The Changing Outplacement Process: New Methods and Opportunities for Transition Management

The Changing Outplacement Process

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The Changing Outplacement Process New Methods and Opportunities for Transition Management John L. Meyer & Carolyn C. Shadle FOREWORD BY

David A. Lord

Q

QUORUM BOOKS

WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT • LONDON

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Meyer, John L. The changing outplacement process : new methods and opportunities for transition management / John L. Meyer and Carolyn C. Shadle ; foreword by David A. Lord, p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-89930-890-2 1. Job hunting. 2. Unemployed—Counseling of. 3. Outplacement agencies. 4. Employees -Recruiting. I. Shadle, Carolyn C. II. Title. HF5382.7.M49 1994 650.14—dc20 94-2988 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright €> 1994 by ICS, Inc. All rights reserved No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, w ithout the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 94-2988 ISBN: 0-89930-890-2 First published in 1994 Quorum Books, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Printed in the United States of America

The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984). 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Copyright Acknowledgments The authors and publisher gratefully acknowledge permission to reprint the following previously published item: Selected quotes from Career Planning & Adult Development Network Newsletter, Vol. 14, No. 11, November 1992, pp. 1-2. Copyright O 1992 by Richaid L. Knowdell. Reprinted with permission of the author. In order to keep this title in print and available to the academic community, this edition was produced using digital reprint technology in a relatively shoit print run. This would not have been attainable using traditional methods. Although the cover has been changed from its original appearance, the text remains the same and all materials and methods used still conform to the highest book-making standards.

Contents Figures and Table

ix

Foreword by David A.Lixd

ix

Preface

xi

Acknowledgments

xiii

Introduction

xvii

PARTI. THENEWCAREERISM 1. The Turbulent World of Work 2. When the Employee Is Outplaced 3. The Ripple Effect

1 3 19 27

PART II. THE NEW OUTPLACEMENT PROCESS

41

STAGE ONE: PLANNING AND PREPARING

43

4. 5. 6. 7.

Contracting for OTR Getting Terminated Employees Started Accoutrements for People in Transition Personal Counseling—What and When

45 51 63 69

Contents

VI

STAGE TWO: MAKING DECISIONS 8. Assessing the Unemployed Candidate 9. Career Decision Making 10. Career Pathing

81 83 95 103

STAGE THREE: LAUNCHING THE CAMPAIGN

113

11. The Marketing Metaphor

115

12. The Resume—A Personal Sales Representative

125

13. Networking: Contacts and Connections, Links and Linkages 14. Employment Interviewing

131 145

PART III. THE OTR PROCESS AND ITS INDUSTRY 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.

169

Changes in the OTR Process The New OTR Process and the New Careerism The New Face of Today's OTR Industry Challenges and Responses: Issues and Ethics Choosing Wisely: How to Select the Right OTR Service

171 185 199 225 247

Appendix A: Historical Perspective Appendix B: Chronology of the Outplacement Profession Appendix C: Career Transition Resources2 Appendix D: Reemployment Act of I94 Selected Bibliograp h Index

265 265 265 265 265

283

Figures and Tables FIGURES 1.1 PeopleData 2.1 Reactions Along a Curve 3.1 Communication of the Plan to Remaining and Separated Employees 4.1 The Three-Stage OTR Process 7.1 Financial Review Form 10.1 Biographical Worksheet 13.1 One Link or Tie 13.2 Inner-Circle You 13.3 Outer-Circle You 13.4 Weaker Ties 13.5 Steps and Links 14.1 Screening Interviews 14.2 Taking Stock 15.1 Management Levels Receiving Outplacement 15.2 The Helping Continuum 16.1 Research Techniques 17.1 How the Outplacement Market Is Divided

4 20 33 44 75 105 134 135 136 136 137 148 152 173 181 192 202

Figures and Tables

VIII

17.2 Circle of Services 17.3 Outplacement/Career Transition Activities

208 219

TABLES 14.1 Six Stages and Phases to the Employment Interview 17.1 Outplacement Industry Serves More Candidates Every Year 17.2 Types of Outplacement Assistance: A Five-Year Trend

156 201 201

Foreword This book is about professional services, but it also provides a professional service: a comprehensive, independent view of outplacement^ history, its current state-of-the-art methods, and its prospects for change and growth in a changing economy. This is a first-of-its-kind effort, and one that probably could not have been carried out by anyone within the outplacement profession, since the true value of any professional service lies largely in the independent view it brings to a situation of significance. The situation of significance here is the transformation of what we know as outplacement to a broader field: transition consulting, both for individuals and organizations. It's never easy to write about change—it is a moving target. And in this case, the moving target is seen from several vantages: corporate clients, individual job seekers, consulting practitioners, and observers from related businesses and professions. These differing views are reflected, and well-documented, in this very thorough report. But the authors have gone one important step further: They have assimilated the most impressive elements of today's transition consulting methods into what can be considered a model program for the profession. As outplacement practitioners continue to redefine the profession's body of knowledge, The Changing Outplacement Process will be an important point of reference in a rapidly evolving business. The authors have indeed provided a professional resource to these professional services. David A. Lord

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Preface There are four purposes for this book. The first is to outline the topic of outplacement, defined as a consulting and career counseling process that assists both employers and terminated employees in facing transition—organizational change for employers; a new job, career, or lifestyle for employees. A second purpose is to open windows to an understanding of outplacement as a dynamic process formerly delivered almost exclusively by outplacement firms, but more recently available through a variety of channels including corporations, community organizations, and the government, as well as private firms dedicated to outplacement services. While traditionally defined as a service made available to employees only through their employers, today we see an increasing number of firms offering outplacement directly to individuals and new services to employers. The outplacement process in its early days was mysterious, assisting high-level employees in an almost secretive manner. The new outplacement process is widely understood and used increasingly by all levels of employees. A third purpose is to explore changes in the outplacement process and issues that have emerged in the quarter century since the industry began. Experience with the process, competitive pressures, and changes in the corporate world have resulted in new outplacement strategies and services. In our discussions we aim for objectivity, resisting the twin temptations of presenting outplacement as a cure-all or as a fraud, either as the supreme solution or as a costly waste of money. Our aim is to describe the outplacement process as it exists today—a panacea or indispensable aid to some and of little or no use to others. Fourth, our purpose is to help the readers see themselves in outplacement—perhaps as an informed bystander, perhaps as an educated consumer, or perhaps as a

XII

Preface

provider. Boon or bane, outplacement has made a mark on the landscape and must be understood and appreciated by all concerned as a civilized way to help employers and unemployed workers navigate the turbulent world of work. With a new careerism emerging, the outplacement process, we predict, will impact people's work lives should they face outplacement and the need for transition and relocation or restructuring services.

Acknowledgments Compared to the wealth of unpublished material available from internal "inhouse" documents, little information about outplacement can be found in published books. Much has been produced, however, by the 3,000-5,000 professionals in the field. Although it is well-guarded, it is nonetheless often pirated and adapted—usually as a "unique" resource. One critic said that outplacement firms, in their zeal to distinguish themselves among the competition, too often operate under the NIH (Not Invented Here) syndrome. We considered it our task to ferret out the unique contributions each firm has brought to the industry and to find the patterns that represent the new outplacement process that has emerged after over 20 years of practice. To accomplish this we read countless brochures and training manuals and talked to scores of practitioners and professionals. Our research brought us in touch with many articulate, caring individuals who have a pulse on the economy. They are people who are in touch with the human resources on which the economy depends and the strategies and materials that assist those human resources in the event of outplacement. It is impossible to name all of the people who shared with us their experience, including outplacement and career development professionals, corporate leaders, and outplaced individuals. These are people who have witnessed the human scars resulting from often-difficult transitions. We would be remiss, however, if we didn't name the following: Saul Gruner, one of the founders of the outplacement business; James Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an early professional in the husiness;

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Acknowledgments

Angelo Troisi of Lee Hecht Harrison, often called the de facto historian of outplacement; Dr. Jim Gallagher, referred to as the "guru" of outplacement; Murray Axmith of Murray Axmith & Associates, former president of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International (AOCFI) and leader in the definition of quality standards; Jeanne O'Donnell, former Executive Director, and Steven M. Worth, Executive Director, of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International; John Guthery, Susan Cotz and Beth Rizzotti of Seagate Associates, Inc. and leaders in Outplacement International; Ruthan Rosenberg, representative of the special skills and sensitivity many women have brought to the field; Nancy Geffner, Jim Cantor, Richard Chagnon, Dr. Charles Cooley, Evelyn Perocevic, all of Right Associates; Pierre Duhamel, Patti Dowell, and John Belgiorno, all of Drake Beam Morin (DBM), Inc.; Gtlles Larin of TSC (Technical Service Council) in Montreal; Jean Jacques Ranger, President of EXEC, Montreal; J. Armand Gaudet of Peat, Marwick, Stevenson & Kellogg in Montreal; Pierre J. Lauzier of Transit II Consulting Group in Montreal; Steve Harrison and Don Wells of Lee Hecht Harrison; Mike King of King, Chapman, Broussard and Gallagher in Houston, TX and member of the AOCFI Board; George Stiles of Manchester, Inc. in Boston; Peter Abeson of Ayers Group in New York City; Stephen Cuthrell of Outplacement Services, Inc. in Albany, NY; Dr. Sam Klarreich of Main Stream Access Corp. in Toronto; Wendy Johnson of W. E. Johnson Ltd. in Toronto; Thomas Bodin of Outplacement International Minnesota in Minneapolis; Karl B. Shinn of The Curtiss Group in Ft. Lauderdale; Joseph E. Jannotta, Jr. of Jannotta, Bray & Associates, Inc. in Chicago; Sharon Cox of Drake Inglesi Milardo in Portland, ME; Guy Simpler and Dr. Victoria Williams of Career Control Group, Inc. and 'Tn Partnership" of Houston, TX; Joe Meissner of Power Marketing in San Francisco; Thomas J. McKenna, McKenna & Associates in Albany, NY; Dan Moran, Advisory Resources, in Latham, NY; Patrick J. Lennahan, Career Life Planning, SUNY/Ptattsburgh; Thomas FL Collins, Ph.D., Associate Professor, SUNY/Plattsburgh; Thomas Hodgson, Ph.D., psychology faculty, SUNY/Empire State College; Ron Arkle and the Industrial Society, both in the United Kingdom;

Acknowledgments

xv

Pascal Delisi, the consummate executive recruiter, of The Executive Registry in Montreal. Also helpful were many leaders of numerous "boutique" outplacement firms, including: Bob Caldwell of RW Caldwell Outplacement Consultants in Buffalo, NY; Kim Pan of HGL Associates, Inc., Arlington, VA; Nancy Mengel McDonald of Mengel & McDonald of Chicago; Nonie Potocki of Potocki Associates, Inc. in New York City; Joan Learn of the Greenwich Group in Greenwich, CT; Cathy Strickland of The Strickland Group, Ltd. in New York City; Leslie McDonald of Pathfinders in Syracuse, NY; Catherine Mossop of Mossop Cornelissen & Associates in Toronto; Pat Windelspecht of Windelspecht Associates, Inc. in Albany, NY; John Perry of Career Strategic Direction in Buffalo, NY; Linda Davidson of Crossroads Transition Management, in Irvine, TX. Many others contributed input from their various perspectives, including: Bill Nikel of W. L. Nikel & Associates in Cedar Grove, NJ; Chet Dickey of Job Seekers at the Chapel of Akron in Akron, OH; Kate Wendleton, founder of The Five O'Clock Club in New York City; Erik Shtob, Executive Director of the Hospital League, Training and Upgrading Fund, Local 1199 in New York City; Cynthia H. Ware of the United Labor Agency, Ramsey, NJ;Stuart Alan Rado of Miami Beach, FL, critic and advocate; Colleen Keane and Tom Phelan of Niagara Mohawk Corporation; Jerridith Wilson of RLS Career Center, Syracuse, NY; Julie Bader of Ecolab, St. Paul, MN; Patricia Crane of Madison, NJ; Alan Booth of Westport, CT. The authors would also like to thank the many adjunct professionals, including: Dr. Howard Craig, vocational counselor; Christopher Yetman, Human Resources Manager for Carborundum; Sandy Bower of Citibank; Sandra Bandler of Chase Manhattan Bank; Carole Bruce, consultant and outplacement trainer; John Leonard, outplacement consultant;

XVI

Acknowledgments

Linda Ortola, outplacement consultant; Staff from the National Employment Lawyers Association; and countless others known through the professional associations. Equally helpful were the numerous unnamed users of the outplacement services, as well as writers and editors, including: Ronald L. Krannich of Impact Publications; Dan Lacey of Workplace Trends Newsletter; Karen Hammond, freelance writer; Dr. Luther Otto, employment researcher; Denis Gruber, doctoral student at New York University; Patricia Kitchen, Newsday columnist; David A. Lord, editor of Kennedy Publications; Tony Lee of the National Business Employment Weekly. Many thanks go to Carol Casey of Interpersonal Communication Services (ICS), Inc. for assistance with the mechanics of gathering the information and presenting it for publication. The authors also appreciate her commitment and willingness to provide both research assistance and preparation of the copy, for her tireless dedication to tending to the countless details ranging from scheduling interviews and gathering resources to typing and mailing. For a careful reading for meaning and syntax, we express thanks to Ben F. Childs. For a skilled eye toward detail and quality, we appreciate the patient and thorough work of Katie Chase, our project editor. Finally, we are grateful to Eric Valentine of Quorum Books for his belief that this book had to be written in order to make available to you, the readers, an updated overview of this important human service.

Introduction What is outplacement? It is the name used for a career counseling and consulting service that has come to have wide use. However, the term is for some an unfortunate misnomer with negative connotations of being placed "out" of the job market. For others, it carries misleading expectations—that the service will "place" its candidates in new jobs. But it is not a placement service and does not guarantee reemployment. Today many prefer the term transition counseling, since it captures the essenc of the process. It confirms the on-going development of an employee's life and emphasizes continuity rather than disruption. It also suggests a service that addresses change and is useful to the employer and the employee. Still others have come to use the term relocationccounselingiwhich suggests movement from a paticular place of employment to a new opportunity, or restructuring consultation which represents service offered employers who are undergoing workforce changes. All of these terms refer to the process of assisting both businesses and terminated employees. Assistance usually begins the moment the corporation has made the decision to fire an employee; it provides support people need to find another job, become self-employed, or retired; and it consults with corporations in the midst of their own internal transitions. We have coined the acronym OTR as a synonym for outplacement, transitione location counseling for employees; when focusing on the employer, outplaceme, transition, restructuring consulting. Our term is intended to be inclusive of the mi aspects of the process—consulting, counseling, coaching, instructing, and helping employers and employees before, during, and after employment changes. It refers to a multifaceted service and the industry that has been spawned to deliver the service.

