.

So why’s that?

Let’s ask another question – would you pay for something without knowing if it will work out or not? For example, say you contacted a garage because your car had suddenly stopped working and you had no idea why. The car mechanic gives you a two hour limit, meaning that if they can’t find the problem and fix it within that time then you’re out of luck, and they walk away still expecting to be paid.

It might be that some mechanics would be able to resolve the issue within two hours. But why risk it? You’d want to find a mechanic who could fix the problem, no matter how long it took. In outplacement, we’re talking about people’s livelihoods here – not just a broken car.

At Careerminds, “until placement” means that the overall outplacement process unfolds in such a way that it smoothes the path for those employees who are being made redundant. We promise to work with participants until they land their next career move, no matter how long that takes, providing the most stress-free outplacement service out there.

For our clients, this means assurances that their outgoing staff will have the help they need for as long as they need. Clients can rest easy knowing that their employees are in good hands with a provider that will do everything possible to help them land their next position. By doing away with any time limits, we’re able to offer an extremely high success rate, along with many success stories.

What’s even better to know is that this type of unlimited “until placement” support has been found to help participants land higher paid jobs. For example, participants at managerial level, enjoying unlimited outplacement support, secure new jobs with salaries over £10,000 higher than similar management-level participants who only receive six months of outplacement support.

Our overarching goal is to get people back to work, in a job they love and one that they’ll thrive in. Outplacement until placement certainly helps us to achieve that. 

Most outplacement providers charge retainer fees, which means you could end up paying for the service when you don’t actually need it. Couple that with a service that has time limits, and it becomes a whole world of problems. Your staff might not all land jobs before the service finishes and you might be paying through the nose for nothing!

That just doesn’t make sense.

Once again, Careerminds has a different approach. Our clients enter a contract with us that allows them to use our services when they need it… at no extra cost. Let that sink in for a minute. Then, when they’re ready for outplacement support, they know our services will last until the participant lands a new role, without any hidden costs. Our services are much cheaper to retain and continue with no added fees.

We understand that each participant is individual, requiring different time frames, coaching, and other support to help them succeed in their job hunt.

Traditional outplacement providers normally offer a one-size-fits-all approach. While that’s great for a lot of other services, it’s the wrong approach for the outplacement process. Let’s look at some examples as to why this is the case.

Example 1

• A mid-level employee in accounting gets laid off and decides to make a career change to sales. The participant will have to find out where to start looking for entry-level sales positions, craft a completely new CV emphasising transferable skills, and work closely with a coach to ensure the change happens.

Example 2

• A C-level executive, who’s been made redundant, is keen to enter a new organisation at the same level. This type of job search is very different to searching for an entry-level job, requiring a lot more networking and time to nail that level. This is when executive outplacement comes into its own, but it needs a different approach from the outplacement provider.

Example 3

• An entry-level employee is happy to find the same entry-level job at a new place of work. It might seem pretty straightforward, but they’ll still need plenty of support to find the right role for their next move.

All of these examples require differing approaches. Trying to fit it all in within a strict time frame can increase the chances of participants ultimately failing when it comes to their time with the outplacement firm.

By using “until placement,” we help all levels and types of employees to achieve their goals – no matter what they are.

This flexibility gives participants a huge leg up from the start. They’ll land that next job and we’ll be right beside them until they do, regardless of how long it takes.

It’s also important to know where an outplacement provider offers their services geographically and if it dovetails with where your organisation operates. That’s especially crucial if you run a global company. 

Outplacement and job searching best practice, not to mention language, legalities, and cultural norms, vary widely around the world. With that in mind, you want to choose a global outplacement provider who’ll support your outgoing employees seamlessly wherever they are in the world. 

At Careerminds, we offer true global outplacement capabilities. Our platform delivers global outplacement services in 46 languages in over 80 countries including the UK, EMEA, the Americas, and APAC. For global clients, we provide a single point of contact and take care of all elements during our engagement with you. This bespoke approach allows global HR teams to focus on other important aspects of the business. 

For participants, our outplacement “until placement” support includes unlimited services such as coaching time, professional CV advice, and a global platform of resources, so candidates are ready for the job market faster and are happier with the role they eventually land, no matter where in the world they live. 

It’s clear there are a few more things to consider when deciding which outplacement provider to go for, other than price. Not all outplacement services are created equal.

Our “until placement” element means you can take your time and not worry that the clock is ticking. Not only does this reduce stress for clients and participants, it also allows us to work with people at all career levels, with all sorts of goals, from across the world. Give Careerminds a go – you won’t be disappointed.

Download our pricing information here.

Elizabeth Openshaw

Elizabeth Openshaw has over 12 years of experience in the job search sector, including extensive expertise in outplacement and CV reviews. Previously a Journalist on national publications, she is Director of her own company, OpenDoor CV Expertise Ltd. You can connect with her at Elizabeth Openshaw | LinkedIn.