THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Using Outplacement Services 
         

      
      By TODDI GUTNER
      November 20, 2007; Page B7

      When Paul Joseph was laid off as a director of employee relations at a 
      major financial-services firm a year and a half ago, he walked out with a 
      typical severance package: six months of salary and six months of 
      outplacement services.
       
      It sounded good, but it quickly became apparent that the outplacement firm 
      he had been assigned was far from ideal. "I felt like I had walked into a 
      Dilbert cartoon," Mr. Joseph says. "There were rows and rows of cubicles, 
      and the atmosphere was extremely impersonal." And when he had his first 
      30-minute weekly appointment with a career counselor, he says, "the 
      counselor didn't take the time to get to know me and what I needed."

      Mr. Joseph was ready to give up on outplacement help when his 
      sister-in-law told him about another firm, Mullin & Associates 
      Ltd./Lincolnshire International in Manhattan. Mr. Joseph was impressed 
      with what the company had to offer, and he decided that even if it meant 
      footing the bill himself, he wanted the help. "I wasn't given a 
      cookie-cutter approach to a job search," says Mr. Joseph, who switched 
      firms and landed a new job within three months.

      To get the most from outplacement, you should do as Mr. Joseph did and go 
      to the firm of your choice. 


      The differences among outplacement firms run the gamut from bare-bones and 
      impersonal to serious coaching. "The truth is, no two services are alike," 
      says Andrea Eisenberg, managing director of career services at Partners in 
      Human Resources International, a boutique outplacement firm based in 
      Manhattan.

      Before you simply take what you're offered, do some shopping around. Here 
      are some tips:

      •  Take charge of your severance package: During your severance meeting, 
      the human-resources manager will tell you what outplacement services 
      you're getting. In some cases, you'll get a choice, but most large 
      companies have already negotiated a contract.
       

      If you aren't able to choose, tell your human-resources professional you 
      want to be able to contact him or her within the first month of starting 
      the service if you're dissatisfied. Don't be afraid to ask for what you 
      want, even as an ex-employee, says Ms. Eisenberg.

      •  Identify how you work best: Check out the service and try to determine 
      within the first two weeks what tools you will need to succeed at your job 
      hunt. You may not need a lot of one-on-one support, and networking may 
      come fairly easily. Perhaps you just need help with a few résumé-building 
      and interviewing skills. But maybe you need more, like an ongoing dialogue 
      with a career coach who can rehearse interviews or review letters you're 
      sending out.
       
      •  Search for the right outplacement firm: If you have decided your 
      assigned firm doesn't have the type of service you need, ask friends, 
      family and former colleagues if they know of any good ones. An Internet 
      search of "executive outplacement firms" in your city may also generate 
      some leads.
       
      •  Pay attention to the office atmosphere: Visit the firm. Take a peek at 
      the workspace. Are the other job seekers chatting in the office, sharing 
      leads and industry intelligence? Do the coaches have time to mingle with 
      the candidates? What about the support staff? Do they seem happy to help 
      you with office needs like computer support?
       
      •  Conduct your own interviews: Find out who the good counselors are and 
      how many candidates each one is required to see on a weekly basis. A 
      caseload of 20 means you will probably be able to see your coach as often 
      as necessary. If you don't plan to rely heavily on your counselor, then a 
      caseload of 90 to 100 might be acceptable. But make sure that you're 
      compatible with your career counselor and that she has experience in your 
      field, understands what you do, and can help you network in your industry.
       

      Also, find out whether other candidates at the firm have been successful 
      getting a job in their field and at their experience level within their 
      allotted time. Finally, ask questions of the other candidates: Are they 
      happy with the service? Do they think you should sign on or look 
      elsewhere?

      •  Sign on or make the switch: If you've decided you want to go elsewhere, 
      call your former human-resources manager. Tell him you're unhappy with the 
      service and explain why, and ask if the company will pay for your service 
      at the firm you've chosen. Sometimes, all it takes is a request. "Most 
      companies would fund a switch to an outplacement firm if the new service 
      costs the same as the original service," says Charles Busuttil, Americas 
      human-resources director for White & Case LLC, a global law firm.
       

      If your former employer refuses to fund your switch, push it to contact 
      the outplacement firm it chose and say you're not pleased. After all, the 
      service is provided to help you find a job.


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