XVIII

Introduction

OTR firms are similar to but different from employment agencies, placement offices, and recruiting firms. Each, like triangles, involves three important parts: employers, employees, and employment practitioners or professionals (such as counselors, headhunters, recruiters, managers, or agents). But just as triangles are of different sizes, shapes, and types, so too are placement, recruiting, and OTR organizations unique in their designs and angles. OTR firms were fonned to address specific needs on the part of employers and employees that other career-related organizations did not handle. They work with organizations and employees in transition in the context of what is emerging as a new careerism. What has motivated corporations or individuals to contract with OTR firms and thus nurture this industry and process? The motivations, we found, vary. As for employers, some have looked to outplacement services as a way to avoid costly litigation by disgruntled employees. Some have discovered that rapid reemployment of their excessed employees saved them unemployment insurance fees. Some have simply felt a humane obligation to help their employees. Others have been motivated by a concern about their public image and want customers or potential future employees to think positively of the corporation. A growing number of companies see outplacement as an obligation, like severance pay—a reward for past service and loyalty to the corporation. And, increasingly, companies are contracting with OTR firms for a variety of consultative services related to workforce transition. As for terminated individuals, many have heard about the support and good advice outplacement offered their friends and colleagues and want the same advantages when they must compete in the job market. There is some indication that outplacement services are becoming an expected benefit for all employees, not just executives. Although outplacement is now available through a variety of arrangements, it is important to note that historically, and continuing today, most outplacement firms initiate the OTR process by establishing a relationship with a business or corporate client near or in the act of terminating employees. The outplacement service was, and is today, engaged by such an organization to consult on matters of downsizing, reorganization, termination procedures, and, most important, assistance with the excessed employees who must leave the company. The contractual arrangement may cost the organization from 7 to 18 percent of the employee's annual salary, or the parties may agree on a per employee or package price. In the trade, these OTR organizations are referred to as "corporate" outplacement firms, as opposed to "retail," which serve individuals who have been terminated but must seek and finance their own outplacement service. The distinction is based on who is paying for the service. Since many outplacement firms continue to refuse to accept individual "retail" contracts and deal only with businesses, the propriety of such service is an issue that outplacement professionals continually debate. The need for OTR services and the various formats for addressing that need have grown into a multimillion dollar industry. Corporate outplacement firms alone constitute a more than $700 million industry. According to David Lord of Kennedy Publications, Inc., a publisher of outplacement directories, the outplace-

Introduction

XIX

ment industry in North America totaled 246 outplacement firms in 1993.1 Beyond these, the market is made up of literally hundreds of smaller firms, sometimes oneor two-person shops, referred to as "boutiques," as well as hundreds of professionals who operate either on the payrolls of corporations that offer outplacement services through in-house career centers or in the community through government, church, or community-based OTR services. Representing the industry's interests is a trade association, the Association of Outplacement Counseling Firms International (AOCFI), headquartered in Washington, DC. The AOCFI supports the industry by providing a medium for selfmonitoring through a code of ethics and vigilance with regard to possible constraining legislation. In addition, there exists a professional association, originally known as the International Association of Outplacement Professionals (IAOP) and renamed in 1994 the International Association of Career Management Professionals (IACMP). It is managed by volunteer chapter presidents in 17 regions around the world and focuses on bringing professionalism to the business by providing training and discussion of competency standards. Also important in the development of the OTR process is Outplacement International, headquartered in Chicago, which brings together regional firms to form a privately held, fully incorporated company and provides many of the services to its participating firms as do trade and professional groups. The reader will find a summary of the history and chronological developments in the industry in Appendixes A and B. So what is OTR? It is a blending of employees, employers, and professionals in different ways to provide essential services when employees are excessed from their workplace. It is a profession that mixes opportunism and altruism to help corporations and employees. It is a large and growing industry that has become an important segment of our economy. It is a process that has become an accepted aspect of the new careerism of today. NOTE 1. The Directory of Outplacement Firms, 1993-94 (Fitzwilliam, NH: Kennedy Public tions, 1993).

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Parti The New Careerism Part I of this book looks at the changes that have taken place in the world of work and the resulting career turmoil that the OTR process has been developed to address. Matching people with jobs has always been a multidimensional problem. In some instances there are people in the workforce who are w/semployed—that is, people who are underemployed because their jobs do not allow them to use their best talents or training or, worse, because some jobs waste their abilities. In other instances, there are those who are ove/employed—that is, people who are in jobs for which they never were or no longer are qualified. (Is this the Peter Principle at work?) Even more tragic, however, are those instances where people had good jobs but were suddenly terminated and out of work. Our book discusses the plight of those people and a new industry that is available to support them. In Part I we set the stage, outlining the forces that cause people to be out of work, what it means to be out of a job, and how these people and others are affected. We explore the many causes of current unemployment. Some are temporary, like the roller-coaster economy that rushes from a decade of high employment and prosperity only to come crashing down to a recession marked by low employment and outplaced workers. Other causes appear to be of longer duration, such as the ongoing restructuring and streamlining of organizations challenged by technological changes and global competition. Still other causes of unemployment are more permanent, like the changes in industries and occupations. Just as buggy whip manufacturers disappeared, so, too, certain industries today are shrinking or disappearing. Likewise, horse-and-buggy type positions are gone forever, replaced by new

2

The Changing Outplacement Process

systems of management. Could it be that many middle managers' jobs are passe? In assessing the varied effects of job loss on individuals, the reader will understand what it is like to have one's career interrupted or terminated- -what it feels like to be told, "You're fired," what it does to one's psyche to be told that resources (paycheck, benefits, health insurance) are going to cease. The material consequences—losing the house, the car, the ability to keep up the payments on a host of commitments—are unfortunate. Even more tragic, however, are the psychological and social consequences. The reader will see the range of emotional reactions to termination. We also outline the ripple effect of terminations. In addition to the impact of job loss on partners and children, it has become increasingly apparent that the needs of co-workers who survive the layoff, the employer, and society in general must be addressed. In this context the OTR process and industry behind it can be understood and appreciated.

1

The Turbulent World of Work Our task is to help replace their despair with opportunity. First State of the Union Message, January 8, 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson

"You're fired!" We seldom hear those words today. Instead we hear of "lay off," "furlough," "termination," "transition," "deselection," "downsizing," "reengineering," or "outplacement." But to the person who has lost the job, it is all the same. The job is gone and the employee has to look for alternatives. As downsizing and outplacing continue unabated, employees feel expendable. "Downsizing" sounds like something you do to a garment, not a person. Jobs define us. They are, in the words of David Lamb, "the logo on our foreheads, the second paragraph in our obituaries."1 Jobs that were present yesterday may not exist today. Today's workers often find themselves on a roller coaster, riding high with employment or low as unemployed. Turbulent? Yes, today the world of work is far more volatile than the world of work of former generations. TURBULENT TIMES Unemployment is not new. Some workers have always voluntarily left their jobs to return to school, tend to family needs, or retire. And we have always had people lose their jobs involuntarily through what has become known as "first degree" dismissals, such as incompetence, immoral or irresponsible behavior, or social incompatibility. What is still relatively new, however, is the increase in "second degree" dismissals. These are dismissals resulting from global compe-

Figure 1.1 PeopleData

Source: People Trends Digest, May 1994, p. 12. Copyright © 1994, People Trends, a publication of The Strategy Group. Inc., Dublin, OH 43017. Reprinted with permission.

The Turbulent World of Work

5

tition, technological advances, improved productivity, and corporate restructuring. Since 1980 the Fortune 500 companies have furloughed 4.4 million workers.2 Recently General Motors alone announced that it would reduce its workforce by 74,000 employees over four years. AT&T, Sara Lee, Sears, American Express, Eastman Kodak, IBM, Xerox, TRW, Tenneco, McDonnell Douglas, the Defense Department, and state governments around the nation are reducing staff Suppliers, dealers, producers, advertising agencies, and media companies, which depend on these major employers, are also forced to face layoffs and cutbacks. The increased imperative for companies to streamline and find new ways of working has resulted in massive layoffs (See Figure 1.1). During the final four months of 1993, according to Labor Secretary Robert Reich, American businesses slashed jobs by more than 2,000 a day, a 30 percent higher rate than a year prior, when the nation was still in recession.3 Most job cuts have been regarded as permanent, not merely layoffs pending an upturn in business, because more has been affecting American businesses than just a recession. A variety of winds have been blowing business about and are likely to continue. So great are the changes affecting business that business consultant A. Gary Shilling of Springfield, NJ predicts an unemployment rate above 9% in the later 1990s.4 Some futurists even suggest that we must begin to think about a society in which large numbers of people are not gainfully employed! Scott Sullivan wrote in News week: The European and American experience since 1973 is evidence that the no-more-jobs scenario is plausible. To the astonishment of most experts, some Western European nations have proved that they can support double-digit joblessness over an indefinite period without a serious breakdown of social order. If 10 percent, why not 25 percent? Or 50 percent?5 THE WINDSTORM OF BUSINESS TRENDS Businesses are like mobiles in a windstorm being blown about by continuously changing gusts of wind. The mobiles' weights have gone awry and the mobiles shake for a period of time before they can settle into their original positions. When a gust of wind rips off one of the weights, the mobile again shakes and then settles into a new position. In this turbulent windstorm that we are experiencing, all of the entities that have been shaken about have not yet settled into their new configurations. We are not even sure which pieces will be left or whether new pieces will be attached in order to preserve something resembling the old balance. We do not know what things will look like or if they will settle down in our lifetime. What we do know is that new forces are at work. Employers and employees will have to be alert in order not to be swept away by the winds. There are a number of different types of winds, crossing and mingling, making the mobiles dance and leaving em-

6

The Changing Outplacement Process

ployees looking for work. These winds constitute the following ten business trends that dictate the new careensm. Greater Competition The increasing globalization of business has resulted in a windstorm of competition, causing companies to try to pare down and revitalize their bloated operations to be faster on their feet. As information and products move freely across borders, industries and workers are competing with everyone in the world. Sometimes the competition results from lower wages in other countries; sometimes it is because of newer, more efficient equipment; and despite the reputation of American workers as the most productive in the world, sometimes it is because of more productive work systems. Whatever the reason, the result is the same. American businesses are losing market share, and when profits go down, the company must cut costs. Even before examining what each employee contributes, some businesses have had their accountants recommend cuts based on maximizing savings. Even without consideration of customer needs or service quality, some cuts have been made to reduce costs and insure short-term survival. From General Motors to the mom-and-pop store on the corner, businesses know that they must reduce costs in order to survive. First club memberships, entertainment, and nonessential travel are cut. Then bonuses are eliminated. Finally, reductions in the labor force are made. While critics suggest that more creative cost-saving measures such as reductions in work hours, salaries and wages might preserve jobs, the fact remains that many businesses turn to laying off workers as the primary way to save. Some hope to rehire when business picks up, but many know that they have lost market share forever and have shifted their mission to serve a smaller, more specialized niche market. Some, having trimmed fat, now operate more efficiently, never to need such a bloated workforce again. An increasing number of businesses are turning to "outsourcing," using independent suppliers and consultants to do what internal employees previously did. Others choose to augment their workforce with temporary workers, as needed. The workers not needed join the ranks of "laid off," "terminated," or "outplaced" employees. Technology Advances—The ATM Syndrome The automatic*elevator, the modem telecommunication systems, and the automatic teller machine (ATM) are examples of how technology has replaced workers. Gone some time ago were the friendly elevator operators. Gone are the "switchboard operators." And gone, too, are "bankers' hours" and many of the helpful bank tellers. In many respects we are still in the Model T stage with respect to the use of technology. Computerization of systems will increase exponentially for the next decade, resulting in future elimination of certain jobs. As younger workers enter the workforce with knowledge of computers that their seniors lack, they will be

The Turbulent World of Work

7

operating computerized equipment that can replace the labor-intensive workstations that have traditionally handled operations. Unskilled tasks are being automated. Biotechnology is likely to make redundant certain forms of farming, and the increased use of robotics could eliminate many factory-assembly and manufacturing jobs.6 While the mass elimination of jobs will not occur overnight, these technological changes are likely to threaten employment over the next generation. New jobs will be created, but others will be eliminated, resulting in an on-going need to assist terminated workers. Time-Sensitive Corporations Another wind that has been picking up is the notion of customer service and "high speed management."7 Once a customer has called L. L. Bean and gotten instant information about a merchandise order or has called for a VISA balance at three o'clock in the morning, that customer comes to expect all businesses to offer such instant and accurate services. Thanks to the computer, customers are getting more accurate information in less time, and businesses are able to process increasing amounts of information with few paper records and less labor. The result? Outplaced workers. As William H. Davidow and Michael S. Malone wrote in The Virtual Corportion, "we are in the midst of a new business revolution.... The centerpiece of this business revolution is a new kind of product [which] can only be built now thanks to the latest innovations in information processing, organizational dynamics and manufacturing systems " These virtual products are "produced instantaneously and customized in response to customer demand."8 Emphasis on Quality Another wind affecting businesses is often referred to as "Total Quality Management" (TQM). TQM is shorthand for a number of changes in ways leaders can manage in order to respond to customer needs and improve the quality of the service or product for which the business is responsible. These changes include everything from empowering lower level employees to become involved in problem solving, decision making, and quality control to the introduction of advanced statistical process control strategies that can measure output, waste, rejects, and cycle time. TQM is a cluster of concepts, attitudes, and business practices that were introduced to the Japanese by American businessmen W. Edwards Deming and J. M. Duran in the 1950s and began to be accepted by U.S. businesses when global competition demanded that American businesses find a better way. The title of Marvin Weisbord's book. Productive Workplaces: Organizingnd Managingfor Dignity, Meaning and Commun,,9 suggests some of the featuref of TQM. Ironically, with dignity, meaning, and community come efficiency and better use of the minds and skills of the workforce, reducing the need for redundant

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The Changing Outplacement Process

layers of supervisors and managers. Outplacement has been, in some cases, the result. Companies instituting work changes do so committed to creating an organizational culture that will enable them to organize work differently and continually improve work systems so as to better serve the customer. They launch into this campaign led by the promise of a more productive workforce composed of employees who will use their brains to help companies creatively meet the challenges of a volatile world economy. The companies often find that they can do with fewer employees. Increased Productivity As a result of technology and new work systems, businesses are able to produce more with less employees. In 1981 the Fortune 500 companies, including such giants as IBM, Exxon, GE, and Procter & Gamble, employed one in five workers. Ten years later, that same group employed one in ten. In 1988 the Fortune 500's productivity was the highest in history, though their total workforce was down by 400,000 employees. In 1989 productivity was higher yet, while the workforce was down another 200,000 employees.10 To increase quality and productivity, employers are engaging increasingly in onthe-job training. Ironically, it has become a mixed blessing: providing enhancement of skill and worth for the employee, but improving productivity so much that excess employees are laid off. An example is an IBM factory in Austin, Texas. Top management in this factory learned that the circuit boards it made could be bought by IBM elsewhere for $60 million less. Instead of yielding to the temptation to purchase the boards outside, management decided to launch a program to upgrade skills and develop a high performance work organization. Workers were organized into teams, with each group given responsibility for its own inspection, repair, maintenance, material ordering, and supervision. Workers were taught to do several jobs, repair their own machines, troubleshoot, and take turns being the team leader. The immediate result was a decrease in the need for labor and an increase in productivity. Whereas before there were three nonproductive employers—supervisors, inspectors, repairmen—to each production worker, by reorganizing and upgrading workers' responsibilities, the ratio of nonproduction employees to frontline workers was reduced to less than one to one. Quality improved by five times. Production was expanded by 600 percent and the price of products was reduced. In the case of this IBM factory the management decided to utilize its excess labor capacity by introducing a new product and, in fact, employing in the end more people.11 The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics forewarns that in the 15 years from 1990 to 2005, the value of goods manufactured in the United States will climb by 41 percent, but the number of people employed to make those goods will fall by 3 percent.12

