“There were numerous occasions where your coaching was the key ingredient in my ability to continue to conduct a successful campaign. You have been informative, analytical, yet always demanding as you sought to move me through this personally challenging period. I believe as a result of your involvement, my experience, although painful, was one of tremendous personal growth.”

Manager, Manufacturing

 

“I learned some valuable lessons in terms of managing my career forward. First, I will never allow myself to be blindsided again. The experience with my past employer has taught me never to become too complacent about my career; never to assume that things are OK just because no one has said otherwise. I have already built a much stronger bridge with my supervisor and will always keep in mind the need to market myself within the organization and keep people aware of my ongoing contributions. I also recognize that no job is the last job. The need to keep people aware of what you are doing and to keep your ear to the ground for the next perfect job was something that I probably should have known, but never realized until I started to work with RL.”

Marketing Analyst

“I got zapped a number of years ago from a job and a company I dearly loved, not because I was incompetent, but rather because I zigged and my boss zagged. I had a personality misfit with my boss. Not only did I not recognize the problem, although it seemed everyone else did, I seemed powerless to change.”

Clyde C. Lowstuter

“After working with thousands of people who have been zapped, either as a result of a massive downsizing or the single senior executive, I and my team have learned a few things. Everyone wants to be successful and respected, but key clues to success are often overlooked or deemed to be unimportant. Like water seeking its own level, literally 100% of the people in the workplace today have an opportunity to serve and to contribute to the growth, success, and profitability of their organizations—if but given the chance.”

To read the rest of Clyde’s personal story and learn how to turn around your derailing career, go directly to the Product Catalog. “About the Author” features Clyde’s story from In Search of the Perfect Job.

Outplacement—What Is It?

Corporate-sponsored outplacement is a unique corporate benefit that an organization provides to employees it terminates. Outplacement enables terminated employees to get their lives and careers back on track by helping them sort through career options and successfully learn powerful job-hunting tactics.

You might rightfully ask the question, “Why would a company pay for job-changing assistance after it fires someone?” It’s a good question. Unfortunately, not every company that terminates employees offers outplacement, although they should consider it. Managers who terminate employees do not want to damage anyone, rather just end the business relationship. Termination is emotionally traumatic because the future is uncertain and the ending of the employment relationship, albeit a business decision, feels deeply personal to both the departing employee and his/her family.

Clyde Lowstuter’s McGraw-Hill books, In Search of the Perfect Job and Network Your Way to Your Next Job—Fast!, introduce many of the key issues that a job changer needs to consider. The Product Catalog will introduce some great careering resources.

Outplacement—Sound Business Practice

While some organizations offer outplacement/job-hunting skills assistance to their departing employees out of the goodness of their hearts, most do not. Outplacement has long been recognized as a bonafide benefit to the corporation.

Outplacement:

• Saves months in separation package costs per employee by accelerating reemployment. For example, companies often extend separation packages for a number of months until the employees connect, at which point the financial support stops. If an employee on a six-month program connects at four months, then the company saves two months of salary and medical benefit expenses.
• Significantly averts unemployment expenses and exposure. Robertson Lowstuter outplacement candidates secure the right position significantly more quickly than the national average.
• Reduces the use of stress-related medical benefits. Employment uncertainty and ambiguity can be the source of tremendous stress. As you know, unmanaged stress is credited with creating illness, hence, increased medical costs. We help people stay focused and on track, stop being the victim, and accept complete responsibility for the way the situation looks.
• Settles the survivors down as they see their departed colleagues being well cared for, while minimizing unwanted, voluntary departures from talented employees because the organization is seen as humane and realistic.

If we are unable to be given the engagement to turn an employee around, then we routinely strategize with our client company to minimize the trauma and upset by counseling the terminating manager on how to best break the news to the employee.

Outplacement—Full Range of RL Services

Outplacement, the service upon which Robertson Lowstuter has built its reputation, continues to be a vital part of the firm’s business today. Robertson Lowstuter offers client companies a full range of individual and group career transition services designed to revitalize the careers of separated employees and enhance management effectiveness, corporate image, and profit goals.

Learn about RL’s highly-effective networking resources, $ix Figure Networking, a motivational audio tape album, and Network Your Way to Your Next Job—Fast! in the Product Catalog.

Individual Outplacement Support

Robertson Lowstuter provides a variety of career transition/outplacement support for the individual employee, from full-term executive programs to modified programs, custom-tailored to meet the needs of the individuals being separated. All individual programs provide comprehensive support from emotional defusing, development of career options and resumes, locating the right career avenues, interviewing, and offering negotiations.

If you are committed to learning how to interview better, the audio tape Power Interviewing will really help you anticipate, prepare, and practice for tough interviews.

 

“I can never express how much I value your contribution to my successful job search. Your ability to keep me moving forward and upbeat about the process is something that I am appreciating more in retrospect than I did when it was happening. You never let me feel discouraged, even when you probably knew better than I that that was how I was feeling.”

Senior VP and
General Counsel

Group Outplacement Support

Mergers, acquisitions, profit erosion, and international competition—all these factors contribute to departments downsizing, divisions reorganizing, and facilities closing. The resulting job losses are often rapid and traumatic for those involved. Group outplacement is the ideal way to quickly and economically provide a high-quality outplacement service for those valued employees. And Robertson Lowstuter is one of only a handful of firms with the demonstrated capability to provide the high-quality, consistent program content and delivery which is so critical in multi-location assignments.

The widely recognized group workshop, “The Choice to Be Successful Again” has been conducted for more than 20,000 employees using teams of skilled Robertson Lowstuter counselors throughout the United States and Canada. Workshops use interactive small group exercises, role playing, audio/video techniques, and comprehensive training materials designed to assist participants throughout every phase of their job searches.

Workshops generally range from one to three days and can include time for personal interviews and private consultation. Program content, materials, presentation style, and format are tailored to meet the varied needs of hourly, non-exempt, and exempt employees.

Major topic areas include emotional defusing, career option planning, spouse support, career focus, resume development, cover letter drafting, references, marketing strategies, using ads, recruiters, direct mail, telephone networking, and target firm development. It also includes interviewing, training, analysis, and negotiation techniques.

Next Steps

1. Evaluate the extent to which you have provided and/or received straightforward feedback on values, operating styles, or performance. In this world, you get what you create. Take complete responsibility for how your performance or personal chemistry with your boss feels. This keeps you in charge, rather than being victimized by your career/life’s circumstances.

2. Tell him/her that the performance is below expectation. Use this as an opportunity to discuss any interpersonal conflict issues between you.

3. If you are the manager, acknowledge to yourself that you are responsible for who got hired into this role in the first place. Create a climate for people to succeed. Ask for feedback as to how well you have accomplished this task.

4. If you are the subordinate, acknowledge to yourself that you are accountable for how your career (and performance) looks. Take this time to discuss with your boss how your own beliefs have influenced how you behave and perform. (Don’t reveal too much damaging stuff here; use some good judgment!)

5. Ask yourself and your boss, “How can I turn this situation around and operate more effectively with you?”

6. If the person’s performance damage is unrepairable and termination is the only viable option left, do not blame; rather fully and positively support the employee.

Contact your nearest RL office to discuss how Robertson Lowstuter can partner with your company as it addresses difficult business decisions and moves to effectively and compassionately downsize individuals or groups.

Change Management | Career Assessment and Planning | Career Enhancement and Development