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9

Riding the Learning Curve Another wind upsetting the mobiles of American business is the force brought about by experience-based learning. It is not an ill wind. It is the kind of fresh breeze any industry welcomes, but it does disrupt the status quo. We work better, smarter, and more efficiently over time. The first time you repaired a bike, it took two hours. The second time you knew what you needed, had tools stored nearby, and did not need to look at the repair manual as frequently. You got the time down to less than an hour. Soon you were able to do the repairs while carrying on a conversation and had it done in even less time. Industry has had the same experience. The first Boeing 707 took a good many more hours to construct than the second. As manufacturers and service organizations gain experience with new equipment and services, they are finding themselves able to do more in less time and with fewer people. Job layoffs, unfortunately, are the result. Businesses also have available to them the opportunity to learn new ideas and perspectives, as international communication increases and free trade brings increased interchange among national groups. Those businesses that have taken the time to study Japanese techniques and adapt some of their best strategies are finding themselves profiting from Japanese success, rather than being threatened by it. The result is often better ways of doing things—improved business efficiency— again an excess of workers. New Industries New industries and occupations are blown in by the winds, and industries and occupations with which we have become familiar are blown aside. This has always been the case. Some will remember when the development of the vacuum cleaner destroyed many of the broom factories, or the advent of the zipper wiped out many button factories. What is different today is the accelerated pace. Recently the terms "sunset" and "sunrise" have been used to remind us that while some industries are downsizing or vanishing altogether, others are starting up or growing. To keep pace with the changes, it is helpful to have a perspective on the whole range of industries and occupations. Career specialists, for example, divide industries into service-producing and goods-producing groups. The service-producing industries include finance, insurance and real estate; transportation, communications, and public utilities; government; wholesale and retail trades; and services, such as medical, automotive, repair, and janitorial. The goods-producing industries include mining and petroleum; agriculture, forestry, and fishing; construction; and manufacturing, which includes everything from steel plants, textile and lumber mills and meat packing to computer and electronic equipment companies. Job possibilities in a given industry depend on the size of the industry and its growth or shrinkage. Because of technological innovations and overseas competition, manufacturing industries are projected to grow less rapidly. Service-produc-

10

The Changing Outplacement Process

ing industries are growing faster than goods-producing industries—particularly with regard to medical, recreation, office, and retail services, owing to the needs of an aging population and increased demands for consumer services. New Occupations Looking at occupational groups, we also see changes. It is possible to define broad occupational groups such as clerical workers; craft workers; farm workers; managers and administrators; laborers; machine operators, including bus and taxi drivers, butchers, assemblers, and welders; professional and technical workers, including doctors, teachers, computer programmers, and air traffic controllers; sales workers; service workers, including bartenders, dental assistants, flight attendants, barbers and beauticians, fire fighters, and housekeepers; and writers, artists and entertainers. As with industries, some occupational groups are projected to expand, while demand for others will diminish. For example, those projected to grow most rapidly are professional, technical, and service workers, such as nurses, paralegal assistants, computer programmers, and accountants. For some occupations we will see diminishing demands, such as petroleum engineers, and coal miners. With more things made from ceramics and plastic, particularly large numbers of automotive parts, we will find a decreasing demand for metallurgical engineers and unfilled openings for ceramics and plastic engineers. As the computer revolution moves ahead, computer programmers and systems analysts will continue to be in demand, while typewriter repair specialists are decreasingly needed. New fields like genetic engineering, laser teclmology, and oceanography are opening up occupations for which few people are skilled, while industries that employed workers such as aeronautical engineers are laying off workers as a result of cuts in the defense budget. Many laid off workers are bright, competent, and highly skilled, but jobs simply do not exist in their area of expertise. Explosion of Smaller Businesses The 1980s were referred to as the era of "deconstructing the organization." We saw the "crack up" of IBM into 13 pieces, for example, and Eastman Kodak spun off Eastman Chemical as an independent company.13 As the winds of change rip off pieces of large organizations, the organizational mobiles come to a new resting spot. The remaining pieces have often been smaller businesses with their own dynamics. In spite of downsizing and outplacing employees, companies continue to need the same services—advertising, legal advice, accounting, training, to name a few—and now look to outside businesses to fill their needs. As a result, there has been an explosive growth among small businesses that range from one-person consultants to 100-person service and supplier operations. In fact, during the 1981-85 period, 88 percent of net job creation took place in small businesses with fewer than 20 employees.14

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Changing Demographics A Hudson Institute study reports a wind that is causing LLS. organizations to op erate differently. It is the changing demographics of the workplace—slower population growth, the baby bust, fewer young people in the workforce, the movement of the large baby boom cohort into middle age, an increase of women to about half of the workforce, and the increase of African American and Hispanic individuals in the population and in the workforce. Research suggests that older workers are less flexible and accept change less readily than younger workers. This means that many organizations that are facing major changes in the way they do business will particularly value those workers most able to adjust to new technology and new situations.15 THE NEW CAREERISM The winds affecting businesses are, in turn, affecting the way people view and manage their careers. Says management consultant William Bridges, "I think for the next 10 years anyway we're really in for a storm"16 This windstorm will involve job reduction, but also job change—in fact, career change and a new notion of careers. We now present seven dimensions of the new careerism. Training and Retraining Some of the gusts of wind have swirled to hurricane proportions, disrupting the match between jobs and skills. They have confused the picture so much that people ask why, if there are more people looking for jobs than jobs available, are jobs listed in the Help Wanted ads week after week. Why don't unemployed people move into some of those jobs? The contraction of some fields and expansion of others is resulting in an increasing mismatch between skills people have and the skills employers need. As products from toys to cars rely less on metal and more on plastics, we can expect a shift in employment needs. As the defense industry pares down and environmental protection heats up, there will be more changes. Whether we look at the world of work in terms of industries, which describe what companies do, or occupations, which describe the kind of work a person does, we find a confusing mixture of expansion and contraction. The report of the Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce concluded that American industry cannot improve productivity by simply using better machinery, because low-wage countries can now use the same machines.17 The traditional workplace where work is broken down into small, repetitive tasks requiring little skill or knowledge has now been transferred to Mexico, the Philippines, and other countries in Latin America and Asia—anywhere a low-wage, uneducated workforce can be found. This system, devised by Frederick Winslow Taylor at the beginning of the century and made famous

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The Changing Outplacement Process

by Henry Ford, is costly, requiring management, inspectors, and people to rework mistakes. To build quality into the process and prevent mistakes, companies are turning to well-trained workers, able to handle more authority, from scheduling the production to rejecting a bad piece of work. This means that the demands of some jobs will change more quickly than the skills and knowledge of the workers. In these cases, the mismatch will result in dislocated workers. The good news is that there is projected to be a national worker shortage in high-skilled jobs—such as nurses, scientists, computer programmers, electricians, auto mechanics, plumbers, and various other technicians. For many, this will mean a new career and will require training or retraining. Career Gridlock: The White-Collar Blues Although blue-collar workers have always suffered the consequences of unemployment and rehiring, the restructuring of the workplace and the changing need for certain occupations and industries has resulted in the past decade in large numbers of white-collar middle and upper managers and professional and technical people losing their jobs. Staff cutting started in what consultant Dan Lacey referred to as the Blue Suit Belt (Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey) and then progressed westward.18 It is now a worldwide phenomenon and is likely to continue. Whereas working people, particularly among the white-collar employees, have traditionally viewed job change as an opportunity to advance in responsibility and income, one notion of the new careerism is that employees may "plateau"19 and have to learn to be content with a constant, or even reduced, income, seeking enrichment through lateral moves, job rotation, or outside pastimes and hobbies. Multiple Careers, Many Jobs While it was once true that people, especially those with professional training, could count on stable, long-term employment with income rising as they moved from position to position or job to job, the new careerism will demand that many working people retrain for new careers and begin again at entry-level salaries. Excessed employees today must go through a recycling process, using the basic fibers of their being to build a new marketable human product. They must become "synthesizers," a term suggesting the fact that unemployed people have to find synergistic ways to add layers to their skills before reentering the labor market. They become "reinventors," chucking their old careers for new ones. What was thought 20 and even 10 years ago to be a "blip" on the screen, a temporary eruption as a result of a recessionary economy, is now regarded as the new careerism—the expectation that one's worklife will be a series of careers. Mary Catherine Bateson called this, and the title of her book, Composing a Life.20 What was once typical for women who moved in and out of the job market,

The Turbulent World of Work

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often switching careers as they did, is becoming increasingly the case for men, too. It has been said that the average American getting out of college today will have four or five careers during his or her lifetime and 12 to 15 jobs. Occupations and industries will contract and expand so radically that "ten years from now, half the working population will be in jobs that do not exist today."21 The emerging new careerism will require that employees be engaged in lifelong learning, develop portable skills, constantly make themselves employable, and stay abreast of skills and industry changes that could take them in one of at least two different directions at any time. One will always have to "be ready" for the next job, not be able to "get ready." The Freelance Economy The notion of "just-in-time" is a sort of zephyr that has enriched American business and brought with it a change in how labor and production are structured. It is a concept important to the "virtual corporation" that wants to cut down the cost of inventory and improve customer service by reducing the order-to-delivery cycle time. Production is organized so that raw materials are received when they are needed for production—and not before—and so that the items produced can be shipped immediately upon production instead of being stored and then handled again when shipped. Employers, taking their lead from the economies resulting from more efficient handling of material, are now applying that same concept to the handling of labor. After dismissing large numbers of people, some businesses have found that they are missing the skills and talents they need—at least for a period of time—but instead of rehiring, instead of bearing the cost of a warehouse of talent, and, in some cases, instead of paying overtime wages to high-priced workers, they look to contingency workers, temporary workers, or freelance consultants, who will come in to work by the hour or by the project and leave when no longer needed. It is a system that enables the company to gain the expertise it needs "just in time" to get the job done, but does not saddle the company with the salary for the worker beyond the period needed or the cost of benefits such as medical insurance and pension. Alvin Toffler called it an "adhocracy."22 Businesses employ only a percentage of the help they need as regular "core" employees. For the rest of their needs, especially at times of peak demand for products or services, they augment their workforce with an "outer ring" of temporary employees, less committed and less knowledgeable of the company, but cheaper and expendable.23 One day the majority of workers will regard their careers as do actors and artists, always auditioning for the next production. Employers will run their operations as do movie producers—bringing in the cast and crew needed for the filming and then disbanding at the end of the project or production. The result will be large numbers of workers employed as freelance consultants, without the security of traditional jobs a generation ago, but an opportunity for those who have skills and experience to launch an entrepreneurial career.

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The Changing Outplacement Process

In February 1993 the national economy created 380,000 new jobs, of which 348,000 went to temporary or part-time workers. Between 1982 and 1990, temporary employment grew 10 times faster than overall employment.24 Termed "accordion management,"25 employers are preserving the right to expand or contract their workforce at will to suit business conditions. Autonomy

Whether the workers are freelance contractors, temp workers, or among the relatively few "core" workers remaining in the organization, they will find that they have increased control over their careers and their jobs. Moving from career to career or job to job will require that members of the labor force make decisions on where they want to work, what kind of work they want to do, and what training or education they need—in short, manage their own careers. Independent consultants will be autonomous "service centers,"26 contracting with companies. Those on an organizational payroll will be increasingly involved in decision making. They will work in partnership with workplace teams or external contractors The End to Loyalty Since the new careerism will involve, for many, a series of careers and jobs, one wonders what will happen to the notion of "corporate loyalty." If workers are always in danger of being excessed and are constantly prepared to move on, what will keep them loyal at least until they are no longer needed? Some say "corporate loyalty" is dead.27 Likewise, marketing consultant Myran Gilbert says that the consequence of downsizing may also affect brand loyalty. "People who fear for their future become cynical, pessimistic and very touchy customers.... Companies on the downsizing bandwagon may be downsizing their way right out of once loyal customers."28 As for employees, "in place of loyalty," says outplacement consultant William Morin, "employers and employees need to develop a 'non-dependent trust' in each other." The new basis of the relationship will not be based on loyalty or obedience but the work ethic.29 To customers, companies will also have to make themselves trustworthy, able to provide timely quality service at a reasonable cost. The traditional bond—the so-called psychological contract—between employers and employees is no longer workable. Under the old bond workers pledged their loyalty to their employers in exchange for a promise of job security. It was a feudal system where employees worked under what William Morin calls "usury management." With the new careerism that has changed. According to Morin, "You cannot have companies become socialist entities. No one will ever take care of us forever." Instead of "piecrust" promises—easily made and easily broken— new employer-employee relations will have to be built on an honest assessment of what each values and how each can meet the needs of the other. To foster nonde-

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pendent trust, companies will have to hire employees who will take responsibility of their own careers, develop and educate their employees, and listen to employees' various workplace and lifestyle needs. 30 William Johnstone believes that the challenge of employers to attract and retain employees in this era of the new careerism will be to "manage with the doors locked."31 Having experienced the pain and disruption from massive downsizing and layoffs, managers will need in the future to manage as if they will not be adding permanent employees, downsizing further, or making changes, but rather as if they want their present workforce to stay and grow with the company in spite of the whirling array of changes in technology, markets, and missions. Employers will need to scan their workplace environment to know what will satisfy and keep their employees, and employers will have to show increasing respect for the careers of their employees.

Reframing the Job As whole occupational groups become redundant and familiar industries are replaced by new ones, even retraining and job search skills may not be enough to locate positions of worth for some people. The new careerism will have to involve reframing one's expectations of careers and job offers. Whereas it was once thought that one never changes to a job that pays less money than the job before, career changes in the future will look for the trade-offs- -perhaps, for example, more time or opportunities to learn, or a transition to propel oneself elsewhere. Whereas it was once thought that one should hold off until the right job came along, job seekers in this new era will come to accept transition jobs as good options. And whereas it was once thought that consulting was something one might do in order to tide over between jobs or increase one's visibility while looking for a job, employees who understand how organizations are doing business today will look to consulting as a viable option in the new careerism. Richard L. Knowdell likened the change from our traditional notion of careers to the shift from a railroad train to an all-terrain vehicle: Forty years ago, career development was like riding a railroad train. The career was like the train trip. When you were ready to enter a career at age 16 (or 18, or 20, or 22), you got on the appropriate "career train" and steadily charged along the track for 35 or 40 years. The "career train" ran along a set of fixed tracks. The destination was clear. The tracks were straight. No need to make career decisions after boarding the career train. The ride was smooth and comfortable. The engineer was at the tlirottle. You only needed to sit back and enjoy the ride. But, in the 1960's, the nature of career planning and development underwent a major shift. The rigid set of straight railroad track-like career paths could no longer accommodate the emerging careers and the increasing mobility of the post-World War II workers. Many were permitted (required) to change jobs and even careers three or four times in a life-time. This shift called out for a new career planning and development vehicle—the "career bus "

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The Changing Outplacement Proce?ss

Unlike the "career train" whose direction was governed by a rigid set of tracks, the career bus could change its route very quickly to accommodate changes in the sources and nature of work. And, if the career bus was taking you in a direction you no longer wanted to travel, you had only to obtain a "transfer" to another bus line. Deciding which bus line to transfer to was the extent of the decisions that the worker had to make. Like the train with its engineer at the throttle, the "career bus'' had its own operator. Sit back and enjoy the trip, and "leave the driving to us!" Well, the career bus didn't last long. As we shifted into the information age, the magnitude and speed of change is making the career development bus obsolete. New careers are emerging and career paths are changing, faster than we can create new "career bus lines" This shift calls for a new vehicle—the "all-terrain vehicle." The good news is that the route of the "all-terrain vehicle" is not limited by a rigid set of "railroad tracks." It is not restricted by the well-established "career streets" that the bus must travel and, most importantly, it doesn't come with a driver who allows you to "sit back and leave the driving to us." To effectively use the all-terrain career vehicle, the worker must be "in the driver's seat" The good news is that there is an "all-terrain" career planning and development vehicle that can transport our workers into the 21st century. The tough news is that we will all need to learn how to drive the vehicle. And to read road maps. And to draw our own road maps. And maybe even to build our own roads." 32

NOTES 1. David Lamb, "Work Security Requires Using Old-Time Values to Survive HighTech Change," Buffalo News, August 8, 1992, p. G6. 2. Ibid. 3. "Will America's Middle Class Survive the 'Downsizing'"? Buffalo NeM's, December 30, 1993, p. B l . 4. Cited in Gary Blonston, "Changes Surface in Labor Market," Harrisburg Patriot, April 17, 1992. 5. Scott Sullivan, "Life on the Leisure Track," Newsweek,June 14, 1993.3. 6. Paul Kennedy, Preparing for the Twenty-first Century (New York: Random House, 1993). 7. Andrej K. Kozminski and Donald P. Cushman, eds., OrganizationalCommunicationion and Management: A Global Perspective (Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1993). See also S. King, "The Role of Communication in High Technology Organizations: The Emergence of High-Speed Management" in S. King, Human Communication as a Field of Study (Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1989), pp. 151-163. 8. William H. Davidow and Michael S. Malone, The Virtual Corporation (New York: HarperCollins, 1992), pp. 2-4. 9. Marvin Weisbord, Productive Workplaces: Organizing and Managing for Dignity, Meaning and Community (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987). 10. "The Tough New Labor Market," videocassette (Indianapolis: JIST Works, Inc., 1990). 11. Joseph P. Ritz, "Upgrading Worker Skills Increases Production," Buffalo News, August 25, 1990, p. A7. 12. Gary Blonston, "Do More With Less," Syracuse Herald-Journal, August 5,1993, p. B5. 13. News Wire Services, "Whitmore Out Because He Resisted Big Layoffs," Buffalo News, August 8, 1993, B15.

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14. David Birch, Job Creation in AmericcaNew York: Free Press, 1987)). 15. William Johnstone, "Workforce 2000" presentation at the International Association of Outplacement Professionals, Fourth Annual Conference, October 12, 1991. Available on audiocassctte from Teach'em, Inc., 60 E. Illinois St., Chicago, 1L 60611, (800) 225-3775. 16. Cited in Gary Blonston, "Corporate Downsizing Puts the Squeeze on American Workers' Wages in the '90s," Syracuse Herald-Journal, August 5, 1993, p. B5. 17. Joseph P. Ritz, "Upgrading Worker Skills Increases Production," Buffalo News, August 25, 1990, p. A7. 18. Dan Lacey, editor, Workplace Trends, the Newsletter for People Who Manage People. 19. Judith M. Bardwick, The Plateauing Trap (New York: Bantam Books, 1986). 20. Mary Catherine Bateson, Composing a Life (New York: Penguin Books, 1990). 21. The Five O Clock News, Vol. 6, No. 2 (1993). 22. Alvin Toffler, PowerShift: Knowledge, Wealth, and Violence at the Edge of the 21st Century (New York: Bantam Books, 1990), p. 187. 23. Lance Morrow, "The Temping of America," Time, March 29, 1993. 24. United University Professionals/Empire State College Newsletter, May 1993, p. 14. 25. Janice Castro, "Disposable Workers," Time, March 29, 1993, pp. 45-46. 26. Transitions, Newsletter of Murray Axmith & Associates, Ltd, Vol 4, No. 3, (n.d.). 27. Cited in Karen Padley, "On Career Path of '90s to Thine Own Self Be True," Investors' Business Daily,Los Angeles, March 17, 1993. . 28. Cited in Ibid. 29. Cited in Ibid. 30. "When the Ties That Bind Break," Training and Development, February 1994, pp. 28-33 (published by the American Society of Training and Development, Alexandria, VA). 31. Johnstone, "Workforce 2000" presentation. 32. Richaid L. Knowdell, "Career Planning and Development: It's Like a Vehicle," Career Planning and Adult Development Network Newsletter, Vol. 14, No. 11 (November 1992).

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When the Employee Is Outplaced I don't like work—no man does—but I like what is in work—the chance to find yourself, your own reality, for yourself not for others—what no other man can ever know. Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

A lost promotion or a missed pay raise can cause disappointment, frustration, and resentment. A job loss can be an unsettling experience, resulting in pain, anger, resentment—or, in the extreme, even worse—revenge. Incidents in which a terminated employee has returned to the workplace seeking revenge have been increasing. According to Dr. James Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University in Boston, such occurrences have doubled in the last few years. In some cases, workplace revenge killings have occurred when excessed employees were fired and immediately went home to get a gun to "excess" the employers who were responsible for the person's job loss, taking with them innocent bystanders and mistaken targets. According to Dr. Fox, in most cases the action was not spontaneous. Many of the killings had been premeditated and planned weeks or even months in advance. Hit lists were made of supervisors, managers, and administrators. Plans were made. Ammunition was acquired. Warnings were sent. Letters were written. Evidence of the link between being fired and taking revenge was often explained in the letters and diaries: "I've been robbed of something that was mine. ITl rob those of life who robbed me of work" Dr. Fox explains that the gun becomes an equalizer, and human equalizers do not really care about living anymore. They aim to

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The Changing Outplacement Process

"right the wrongs" in this world before they leave it. In one case it was the goal of the killer to improve the workplace structure by reorganization, that is by killing off all of the current administration, so they would have to be replaced.1 REACTIONS ALONG A CURVE The reader may be thinking that these are rather extreme responses to termination, and that is correct, even though such events are often reported in our daily newspapers as common occurrences.2 Most terminations do not involve violent revenge. In fact, taken as a whole, terminated workers and their reactions are more fairly represented by a bell-shaped curve, as shown in Figure 2.1. At one end of the curve are those for whom termination is a freeing experience. They think it is wonderful. They find that for the first time in their lives they do not have a schedule or a boss to constrain them. For the first time they are free to ask themselves what they really want to do with their lives. To them the world offers an open door, and interesting adventures will be theirs when they step through it. They enter the outplacement counselor's office with a smile, eager to pursue their journey. At the other end of the bell curve is a group of individuals who find termination to be a disastrous experience. They feel that their life has been mined, their careers ended, and there is no other job into which they will fit. Termination is a major setback. They may be too humiliated to tell their family or friends. They may resort to the revenge described earlier or even to suicide. Most terminated employees describe a reaction that falls somewhere along the middle of the bell curve—not wonderful, not devastating. Whether the termination brings with it a feeling of relief after months of speculation and anticipation or frustration, a need to gain control of their lives, or mood swings from one end of the bell curve to the other, the experience is considered normal. Feelings may vary from person to person in duration and intensity but many are common to almost all Figure 2.1 Reactions Along a Curve

When the Employee Is Outplaced

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outplaced employees.

Reactions as Revealed Through Research Job loss and its impact has been studied in a variety of settings with many different populations. Terry Buss and Stevens Redburn summarize the findings from a number of quasiexperimental designs that indicate reason to be concerned over the health and mental effects of job loss and unemployment. In one of the studies, for example, they list the following findings: • For most, the experience of job loss is stressful, "involving about as much life change as getting married'' and "requiring several months to return to normal." • Job loss and/or subsequent unemployment were associated with increased depression, anomie, anger/irritation, suspicion, and other symptoms of psychological stress. • The change in risk factors for coronary heart disease is such that an excess of such disease among terminated workers could be expected. Other physical problems that were significantly greater among the terminated groups were suicide, dyspepsia, joint swelling, hypertension, and alopecia. • Self-reports of illness and drug use for acute conditions were high during the anticipation phase, dropped at termination, and rose again at six months. • The length of time a person was unemployed was a predictor of health problems.3

Transition Stages Terminated employees, as well as those living with or working with them, need to appreciate the various reactions that terminated employees experience and the fact that those feelings and experiences will change as the individuals move thiough their transitions. Some liken the movement to that of dealing with death and the resulting grief. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross outlined stages through which all grieving persons pass, beginning with disbelief and denial and moving to acceptance. 4 William Bridges has built on the work of John Bowlby, a British psychologist, who, having observed workers following their job losses, outlined three stages common to terminated employees. The first is a stage of protest over the job loss. "Why me? I'm a valuable employee!" This stage may involve disbelief and perhaps bargaining. It can be marked by demonstrations of anger, blaming, or confrontation. Or the protest can be expressed by quiet numbness and even denial. Angry at the way the dismissal was carried out or because of a belief that incompetent managers failed to proactively do what was necessary to keep the business healthy, many employees attempt to sublimate their bitterness through denial. Whether they are the only persons being terminated or are part of a large number being outplaced due to downsizing, they feel betrayed and violated.

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The Changing Outplacement Process

Bowlby's second stage is a period of disorganization or, what Bridges calls the neutral zone. It is a time of confusion and uncertainty, searching, and examination. It is a period when the terminated employee evaluates the past and examines the present. It is a period that requires time and the support of knowledgeable and caring people. Finally, there is a stage Bridges refers to as reorganization and new beginnings. Through a process of outplacement, transition, and relocation, terminated employees eventually arrive at this final stage where they are able to engage emotionally with opportunities and new directions.5 Life Situations One factor that affects where on the bell curve terminated employees' experiences would be placed and how readily they may be able to move through the various stages is the timing of the event in relation to employees' life circumstances—marital situation, financial status, age, family obligations, and career aspirations or obligations. The different ways in which people respond is illustrated by the reactions of three individuals known to the authors who worked together and experienced job loss simultaneously. Each of the individuals was called by the supervisor and told that the department was being downsized. Each was told that his or her position would be eliminated by the end of the year along with the positions of two other members of the department. The news came as an absolute shock to the trio, since this department had been a growing one and never had experienced layoffs or downsizing.

The first of the trio, whom we will call Mary Angelos, was nearing retirement, and while disappointed that she could not bring her career to a few final years of a well-deserved, high-salaried, career climax, Mary was willing to accept, with dignity, the news. She had a substantial retirement fund. Her house and car were paid for. She was eligible for social security benefits. Her children had completed school. And her ailing spouse was already in retirement. Her life situation made job loss more easily acceptable. The second member of the trio, whom we will call Mai James, was much more disappointed. Mai had just helped a son through college and had a daughter about to start college. His spouse could be employed only part-time, and he had the house mortgage and other debts to be paid. He was not yet eligible for social security benefits, though he did have income from a part-time moonlighting job that could help him through. Less financially secure than Mary Angelos, Mai spent sleepless nights of worry and anxiety. His life situation made job loss less acceptable to him. The third employee, whom we will call Frank Alfred, found the termination the most difficult to accept. He was further from social security and retirement age than either of the other two. He had recently gone through a wrenching divorce in which the settlement cut into half his salary and retirement funds. He had child-

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support payments to make as well as debts to pay. He brooded over the news of his pending job loss and became depressed, almost falling into despondency. He refused to discuss the matter with others and suffered in silence. Sometime later he revealed that he had even flirted with the idea of suicide and survived the ordeal only because he was able to gather the strength to negotiate with the president of the company for a few more years of work until he could straighten out the current chaos in his life. His life situation resulted in his reaction being on the end of the bell curve with those who find termination to be a disastrous experience. THREE KINDS OF LOSS, THREE EMPTY BOOKS Much of the grieving process relates to terminated employees' need to deal with three kinds of loss, illustrated by three empty books: bank books, date books, and diaries. When one is accustomed to a regular paycheck, the loss of a means of steady income, perhaps during the peak spending years of the family's life, is unsettling and fearsome. The bank book is comparatively empty, and questions begin to plague the outplaced individual. How can the family make ends meet? How many years will the family be set back in saving for college tuition or retirement? What other sources of revenue are available if the period of unemployment is prolonged? Even when the employer has provided the laid-off employee with a comfortable severance package that provides some financial security, there is frequently a feeling of loss related to the reduced daily contact with friends and associates. The date book is, figuratively speaking, empty. Whether the job setting was pleasurable or tension-ridden, the job provided a social milieu. Most people enjoy having other people around them or are comforted in the knowledge that they are surrounded by people who know them, appreciate them, or at least need thern. Embarrassment, confusion, or a reduced income can cause unemployed individuals to stop getting together with friends outside of work. Unemployed workers begin asking questions like: Who knows I'm out of work? Do people blame me? Who are my real friends? What good are they to me right now? The diaries, too, lie empty. They symbolize unemployed individuals' loss of identity. Once people with titles, individuals to whom others came for information or permission, now the unemployed feel they are without worth, without worthiness, and without hope. Even the most boring and frustrating work gives employees an identity that, upon termination, is lost. HIDDEN PROBLEMS One of the reasons that job loss can be so traumatic is that the presenting problem of unemployment may be masking a deeper, underlying personal problem. For example, what at first appears to be a financial difficulty—not a surprise to anyone—soon reveals a costly addiction: to drugs, gambling, or an ostentatious lifestyle. What appears at first to be boredom after a letdown from a demanding

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The Changing Outplacement Process

position soon reveals an unhappy family relationship, which the unemployed individual cannot now so easily avoid. As painful as the loss of a job is, it can be exacerbated if announced without sensitivity. The separation or exit interview that takes place when the employee is notified of the termination is an important event that we will discuss in Chapter 5. If conducted poorly, it can add to the trauma. Employees hurt by such terminations have likened the event to having a club membership card torn up in their face. Many employees have horror stories to tell about how they were notified about their job termination. The phrase "being thrown out on the street" sounds like a gross hyperbole until matched with some true-life stories.6 Job loss itself is difficult. A carefully planned separation interview can keep from making the matter worse. REGAINING CONTROL, GAINING SUPPORT Where along the bell curve the employees' experiences lie and how readily they are able to move to the reorganization stage relate, in part, to the amount of control employees have over their termination and the support they get in regaining a feeling of control over their future. Voluntary termination, such as when employees are offered an early retirement option, enable employees to have some control, even though they will, like others, be out of work. By contrast, when termination is unplanned and unwelcomed, it makes employees realize, perhaps for the first time, that there are some forces beyond their control. They come to feel that their whole life is lived at the whim of other people. For a time they are often functioning as if in a daze, unfocused, feeling friendless and without support. Where they were once in control—perhaps of dollars, of other employees' work, and even of how they spent their time—they now must face unemployment and begin finding new ways to control their lives. The outplacement process that unfolds throughout this book is a service many of today's outplaced employees enjoy. Most employees who take advantage of the service find that one of the greatest benefits is the opportunity to process their feelings and gain control over their lives. Outplacement counselors, sensitive to the psychosocial needs of employees, strive to bring their clients to a point at which termination is seen as a transition point in their lives, with an opportunity for selfexamination and new direction. A person we will call Angelo Posse is an example of a distraught man who was laid off twice, the first time without outplacement service or any opportunity to process his loss. When terminated the second time and referred to an outplacement service, he said to his outplacement counselor after he'd received his termination notice, "I want to tell you something. Two years ago I was terminated when the company for which 1 worked went under. 1 thought I was lucky, because I got a jo within two months. I hated the job but it paid the bills, and I've been here for eight months. Now my department is being eliminated and my boss and 1 are losing ou jobs. 1 just want to know why" As the man described his feelings it was apparnt

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that not only was he experiencing pain and loss over this termination but he had unresolved grief from two years before with which he had not dealt. Sometimes employees think it fortunate that they are able to land a replacement position right away, even though they don't really want the new job. In fact, they didn't want to leave the job that was terminated but did not spend much time thinking about it, since a new job came right along. Having never dealt with the grief over the loss of the first job, they often unnecessarily carry anger and frustration with them, perhaps to the detriment of those around them and their performance in their new position. The task of the outplacement service is to help terminated employees move along the bell curve from the experience of pain and grief to one of optimism and adventure by giving candidates a sense of control and of hope. Many individuals who have been through the outplacement process will tell you that by dealing with their feelings in a supportive atmosphere they were able to get to know themselves better and carefully plan where they wanted to go with their lives. They gained a greater sense of control over their lives than they ever had before. They felt empowered, in charge, accomplished, and responsible for their lives. Feeling in control is a prerequisite to being able to enter into relationships with other people and nurture the supportive networks that will be essential for locating a next position. Although the outplacement service is primarily an educational service, the welltrained counselor knows that just as frozen water doesn't flow, so individuals whose termination trauma has them "frozen" in a state of fear and grief can't effectively utilize the outplacement service. Despite the fact that outplacement services normally have a certain sequence of activities in which all candidates participate, effective counselors adjust the time and modify the process when their candidates need to address feelings that may be blocking progress. The ultimate goal is to take up the challenges of the new careerism. The intermediate step is to move from a dazed and angry person to one ready to enjoy the opportunities provided by the future workplace. NOTES 1. James Levin and James Alan Fox, Mass Murder: America s Growing Menace (Ne York: Plenum Press, 1985). 2. Peggy Stuart, "Murder on the Job," Personnel Journal, February 1992. 3. Terry F. Buss and F. Stevens Redburn, with Joseph Waldron, Mass Unemployment Plant Closing and Community Mental Health (Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1983)p. 30. 4. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, On Death and Dying (New York: Macmillan, 1969). 5. William Bridges, Surviving Corporate Transitions in a World of Mergers, Layoff Start-ups, Takeovers, Divestitures, Deregulation, and New Technologies (New York:ubleday, 1988). 6. "Are Workers Permanently Scarred by Job Displacements?" American Economic Re view, Vol. 81 (March 1991): 319-324.

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3

The Ripple Effect All that was once known and predictable is now upset. Jill Jukes and Ruthan Rosenberg, Surviving Your Partner's Job Loss

The sentence "You're fired" hits the employee like a ton of bricks. For those around the terminated employee, however, we might say it hits like a pebble in a pond, making an immediate splash that causes ripples throughout the water. While the person most seriously impacted when a job is terminated is the outplaced employee, others around the employee—family members, partners, co-workers, the employer, and that vague group referred to as "society"—are also affected. Termination has a "ripple effect." HOPELESS HAVEN: THE FAMILY Following the untimely death of a child it is not uncommon to see a great deal of attention and sympathy directed toward the child's mother. Forgotten for the moment are the grieving father or siblings. This is not unlike the forgotten partner and children of a terminated employee who are impacted by the employee's job loss but who often are not provided the support they need to work through the trauma. They are usually in the first "wave" of the ripple effect, caught by a force they can't control. We regard the home as a happy haven in the heartless world and assume that all those within it will provide support and solace. In reality, these people, too, may be experiencing fear andfrustration.Not only are they also in need of support and un-

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derstanding but their need to deal with their personal issues may compound tension and conflict. Jill Jukes and Ruthan Rosenberg, who work with Axmith & Associates, Ltd. outplacement firm, interviewed wives and partners of terminated male employees and reported their findings in Surviving Your Partner's Job Lo}1 While they found many examples of support provided by an unemployed person's partner, of more concern is the considerable fear and anxiety they found on the part of partners, spouses, and children. Sometimes the home becomes a hopeless haven instead of a happy one. Instead of supporting the terminated employee, it perpetuates and accentuates feelings of anger, loss, and hopelessness. In moments of anguish family members say, "How could you let this happen? Things like that don't just happen! Why didn't you protect yourself? What are we going to do now?" Spouses and Partners, Too So often the period of unemployment begins happily enough. The terminated employee's partner or spouse may have known the pink slip was coming and prepared to smile cheerily and say a few words of encouragement. But when one long day of unemployment leads to another and bills mount up, the feeling of euphoria vanishes. One woman said I can go for two or three days and forget about it, and then all of a sudden you go through another two or three days where it's just on your mind constantly and you wake up at finn the morning and start to think about it and you're still awake at six-thirty, when the alarm goes off. In fact, I think about it every morning when I wake up. It's the first thing I think about. You forget in the night and then you think oh, no, not another day of this.2

Reality has set in: Your partner was fired and has to find a job! Spouses are bound up with their partner's employment in every way—physically, socially, and psychologically. Physically they are aware that they have been dependent on the terminated family member's paycheck and benefits, as well as various perks, such as perhaps a company car, a corporate country club membership, or discounts at the military or company store. Socially, there may be the loss of a vibrant social life that went along with being the spouse, opportunities to travel when the spouse had a business trip, friends of other families made through the business association, the opportunity to attend the annual company picnic, participation in the company bowling league, or the opportunity to be invited to parties and dinners put on by business associates. Psychologically, spouses are bound up, too. A part of their identity and their status has come from their partner's job. In many respects they experience those same losses the employee experiences—in the bank book, the date book, and the diary. Unnoticed is the fact that the partner, whether male or female, has been "fired" too, because jobs are often "two-person" arrangements. The mate very likely managed his or her own job, household schedule, and children around the job, enter-

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tained the partner's customers or colleagues, and maybe was even interviewed before the employer decided on the hire. This outplacement really puts the whole family out. And to make matters worse, spouses are expected to be understanding and supportive, while, in fact, they are often suffering their own pain and loss. Blame Jukes and Rosenberg identified a range of feelings experienced by partners or spouses once reality hits them, including shock and disbelief, anger (at the company and at their mate), bewilderment, shame and embarrassment, guilt, disappointment, anxiety and fear, vulnerability, loss, depression, helplessness, stress, betrayal, and sometimes relief and excitement. Feelings of anger toward the terminated mate often are accompanied by blame. No one is more aware of a person's shortcomings than a household partner. So it is not surprising, therefore, that the fear and frustration experienced by the partner leads to wondering if it is not the terminated employee's fault that the family's life has been so badly disrupted. To head off this notion of the employee being to blame, and since the misfortune of job loss has become so common, James E. Challenger, head of the Chicago outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, has coined a phrase, "no-fault discharge."3 This phrase represents a more positive way of referring to a layoff, termination, outplacement, or any of the euphemisms often used. At parties these days the topic is frequently about who is out of work, as if it's an eveiyday occurrence. But, even though people are more willing today to talk about their job loss, some employees, especially older ones, feel a sense of disgrace and embarrassment. Even though today's economy has dumped hundreds of capable and honest workers onto the unemployment lines, some outplaced individuals are still affected by the pervasive notion that a job is a lifetime thing unless one is insubordinate, dishonest, or incompetent. Though diminished, there is still a stigma to being fired. Terminated employees, in their moments of depression, often blame themselves, and spouses and friends too often blame the victim. In a survey of 100 spouses of discharged managers who participated in the Challenger, Gray & Christmas' outplacement program, it was reported that approximately 50 percent of the respondents said that their first reaction was to be supportive of their partner rather than critical.4 This leaves approximately 50 percent who place anger and blame on their partner. Fear As a result of the disruption that termination causes in employees' lives, one of the pervasive feelings to overtake the spouses and partners is fear—including fear about possible changes in lifestyle, fear of lost economic security, fear for their children's education, disruption of family plans involving travel or retirement, and the fear of loss of social relationships. The family's future suddenly becomes unknown. Things family members had hoped to do now must be put on hold or canceled altogether.

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t h e Changing Outplacement Process

Helplessness In some cases an outplaced employee is able to accept the termination and move on, even though the transition may be a long one. Often, especially as time wears on, the partner feels frustrated because the transition and relocation aren't happening fast enough. The partner experiences frustration and a sense of helplessness because the outplaced employee isn't succeeding in the job search. He or she may feel the terminated employee is not trying hard enough or not following good advice. Jukes and Rosenberg write about the special feelings of employed women whose husbands have been fired. Some suddenly feel trapped in their jobs. While they once loved to work, they now feel that they have to work. Some may fear promotion lest it demoralize their unemployed mates. Or they may begin to feel very protective of their jobs, cautious, in fact, lest overnight they too might lose their only source of income.5 If the job search is prolonged and savings or severance pay exhausted, or if it appears that a next job will be in a different city, the family faces the real threat of losing its home, a place that represents not only a physical accommodation but also family history, comfort, safety, and dreams. Relocating also will mean that the spouse will have to terminate employment, and the cycle begins. The spouse is, in effect, detached from the job by the family's circumstances. And whatever the change, the partner is helpless to do much about it. Support Since job loss may be a new experience for the family, there may be no experience in coping with the issue. Family members don't know whether to talk about it or not. They find themselves stepping gingerly around the subject. They need help in understanding the feelings they are experiencing and the stages their terminated partner is experiencing. They need a safe place to talk about their feelings and the guilt they feel in not always being supportive and patient with their mate. They need to deal with the tension in the house that inevitably occurs when the terminated employee, now at home more often, suddenly interferes with the running of the kitchen or control of the stereo. It would help them to be reminded that such behavior may be related to the employee needing a sense of control at home, if nowhere else. They need an opportunity to talk openly about increased or decreased sexual interest and the particular problems that surface at holiday times when celebrations may not be honored in their traditional way. Children, Too Children, too, are caught in the ripple effect. Jukes and Rosenberg described one woman who told them that her very young son, after listening to her and her husband talk about his impending termination over a month or so, came downstairs one night with his piggy bank and tearfully offered to donate it to the family fi-

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nances.6 As difficult as that scene was, they were the lucky ones, because in many cases children don't reveal their concerns, and it is easy to miss vital clues to their feelings. This fact, coupled with the fact that many outplaced businesspeople have been trained not to reveal or discuss feelings, results in the family missing an opportunity to understand and support one another. Dr. Howard Craig is a high school guidance counselor and also provides counseling services for RW Caldwell Outplacement Consultants. Because of his dual roles he is particularly sensitive to the impact of job loss on children. He hears them at school worrying about money for clothes or for college tuition. They talk about possibly having to move far away where they will be left without friends. He sees young people who experience a drop in grades, increased absences, and a tendency to withdraw. Parents not wanting to burden their children or not knowing how to approach the subject assume that not discussing the hurt will make it go away. Watching their parents experience the trauma of job loss, children come to varying conclusions. In one case an older daughter questioned the value of continuing her university studies. Why bother? You'll only get laid off. In another case, a seventh grader scrapped his intention to go into engineering because his aeronautical engineering father was out of a job. Some children learn at an early age that the world is not always their oyster, that everyone is vulnerable.7 Parents often find it difficult to appreciate their children's feelings because children's reactions vary so. Each child may have a very different response to the initial news of a job loss or to the layoff or job search process, as time moves on. Their reactions will depend on their ages, their personal characteristics, life circumstances, and family dynamics. The variety of children's reactions, together with the fact that children's feelings are often not visible, make it difficult for parents to be aware of their needs—especially since so much energy is devoted to the transition process of the terminated employee. CO-WORKERS: THE SURVIVOR SYNDROME Besides partners, spouses, and children, another group impacted by terminations—tossed by the wave of stress rippling from the splash of the outplaced employee's tennination—is the group of employees who survived the layoffs. Initially those whose jobs are not cut during a downsizing may feel smug, triumphant, favored—like winners. But when management begins reallocating the parking spaces, other feelings surface. Such symbols may remind them how angry they are about how it was handled. Survivor Guilt These co-workers often experience "survivor guilt" when they continue to receive paychecks and even earn overtime pay, when their friends and former coworkers are not working at all. They also begin to wonder if the qualities usually

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The Changing Outplacement Process

valued in good employees—loyalty, hard work, and competence—still count, because they undoubtedly saw individuals who displayed these qualities lose their jobs.8 Survivor Sabotage Sometimes bizarre behavior on the part of survivors is disruptive. Sometimes it is merely instructive of the discomfort felt among the remaining workers. Various stories of sabotage have emerged over the years. William Charlaiui of Scripps Howard News Service tells of the computer analyst who programmed his company's payroll system to crash if his name wrere removed and of the staff attorney who inserted three obscene phrases in a major corporate contract and then spread a rumor that he had put in four!9 Feeling Left Out A study done by Right Associates states that many corporations appear to reinforce employees1 negative reactions during a downsizing by not keeping them informed about immediate and future plans. The outplacement agency's study determined that the survivors—the group the company wants to keep confident and productive—are often uninformed about the downsizing and feel left out and uninformed. Their findings are summarized in Figure 3.1. Lacking accurate information, survivors begin to speculate about their co-workers and their own future. Rumors get started and anxieties are created. Anger and Fear Anger and fear are often the first feelings to surface, especially if there has not been much discussion of the layoffs in advance. There may be anger related to how employees feel their colleagues were treated in the termination. In addition, survivors may feel anger related to the new responsibilities they will have to assume, if a downsizing has not been accompanied by a reduction in work. And they may fear that further terminations are to come that may directly impact on them. Confusion Many are at the very least confused about their duties. With less people to do the work, many people will experience reassignments, perhaps with new reporting channels. Following a layoff many employees will experience frustration about responsibility and communication. Often the most capable leaders and managers have left during a downsizing, leaving the survivors with little direction and guidance. Some will welcome the changes. They may be rid of a troublemaker or someone who stole credit for their work. Or they may welcome an opportunity to do different, perhaps more challenging, tasks. But others will be resentful or feel pressured because of an overload of work or the responsibility for things never done before, with no extra pay. Even the move to a new office will signal the loss of familiar

Figure 3.1 Communication of the Plan to Remaining and Separated Employees

Source: ReprintedfromLessons Learned: Dispelling the Myths of Downsizing, published Right Associates, Inc., 1992. Reprinted with permission.

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The Changing Outplacement Process

with no extra pay. Even the move to a new office will signal the loss of familiar turf—something else to get used to. Physical and Mental Health Symptoms Dr. Janet Cahill of Glassboro State College in New Jersey recently completed a study that revealed that downsizing and economic uncertainty in the workplace are related to a variety of symptoms of stress experienced by workers, including lack of sleep, headaches, changes in eating habits, skin rashes, as well as increased blood pressure and heart disease.10 Loneliness Some survivors experience just plain loneliness. They may miss the companionship of their friends and colleagues, as well as the support for strategic projects provided by their former co-workers. They may experience a loss of attachment. For those who identify themselves by their relationships with others, there will be a feeling of vulnerability. It will take some time to get used to the new dynamic. When her co-workers at Trico Corp. were laid off, Grace Blessing said, "the people I worked with were all very close; it was like family. Then you see them lose their jobs one by one, and you know you can't help them. It takes a lot out of you. You feel lucky, in a way, but you worry about your friends."11 Time for Recovery Corporations that downsize, or even lay off a single employee, need to be sensitive to the ripple effect of a termination through a department or entire company and to plan to use the recovery time to heal wounds and help survivors move ahead. A Wyatt Company study called "Restructuring: Cure or Cosmetic Surgery" stated that 67 percent of the study's participants said it took more than six months for survivors of a major corporate restructuring to fully recover from the experience and get on with the work of the newly defined enterprise; 30 percent said the recovery time took a year or more.12 While managers often spend a great deal of time obsessing over the details of the termination notification, they often fail to consider the survivors. As the reader will see in Chapter 5, outplacement firms consider properly handled termination announcements to be an integral part of their service, not only as a way of providing support for the laid-off employee but also to demonstrate to the survivors that the corporation is sensitive to personal needs. In Part III the reader will learn about outplacement firms that are beginning to offer services for the organization in transition that address the needs of the employees who remain.

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THE EMPLOYER: QUESTIONING THE CORPORATE CURE Once terminations have occurred, problems are not over for the organization. It, too, is impacted by layoffs and downsizing and must struggle with new issues and problems. The ripple from the initial splash may be dissipated but it is still unsettling. Imagine, for a moment, the plight of the CEO. She or he has just reduced the payroll 10 percent since sales are down 10 percent. The same functions must continue, however. The company still has to engage in research and design, it still must maintain quality production; it still has to market its product; it is obligated to provide continuing services and support to its remaining employees; and it must maintain a responsible financial position to satisfy its stockholders— the owners. In fact, if it wants to increase its volume of sales, it must, now, with a reduced workforce, increase its marketing efforts, reduce the turnaround time from development of a new product to production, and improve quality. The pressure is on! Not only are there less bodies to do the work, often cutbacks result in losing the most skilled and knowledgeable workers. Early retirement incentives, or lasthired-first-fired procedures result in people leaving whose skills the employer might especially need. Pressure for Productivity The plan in most corporations is to introduce new technology and new systems that will produce more with less people. As we noted in Chapter 1, many companies have learned how to produce quality products with relatively fewer employees. That is not to overlook, however, the difficult period when productivity may be down if the organization has not yet acquired the new technology or employees have not yet been trained. In spite of the pressure to maintain productivity, the employer is faced with a variety of challenges, including raising morale, restructuring work to best utilize the existing employee base, perhaps revising the strategic mission, implementing orientation and training when new tasks must be assumed by existing employees, instilling company loyalty, and making decisions around hiring freelance consultants or temporary workers to fill in for skills lost during the downsizing or peak-time demands. Low Morale Low morale can delay employees' willingness to learn new skills and adjust to new systems. Following a downsizing it is not unusual to find the morale of the remaining employees to be low. If the termination announcement was handled poorly or the remaining employees are resentful of overload, the survivors may not be willing to pitch in and do more or different work.

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1 he Changing Outplacement Process Distrust

Many survivors feel a general distrust of management and fear future cuts not yet announced, resulting in decreased loyalty to the firm. In an article entitled "Best Practices in White-Collar Downsizing: Managing Contradictions" the author stated: "Survivors may feel that the attributes traditionally valued in good employees—loyalty, hard work and personal competence—no longer count in the firm. Individuals who displayed those traits still lost their jobs."13 In addition to the fear and anxiety experienced by the survivors, the employer must deal with any resulting loss in productivity. The Workplace Climate Organizations without a clear mission or with a closed or distrusting climate will find that downsizing exacerbates its problems. If the company was unfocused in its mission, it is likely that cuts in the workforce were arbitrary, resulting in loss of skills needed and retention of those workers the company would best do without. If the company has existed with a closed, distrusting climate, it is likely that management was cloistered during the time preceding the announced terminations and there was little official communication in the organization. People were left to wonder and rely on rumors, so that by the time terminations came, employees were emotionally weary and full of confusion, fear, and anger. Litigation An additional consequence of terminations is the costly and time-consuming litigation brought over the loss of the job, job entitlements, or job benefits. Both state and federal statutes prohibit age, sex, and minority discrimination. This being the case, some outplaced employees (sometimes only out of revenge) cry "discrimination," filing lawsuits intended to prove that they were terminated in an effort by the company to eliminate certain demographically defined groups. If, in the course of the investigation, acts of discrimination were found, the terminations would be found in violation of the statute. Also, some employees bring a "wrongful discharge" action, attempting to prove that a contractual agreement was broken. According to a Bureau of National Affairs (BNA) special report and the experience of labor consultant Dan Lacey, a sharp increase in wrongful discharge litigation that began in the early 1980s appears to be continuing unabated. How great has been the threat? How many legal cases result from job loss? Who usually "wins" (if there are any "winners")? And what are the real dollar costs? The BNA report indicates that there were 8,023 civil rights employment cases filed in federal court each year between June 1985 and June 1988 and that reported decisions involving wrongful discharge claims have risen each year since 1981, doubling between 1982 and 1987. An estimated 25,000 wrongful discharge cases were pending in federal and state courts by 1987.

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Employers won 52 of 125 cases surveyed where the primary cause of action was wrongful termination or discharge. The plaintiffs won in 63.9 percent of trial verdicts, in 78.9 percent of all defamation cases, and in 70 percent of all sex discrimination and harassment cases. In all the plaintiff recovery rate was 58.4 percent. The cost has been horrendous. According to the BNA report, $158,800 was the median verdict; $250,000 was the mode or most frequent award; $602,302 was the average jury award for discharged employees between January 1986 through October 1988; and $732,591 was the average jury verdict when the recovery was wrongful termination or wrongful discharge. Research by the Rand Corporation indicates that appeals, settlements, and post-trial activity can often reduce the initial jury award by half. Thus, an average initial award of $272,064 becomes $150,000. In addition, court costs average $80,000 for employers; plaintiff's attorneys take an average contingency fee of about 40 percent; and the resulting legal fees average $80,000. Thus, when all awards are settled and the bills paid, the average plaintiff receives $30,000 to take home.14 Added Costs In addition to the time, money and stress borne by the terminated employee, losing just one wrongful discharge case involving one employee is an expense the corporation can't afford. Besides the financial cost to the corporation, the employer must be concerned about the loss of prestige that the company may experience, the loss of sales that might occur, and the effect on employees who remain. In light of these costs, it is not difficult to understand why corporations feel that outplacement service pays for itself. Beyond any humanitarian or altruistic purpose, outplacement services are seen by the corporation as protecting the organization financially Many feel that the outplacement business got its start as a means of avoiding litigation. It is said that corporations felt outplacement services would mitigate the tendency of terminated employees to turn to litigation as a solution to their problems. Employers felt that if outplaced employees could, with outplacement assistance, be gainfully employed within a short period of time, terminated employees would be less likely to seek redress through the costly and painful process of litigation. Though providing outplacement services to an outplaced employee could not legally prevent them from bringing suit, many corporations have asked outplaced employees who accept outplacement services to sign a waiver to their right to sue.15 SOCIETY, ULTIMATELY That vague, undefined group of people known as "society" is also ultimately impacted when there is job loss. The echo of the termination splash ripples to some extent throughout the community.

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Jobs, of course, provide economic security for individuals and families. The impact of large-scale terminations or plant closings is felt particularly when a company, such as Boeing or Sears, downsizes, causing multiple unemployment among some families. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of families with two or more unemployed wage earners surged 60.4 percent to 608,000 in 1992 from 379,000 in 1989. It is not uncommon for large firms to em ploy more than one member of a family.16 Beyond economic security, work serves a number of other social purposes. It fulfills personal ambitions. It gives people an identity. It provides people with social networks. In the words of S. V Kasl, work "fills in time." He wrote, "If the opportunity to work is absent. . . severe repercussions are likely to be experienced for individuals and society."17 Although there are no studies that definitively make a causal link between job disruption and social unrest, a number of researchers have pointed out associations. Peggy Stuart in the February 1992 issue of Personnel Journal stated: "The recession and increasing layoffs are blamed for the dramatic increase (estimated to be from 200% to 300% in the last decade) in workplace murder" perpetrated mainly by workers who had been laid off.18 Dr. Michael L. Raulin, director of the Psychology Service Center at the State University of New York at Buffalo, said "there usually is an increase in suicide rates and family violence during a recession." According to Dr. Barbara B. Bunker, an organizational psychologist in Buffalo, "it makes the whole system unstable."19 Nick Kates et al., in The Psy chosocial Impact of Job Loss, cite a' variety of studies linking employment rate with alcoholism, spouse and child abuse, family breakdown, vandalism and criminal behavior, psychiatric hospitalization, suicide, and homicide. While pointing out the association of unemployment with mental and emotional problems, they cite the belief of R. Catalano et al. that it could be that unemployment also creates social conditions that would lead to individuals with preexisting problems having their deficits "uncovered."20 THE OUTPLACEMENT SERVICE RESPONSE While hard research data are lacking on the causal effect of job loss and the various emotional, psychological, and social states of people around the fired employee, those who have experienced downsizing can attest to many of the feelings and behaviors described in this chapter. Carefully planned termination notice has, in some cases, mitigated the worst effects. Severance packages provided by some employers have also minimized the disruption felt by terminated workers. A limited continuance of salary and benefits has enabled excessed employees and their families at least to maintain their lifestyle while adjusting to the transition process. Nonetheless, the process can be trying for the employee; the employee's partner, children, co-workers; for the organization itself; and, as we have seen, for all of society. Support for terminated workers and those affected is needed.

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Legislators tinker with the economy and provide unemployment insurance. Doctors and psychologists treat individuals in pain. Social workers address the needs of suffering families. Law enforcement officers deal with the resulting fallout in society. Nearly a quarter of a century ago a new line of business, which we refer to as OTR, was created to provide support—to serve terminated employees needing help through the outplacement process, during transition, and on to relocation and to provide assistance to businesses undergoing transition and restructuring. Some call it the opportunity to make something out of damaged careers. Some say it's the unfinished business of downsizing. Professionals in this industry continue to fill a need, providing special kinds of information, assistance, and support to prepare employees and employers alike for the new careerism. NOTES 1. Jill Jukes and Ruthan Rosenberg, Surviving Your Partner's Job Loss: The Complete Guide to Rescuing Your Marriage and Family from Today's Economy (Washington, DC: National Press Books, 1993). 2. Ibid., p. 33. 3. Cited in Joseph P. Ritz, "There's No More Stigrna to Job Loss,1' Buffalo News, December 18, 1991. 4. Cited in Joseph P. Ritz, "Loss of Job Is Bringing Families Closer Together," Buffalo News, July 24, 1993. 5. Jukes and Rosenberg, Surviving Your Partner's Loss, p. 34. 6. Ibid., p. 175. 7. Interview with Dr. Howard Craig. 8. Joel Brockncr, Steven Grover, Thomas Reed, Rocki DeWitt, and Michael O'Malley, "Survivors' Reactions to Layoffs: We Get by with a Little Help for Our Friends," Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 4 (1987): 526-554. 9. William Charland, "Taking Care of Workplace Survivors After a Layoff," Montreal Gazette, October 1, 1991. 10. Cited in Anthony Violanti, "For Those Who Survive Layoffs, Stress Is a Co-worker" Buffalo News, December 17, 1991. 11. Ibid. 12. Cited in Right Associates, Lessons Learned: Dispelling the Myths of Downsizing (Philadelphia: Right Associates, Inc., 1992). 13. "Best Practices in White-Collar Downsizing: Managing Downsizing," Training, June 1992, p. 50. 14. Ira Michael Shepard, Paul Hcyman, and Robert L. Duston, Without Just Cause: An Employer's Practical and Legal Guide to Wrongful Discharge (Washington, DC: The Bureau of National Affairs, inc., 1989), and personal correspondence from Dan Lacey. 15. Interview with Dan Lacey. 16. Cited in "Now Family Joblessness Pinpoints Urgent Need" News Release, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, March 31, 1993. 17. Cited in Violanti, "For Those Who Survive Layoffs." 18. Peggy Stuart, "Murder on the Job," Personnel Journal, February 1992, p. 72.

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19. Cited in Violanti, "For Those Who Survive Layoffs." 20. Nick Kates, Barrio S. Greiff, and Duane Q. Hagen, The Psychosocial Impact of Job Loss (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, 1990), citing R. Catalano, D. Dooley, and R. Jackson, "Economic Antecedents of Help-Seeking: Refonnation of Time-Test Scries," Journal of Health and SociallBehavior,,Vol. 26 (1985): 141-152.2

Part II The New Outplacement Process In Part 1 we outlined the environment in which the outplacement process operates and the needs it addresses. We refer to it as OTR as an inclusive acronym to embrace a wide range of services. Outplacement, transition,nand relocation constitute job career counseling and consulting services for terminated employees. Outplacemet, transition, and restructuring describe consulting services provided for employers. In Part II we will focus on the services for terminated employees. We describe a three-stage OTR process that includes 11 steps. Although the steps are presented in a logical and chronological order, in fact, candidates often step back a step before moving on, or involve themselves in more than one step at a time. The personal counseling described in Chapter 7, for example, may be offered at many points along the way. Some candidates, after they begin networking, see the need to revisit the assessment process described in Chapter 8. The process, as we present it, begins with Stage One: planning and preparing for the process in which the terminated employee will be engaged. We describe the business of contracting for OTR services (Chapter 4), the important first meeting with the terminated employee (Chapter 5), the accoutrements provided for people receiving OTR service (Chapter 6), and family and financial counseling provided before the job and career exploration begin (Chapter 7). In Stage Two we discuss the decision making that must be done before candidates begin making plans for their transition. This process includes candidates assessing their interests and skills (Chapter 8), the career decision-making process (Chapter 9), and career pathing (Chapter 10). In Stage Three we explore the elements essential to candidates once they are ready to make the transition—to launch a marketing campaign. We begin with an

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exploration of the notion of marketing a person (Chapter 11). What follows is an examination of how the process helps candidates develop their resumes (Chapter 12), become involved in networking (Chapter 13), and engage in effective interviewing (Chapter 14). As the reader will see, Part II is the heart of the book. It gives OTR consumers, candidates, counselors, and consultants a glimpse inside OTR firms. It describes for the reader the outplacement process—what is done and how it is done. Figure 4.1 depicts the three stages and the steps within each stage.

Stage One Planning and Preparing

Figure 4.1 The Three-Stage OTR Process

4

Contracting for OTR OTR firms build a bridge between the client and the OTR provider, a bridge strong enough to be crossed many times. John L Meyer

The first step in preparing for the transitions that outplaced employees and employers must make is establishing a working relationship with an OTR provider. This relationship becomes a bridge over which the parties will cross many times. It is the first of three bridges that launch the relationship. In the OTR business there are two kinds of providers. The first is the "retail" firm, which contracts with individual outplaced employees to help with their career development and job search. The second is the "corporate" outplacement firm, which contracts with companies or corporations that are near or in the process of terminating employees. In this case, the contract is to assist the transition experience of the employer, the outplaced employees, and, perhaps, the survivors. CONTRACT MODELS Chapter 19 will outline for the reader tips on how to choose an OTR provider— information useful to both individuals accessing and contracting for service from a retail firm, and corporate representatives contracting for OTR services. In this chapter we will focus primarily on the process of an employer contracting with a corporate firm, though individuals contracting with a retail firm will find many of the same elements to be present.

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The Purchase-Package Model Establishing a relationship that will end with a contract for services may be done in one of three ways. The first way is called the purchase-package model. Imagine, for a moment, that a company, the ABC Paint Company, is in trouble. The Board of Directors has reviewed the problem caused by a slump in business and decided that it will be necessary to downsize by retrenching employees in two departments. The decision is made to lay off 30 percent of the chemists in the research and development department and 20 percent of the production workers and to seek an OTR firm to assist with the termination announcements and provide transition and relocation counseling services for these employees. In this scenario, ABC Company diagnosed its own problem, decided on its own solution (e.g., layoffs in two departments) and then purchased the services of an OTR firm to help provide the remedy (e.g., counseling for terminated employees). This purchase-package model calls for OTR to begin after the decisions on downsizing and terminations have been made. It is not important whether the corporation initially contacted the OTR service or whether the OTR provider initially contacted the corporation and offered its transition services. The result is the same. The company purchased a package of services from the provider. The Doctor-Patient Model In other instances, the outplacement firm is sometimes invited to contract in a so-called doctor-patient model of consulting. As before, it does not matter whether the initial contact came about because the company called the outplacement firm or the OTR provider called the company. The difference between the purchasepackage and doctor-patient models is in who performs the diagnosis—the client or the OTR professional. Assume that the ABC Paint Company has a personnel-management malady and that, while the corporation can describe the symptom (perhaps low productivity, low morale, several wrongful discharge litigation cases), it does not really know what is wrong. At this point, ABC asks the OTR firm to analyze the corporation, tell the Board of Directors what is going wrong, and suggest a remedy. The OTR professional is now being asked to both diagnose and prescribe. This is a doctorpatient model in contrast to the purchase-package model in which both diagnosis and prescription were made by the corporation before the OTR personnel arrived. The Process Model In contrast to both of these models, a third approach is the process model. In this case the OTR organization may work with management and employees to restructure the organization and, where layoffs are necessary, teach the corporate staff to provide its own in-house OTR services In this model both outplacement professionals and corporate clients establish a relationship to work through the process

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until the corporation can do its own outplacement work. Unlike the doctor-patient model where the consultants complete the process on their own, in the process model, there is a working-learning-together relationship. Suppose, for illustration, that a company wishes to avoid layoffs wherever possible. It wants to find ways to retain employees no longer needed in a given division and retrain them to be productive in other nondownsized departments. Where terminations are necessary, the company wants its managers trained in effective termination procedures that will prevent litigation and lowered productivity or morale on the part of the remaining workforce. They look also to preserving the reputation of the corporation. OTR counselors are, in this case, called upon to be process consultants. They bring with them experience in a broad range of services, including organizational restructuring, individual career transition counseling, and corporate readjustment, and train the corporate employees in the processes necessary to accomplish its goals. It is clear that outplacement counseling has been stretched into a consulting business. As we shall see in Part III, OTR organizations have expanded beyond the mission of helping outplaced employees and are increasingly consulting with management on the causes of employment retrenchment and how to avoid it as well as on organizational adjustment issues following layoffs. SELLING A CONTRACT For now, let us review the initial contact for the purpose of developing and selling an OTR contract. The procedure involves education, persuasion, and research. Education Before an OTR firm can persuade a corporation to use its services or to gain permission to research a particular company's needs and make a specific proposal for services, it has to engage in a marketing effort. Although OTR services have been around for over two decades, new corporations come into the OTR marketplace each year, resulting in the need to educate potential customers. This means explaining to employers what OTR is and what services the provider has to offer. Today many corporations have at least one and sometimes several outplacement providers on retainer. Others do not and have never used such services. Therefore, OTR firms must spend a lot of time explaining their services. The proliferation of OTR services and some bad press1 that refers to outplacement as a "rip off" or "scam" has caused reputable OTR providers to work especially diligently to educate corporations about outplacement and how they differentiate themselves from counterfeit outplacement "'mills" They recognize that they must play an extensive role in educating their consumers. Manchester, Inc., in Boston, for example, invites the entire corporate Human Resources team to breakfast for a relaxed, but well-planned, overview of its services and how its approach differs from that of its competitors. The reader will

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find the information in Chapter 19 useful in evaluating OTR firms' educational/sales presentations. In order to maximize their effectiveness, OTR firms are also eager, when describing the outplacement process, to explain how important it is for OTR professionals to be involved before termination begins. The vice president of an OTR firm said that his biggest problem was getting clients to see the need for OTR services long enough in advance. Rather than consulting early on, the client is likely to say, "Us? We don't need that service—not yet, anyway. It's too early!" "But," this vice president contends, "it is not too soon to talk. We could prevent so many problems from occurring if we were just allowed in on the ground floor." OTR professionals explain, for example, that in their consulting role they can advise employers looking for cost savings on how layoffs might be avoided altogether by exploring "inplacement" options such as job sharing, reorganization, reassignment, and relocation. If downsizing is inevitable, they explain how the services of OTR professionals can improve the manner in which termination notifications are done to reduce the trauma, hard feelings, and loss for the terminated employees as well as for the survivors. Persuasion—Outlining the Benefits of OTR Services Going beyond education is the job of persuading the corporation that OTR services are worth the time, trouble, and cost. The job of persuasion is accomplished by demonstrating to the corporation what the company has to gain in cost savings or benefits. The OTR firms answer questions such as: (1) How much can be saved by utilizing the OTR process as a means of avoiding costly litigation? (2) Can costs be reduced by terminating personnel even after paying for OTR services? (3) How much in unemployment insurance premiums can be saved by getting outplaced workers back into productive work quickly as a result of assistance from OTR services? In addition, the OTR representative will point out that OTR service can enhance such corporate goals as: (1) Maintaining in-house morale, and (2) Maintaining, or even enhancing, the company's image in the community and profession.2 The OTR representative will tell potential corporate users that OTR services counter the hidden cost and damage that can accrue by deliberate attempts at corporate defamation. One study has shown that a single disgruntled employee has the opportunity to weaken the morale of 80 workers in just a two-week period.3 The representative will also undoubtedly discuss the threat of litigation, which OTR services are believed to prevent, and point out that, if sued by a resentful employee, legal costs are likely to far exceed the cost of outplacement counseling, even if the candidate's case is not successful. Corporation users need to know that, according to Murray Axmith, "many terminated employees sue their former companies not simply to gain a few months' extra severance pay, but instead, to express their anger and bitterness at the way in which they have been treated."4

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Many OTR firm representatives will point out that the morale of remaining employees is immeasurably improved by removing the terminated employees. "Out of sight, out of mind," as John Lucht put it.5 The OTR firm will also point out the benefit of purchasing OTR services as a way to demonstrate that it cares about its employees, even when it must make terminations. This sends a strong message to the survivors of the layoff and the general public, as well as to those outplacement employees, who are likely to be the company's customers and maybe even future employees again. Research With appropriate education and effective persuasion, a corporation will seek a formal proposal from the OTR firm for its services. Before an OTR provider can make a proposal to meet the specific needs of the corporation, however, it needs to do research on the potential corporate client. It needs to learn the corporation's termination procedures, severance pay allowances and candidate file system. With this information it can propose to help the corporation set goals and plan and schedule an orderly termination process. The research process involves interviewing members of the Human Resources or Personnel Department as well as the supervisors of the soon-to-be outplaced employees. With this knowledge of the corporation's situation, the OTR firm has added-value and is prepared to "close the sale." The Team Approach Some aggressive OTR firms develop a team, rather than a single liaison person, to go after a corporate account. The team is usually composed of the most competent presenters and the most experienced OTR professionals who can sell the best consulting and counseling contract possible. Sometimes called the "A-Team," this first-class team includes two or three "salespersons," who present the corporation with several alternative proposals, outlining various approaches and packages with varying contract amounts. The team approach usually also includes an educator, providing a polished, mediated presentation explaining the services of the OTR firm, with a second member of the team serving as persuader, outlining the advantages and benefits to the corporation, and a third member of the team demonstrating how the researchoo the outplacement professional has enabled the OTR firm to know the particular needs of the corporation and address them with a unique proposal. SUMMARY Contracting for OTR services can take a variety of forms. It can involve either an outplaced individual and a retail OTR firm or an employer and a corporate OTR firm. It can follow a purchase-package model, the doctor-patient model, or the

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process model. And it can result from discussion with a single OTR firm representative or a team. Common to all, however, is the fact that the OTR firm team members engage in education, persuasion, and research, and a contract results that outlines the outplacement, transition, and relocation services and fees to be charged. The bridge is built. NOTES 1. Dyan Machan, "Meet the Undertakers,,, Forbes, November 11, 1991, p. 384. 2. Lawrence M. Brammer and Frank E. Humberger, Outplacement and Inplacement Counseling (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984), p. 13. See also Richard L. Knowdell, Carl McDaniels, Al Hesser, and Garry R. Walz, Outplacement Counseling (An Arbor: University of Michigan, 1983), pp. 13-14. 3. N. Schlossberg and Z. 1 eibowitz. "Organizational Systems as Buffers to Job Los," Journal of Vocational Behavior, Vol. 17 (1980): 204-217, cited in Knowdell et al., ibid.,. 13. 4. Murray Axmith, 'The Act of Firing: A Constructive Approach," Business Quarterly Vol. 46, No. 1(1981): 36-45. 5. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1993), p. 318.

5

Getting Terminated Employees Started Trying to prevent termination trauma is a tremendous task. John L. Meyer

Medical doctors frequently explain to their patients: "You should have come to me sooner! If only I could have observed these symptoms earlier, then many of your health problems could have been avoided." Similarly, this chronemic element is important to OTR professionals who believe they could be more effective if their work began earlier. They, like doctors, have a grasp of the multidimensional aspects of the employee's problem, and they know the importance of an early start. As with the resolution of many health problems, the problems of outplacement, transition, and relocation can take considerable time, and it is important to get started early and under the best conditions. It is like taking a trip that may involve constructing and crossing three bridges. At the beginning of the trip, the employee terminated from a corporation that has contracted for OTR services must cross the first bridge, one that is constructed of the working contractual relationship between the outplacement professional and the client. We described that relationship in Chapter 4. A second bridge is unique to the client-corporate OTR firm relationship. It is crossed when corporate managers consult with OTR professionals about termination meetings in which corporate managers are trained in the process of notifying employees of the termination. And a third bridge is the establishment of the important working relationship between the outplaced employee and the OTR counselor.1

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Having discussed the first bridge in Chapter 4, this chapter will outline the outplacement firm's work in constructing the second and third bridges. First, let us focus on the second bridge—consulting with employers about tennination meetings. CONSULTING ABOUT TERMINATION MEETINGS OTR professionals provide a great service at this juncture. They coach managers and supervisors in ways to reduce the trauma and stress felt by the outplaced and avoid the likelihood of bitterness, litigation, revenge, or violence. Many, if not most, of the outplaced are greatly disappointed and distressed upon learning of their impending release. Often they wall not be able to listen well and will forget or distort what they hear. They have been heard to come away from their initial meeting with comments like • "Have I been fired? I really can't tell whether I'm unemployed or should go back to work tomorrow!" • "Why? I have no idea why I'm being terminated Do you suppose,. . . ?" • "Of all the times to bring me a pink slip, I couldn't imagine a worse time to break the bad news." • "They just don't care except to delight in seeing me fired!" • "My boss didn't have the guts to tell me himself. I had to be told that I would be terminated by my secretary." • "Right there in front of everyone in the oft ice I was told that I was 'out of here.' That's how I got kicked out on the street."

There is no doubt that the termination is an important moment and should be carefully planned. In designing termination meetings, several factors are considered: the purpose or outcome of the meeting, the participants who should be involved in the meeting, the approaches to the meeting, and the time and place for the meeting. Purpose When planning a termination interview there are four purposes that must be kept in mind: a business decision has been made and it must be communicated; the meeting must enable the terminated employee to understand why the decision has been made; the employer needs to communicate that the company cares about the needs of the employees; and there are specific check-out procedures that must be communicated. A Business Transaction First, as a business transaction, it should be made clear in the termination interview that the employer is definitely, or irrevocably, terminating the employment

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contract. Some employees may not understand the "system of free contract."2 Just as the employees are able to deliver their work to employers for a stipulated price, so do employers have the right, under the doctrine of "employment-at-will," to terminate employment and compensation. Where it is a matter of a contract guaranteeing employment over a period of time, those binding, time-period stipulations should be discussed and agreed upon. Such tennination clarification is important, because in the back of the minds of many employees may be the thought, "You can't do this to me! I have a right to this job and you can't take it away! You may lay me off temporarily, but you have no right to terminate my employment!" An employee who harbors thoughts of a job as an entitlement is likely to perceive the entire termination interview with resentment or as a challenge to be fought with the aid of labor unions, grievance boards, lawyers, judges, and courts. While no one should deny these legitimate means of support for the terminated employee, the aim of the termination meeting is to clarify and convince the employee that this termination is legal, proper, and, above all, fair. The purpose of the meeting is to avoid a combative, adversarial, resentment posture on the part of the employee by reducing the motivations for challenge and resentment. If the employee can come to understand that neither this company nor anyone in it "owes" any employee a job or a paycheck, then a basis for understanding can begin. Without that, little agreement can be reached. It is important in this tennination meeting for the employee to come to understand clearly that: this is not a frivolous or hasty decision, but one that was carefully thought through by those in authority; this termination decision is not temporary but is definite and irrevocable; and there is an exact date on which employment is terminated and an exact day on which compensation will end. Understanding Reasons for Termination A second desired outcome is a general understanding by the employee as to why this termination is necessary. The main reasons should be clearly understood by the employee, though specific details, relevant but subordinate to the main reasons, need not, and in many cases, should not be communicated. If, for example, the reason for termination is the company's financial difficulties and the need to reduce expenses, that is all that needs to be said. This is not the time for a review of the company's specific financial failings. Such detailed financial discussions would only lead to digression from the termination matter at hand and might also lead to needless disputation. It should be made clear that the tennination decision has nothing to do with the employee's performance, behavior, or attitudes, but is purely a "company financial exigency." Such a clarification could go a long way in relieving feelings of guilt or responsibility from the employee. If, however, the termination is for "cause," the cause should be stated in general terms without confusing the issue by bringing in other reasons, such as financial problems—even if that is a concomitant but unrelated reality at the time. Only the main reasons for cause should be outlined, without bringing forth all of the details.

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Bad performance can be outlined in general terms without all of the individual instances paraded for inspection and disputation. The reason the general rationale for termination should be outlined is that the employee will resent not knowing why he or she is being terminated. That employee will be frustrated and resentful when family or friends inquire, "Why did you lose your job?" The outplaced who is unclear as to the real reasons for termination is likely to concoct paranoid ones such as, "They were out to get me." Clarifying the true reasons for tennination can avoid such needless soul searching and brooding. Demonstration of Caring A third purpose, often stressed above the others by outplacement counselors, is the need for employers to communicate a "caring attitude" for the employee. This demonstration of concern is probably the most important aim of the exit interview in terms of human relations. No employee should have any grounds for feeling that the employer took pleasure in firing the employee. The exit interview is not the time to scold, blame, or correct. To the contrary, statements of regret can be provided. Even in instances where the reason for termination was the result of bad performance, incompetence, theft, or irresponsibility, the interviewer can express regret that such things occurred or that the employment relationship did not work out at this time. A statement of hope that things can be better for the employee in future employment situations is not inappropriate. Offering best wishes for the future is desirable. Two tangible expressions of caring that can be offered are a letter of recommendation and a severance package. The letter of recommendation is a comfort to terminated employees, who are likely to be concerned about their reputations and their chances for reemployment. In some cases they will be horrified by the thought, "How will this termination be seen on my record?" Knowing that they will receive a letter of recommendation or support, such as outplacement services, can be reassuring and help to take some of the sting out of the termination notification. Even when an employee is being terminated for incompetence, nonproductivity, or cause, supervisors can usually find positive characteristics in the employee's record to emphasize in a supportive letter of recommendation. A severance package can remove some of the immediate panic related to financial instability. Providing the outplaced worker with a written description of the severance package, either lump sum or salary continuation, can remove some of the fear related to being unemployed. Other benefits such as insurance, pension funds, or eligibility for unemployment compensation should also be spelled out where appropriate. As companies embark on issues that may have difficult legal implications, one of the services that can be provided by an effective OTR firm is to see that employees get the proper legal advice. U.S. companies must comply with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and they must see that employees receive "a summary plan description, that is filed with the U.S. Labor Department.

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Check-out Procedures A final outcome of the tennination meeting is providing an understanding of the check-out procedures. Some firms have a list of procedures employees must complete upon termination, such as paperwork related to payroll and personnel and such items as turning in keys, security passes, computer-access cards, company files, sample cases, customer lists, equipment, tools, credit cards, or a company car. Such a list will include both when and where these procedures should be completed. Participants in the Termination Meeting The second factor the OTR firm will consider in crossing this second bridge is the appropriate participants in the termination meeting. The decision as to who should conduct the termination meeting will vary with preference and situation. Some feel it is the duty of the immediate supervisor to conduct the interview. Others feel it is more desirable for the supervisor's supervisor to handle this matter. Still others feel this a personnel function and someone from personnel or the human resources department should serve as interviewer. The presence of an OTR professional can be extremely useful at this point. That person can provide perspective and objective advice, helping the employer to select the termination meeting interviewer on the basis of a number of factors, such as: (1) avoiding confrontation or the resurrection of old personality conflicts; (2) providing someone who will be perceived as having local authority and who is firm but fair; (3) providing someone who is skilled in, or can be trained in, conducting interviews effectively; (4) providing someone who has knowledge of the employee and the employee's record; and (5) providing someone who has knowledge of such matters as personnel policies and severance packages. Using these criteria, the OTR consultant can often assist in selecting the right person for the task by seeing who should not be selected to conduct the termination interview. An immediate supervisor—the usual first choice—may not satisfy the first issue if a personality conflict is likely to create a confrontation. A new, low-ranking employee would fail the authority and knowledge criteria. The OTR counselor—at least the very one who will work with the outplaced worker—might be a bad choice as an outsider, because of the possible "damaged relationship" that would have to be overcome before effective counseling can begin. Managers frequently confess that being the "terminator" is the worst job possible. While "killing the messenger" is illogical, it often happens, and few managers enjoy being the notifier of such bad news to an employee. Managers have told stories about the problems and stress they encountered on conducting termination interviews. One man, whom we will call Sam Risso, tells of his experience. Wishing to avoid having any internal manager handle the stress, his company brought him in as an outside notifier from one of the corporation's plants outside the state. He

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was an executive with much experience with the company. Immediately branded the "hatchet man," Sam, whose only duty was to notify and fire employees, became so stressed that he developed an ulcer. At first he could not account for his pain and dizzy spells. However, as his health grew steadily worse, he realized he was agonizing over each termination interview. He was forced to retire for medical reasons. Though he eventually recovered his health in retirement, he still vividly recalls the stress and tension experienced over conducting termination interviews. A sensitive employer understands how stressful the termination meeting can be for both the outplaced employee and the manager or supervisor who must present the "pink slip." Such an employer understands the implications of saddling any one executive wdth the termination interview task. It's at this point that the employer appreciates the consultation of an OTR professional in providing advice and counsel regarding the proper approach to the termination meeting. Approaches to the Termination Meeting The OTR consultant will usually advise the company that the termination interview, like many other interviews, requires privacy both for the sake of the interviewer and the interviewee. It is preferable that only one interviewer be present at the time, so that privacy and confidentiality can be established and maintained. More than two persons are present only with permission, or as supplemental support for purposes of introduction, as a resource person, or to add additional information. Interviewers come to the meeting with a planned agenda and schedule. It often includes the following: 1. Greet and establish rapport. 2. Explain company and department goals and policies relevant to this separation and/or explain the current and immediate situation that is consistent or at odds with relevant goals and policies. 3. Fink reasons for termination with the decision. Give a clear and unequivocal statement of the decision and causes for dismissal. 4. Assure the employee that the termination is final and has already been reviewed, approved, and authorized by those in authority. 5. Provide a statement of when the decision becomes effective and a statement of severance benefits or package (preferably in writing). 6. List the steps involved in checking out. The checklist should be provided in writing, including effective dates for returning corporate property. 7. Note the reaction of the employee and allow time for venting of emotion or a short recess if the emotional reaction is intense. 8. Offer support in terms of best wishes, a letter of recommendation, or references, if possible.

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9. Provide an opportunity for responses, statements, and questions. Offer to answer any questions. 10. Briefly describe the OTR service and outplacement counselor that will be made available to the terminated employees. 11. Present to the terminated employee the outplacement counselor, who should be standing by in the hall or next office. 12. Remain until the employee accepts, decides to delay, or rejects the OTR services. 13. Exit with an expression of best wishes.3 Such an agenda is lengthy. There are alternatives, however. One is what we call a "brief briefing." Another is a "conference wheel" style meeting. Brief Briefing The brief briefing is an approach that aims to keep the meeting short—perhaps only five minutes in length. This brief approach sends five distinct messages: 1. I've got bad news for you and am sorry things did not work out for you. 2. Your position, for reasons one, two and three, is being eliminated, effective (date). 3. This decision has been made at a high level and is irrevocable. 4. Here is a list of both your severance package and your check-out procedures. 5. If you have any questions, see personnel, and now I'll leave you with an outplacement counselor. Although this approach seems terribly mechanical and unsympathetic, it puts the manager in the position of simply serving as an objective notifier. The termination interviewer is saying in an emotionally detached way, "This is not my decision. I am simply giving you a briefing on your current status with the company." Conference Wheel A second, more elaborate, but efficient approach is the conference wheel approach to the termination. The design looks like a wheel with the employee as the central hub. Rather than asking the outplaced employee to go to the payroll office and then to the personnel office and to the security office, and finally to the OTR counselor, the employee remains stationary. The employee's supervisor opens the interview with a short explanation of the purpose of the conference and the procedure. The supervisor then introduces the next spoke in the wheel, such as his or her supervisor, who enters, informs the employee about the reasons for the termination, the rationale, and the consideration that has been given to the termination decision. The supervisor's supervisor then leaves, and the supervisor introduces a manager from personnel or human resources who informs the employee about the severance package. After the human resource person leaves, the supervisor introduces the next spoke in this conference wheel, the se-

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curity officer, who provides information on the check-out procedures. And so it goes, with each resource person in turn entering the conference, providing infonnation and support, and then leaving the room for the next person to be introduced by the employee's supervisor. The last person introduced is the OTR counselor. At that time the supervisor leaves (with best wishes), and an OTRemployee orientation interview begins. One advantage to this conference wheel approach is that it is comprehensive but uses each participant's time efficiently. It introduces persons in authority and specialists in various areas. It does not put the responsibility, except for coordinating the conference, on the shoulders of the supervisor, and it takes the focus off one supervisor. Both the brief-briefing approach and the conference wheel approach illustrate extreme models. They range from the simple to the complex. Companies tailor their meetings to fit their needs, drawing upon either of these models. In practice, there is a wide disparity of advice regarding approaches and lengths of time allotted for the termination interview. For example, one source claims that the "meeting should be brief and specific—two to five minutes to give notice, outline conditions and suggest next steps" 4 In contrast, the Electric Boat Company, a subsidiary of General Dynamics in Groton, Connecticut, has a four-hour briefing when groups are notified of termination. The briefings are begun by company managers, who explain severance benefits, termination dates, and resources available from their corporate career transition center; the briefing continues with representatives from state agencies, who explain how to apply for educational opportunities, retraining money, United Way benefits, and food stamps. 5 In all these approaches there must be thorough homework done by the supervisor. Even if the team approach is not used, as in the conference wheel approach, there is cooperation during preplanning between the direct supervisor and the personnel officer, the human resource department and the OTR counselor, as these professionals support the supervisor with content and procedures for the planning and preparation stage of the termination meeting. OTR professionals can be especially helpful in training supervisors in the timing, conduct, and procedures for conducting such interviews, whether they be with outplaced executives, middle managers, or hourly workers. The Time and Place for the Termination Meeting According to Richard L. Knowdell et al., while there is a tendency to want to put oft" the termination until the end of the week, it is a mistake to terminate on a Friday afternoon. That only leaves the terminated employee in the uncomfortable position of stewing unhappily all weekend. A more appropriate time would be a Tuesday or Wednesday morning, right before lunch. This will give the outplacement counselor the opportunity to assist the employee in getting personal items from the office (workplace) while the rest of the staff is at lunch.6

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The time and place for conducting termination interviews is an important human resource and environmental issue. Because of its importance, the scheduling of the interview is often determined by the employee's immediate supervisor, who should know the employee's work schedule and something about the employee's life situation. Consider what can happen when there is poor timing. One story told to us is that of a man we will call Dan Millar. He was a manager of 25 years, and one Saturday went to his office to proudly show his future son-in-law the corporation where he worked. Dan's daughter was to be married the next day, and Saturday offered an excellent opportunity to tour the plant and executive offices without disturbing anyone. Upon seeing his supervisor, Dan introduced the groom-to-be. In response the supervisor asked Dan to step into his office. While the groom waited outside, the supervisor told Dan that his job would be terminated on Monday morning and that he should come prepared to check in the corporation's property and keys and then to clean out his desk. Dan left the office and the building with a pink slip in his hand. Such instances should remind us that there is a time and place for everything. A good time considers the employee's personal situation. A good place provides privacy and confidentiality. As with other types of interviews the place should be one that is free of interruptions, including telephone calls. This may mean that neither the employee's workplace nor the supervisor's office are desirable locations. A neutral territory such as a private office or conference room where the supervisor can leave the employee and the OTR counselor is more appropriate. ESTABLISHING A WORKING RELATIONSHIP When the termination interview is finished and the OTR counselor is introduced to the outplaced worker (now a job candidate) the work of building and crossing the third bridge begins. According to Brammer and Humberger, the counselor is introduced to new candidates as soon as possible after they are terminated. If they agree to accept outplacement counseling, the process begins. Candidates also may have the option in their contracts to request a different outplacement counseling firm. They also may go into the job market alone or use whatever job search facilities that might be available through the corporation benefit package.7 Thus begins building and crossing the third bridge—the process of establishing the important working relationship between the outplaced employee and the OTR counselor. The initial meeting begins a process of establishing rapport and gaining trust. The message projected by the OTR counselor is: "I am here to help you. I have a general understanding of what you are going through, and I want to listen to you and help you through this period so that you can conduct a successful job campaign to become relocated."

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a

Building Rapport This is a tall order for the OTR counselor, and it is a message and an ethos that will have to be proven and accepted over time. It will be important that the candidate gain faith in the guidance that the counselor can provide. The sooner that confidence is established and begins to grow, the better for all concerned. One approach used by successful OTR counselors is to place themselves just outside or near the conference room where the termination interview is taking place. They then step in for their introduction and wait until the supervisor leaves. They may conduct their visit there, or they may invite their outplaced candidate to go to lunch or leave the premises. As they leave, the OTR counselor frequently warns, "Before we leave, if you have anything that connects you to the organization, such as keys, files, or security cards, turn them in right now, so that you can never be held liable for any company property after you've left." Leaving the Past Helping the candidate dispose of company responsibilities, the counselor next tells the terminated employee, "I want you to come to work with me! Leave this old job behind and let's get started on building your career. We have a program at the OTR firm that's proven helpful for people in your situation. It can work for you." In the scenario above, you will notice how the OTR counselor established three important positive postures: (1) You can walk away from past woes, closing a chapter of your life and step positively into the next chapter. (2) You can establish new working relationships with new professionals in a new organization. (Notice the assumption that one can completely break with the past. The past is forgotten, except as prologue to the future, and we go on from there.) (3) The OTR program can serve you well by providing steps for your improved career development and opportunities. If this style seems too positive or "Pollyanna-ish," consider the alternative reaction to losing your job. According to Brammer and Humberger, "the trauma of being terminated occasionally unleashes personality problems, precipitates depressions, intensifies feelings of job burnout, and covers all relationships with an air of tenseness and bitterness"8 Turning to alcohol or drugs for relief at this point, as some terminated employees do, only exacerbates the problem. The positive and future-oriented style of the OTR professional attempts to mitigate this self-destructive path. It does not, however, preclude allowing the candidate to express feelings about the past. A very important function of this initial meeting and others to come is to discuss how the candidate feels about being terminated. Meeting in private, so that the employee can vent emotions, feelings may come in a flood of tears or an outburst of anger. Rapport is built as the candidate feels comfortable in expressing these emotions to the OTR counselor.

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Preparing to Take the News Home During this initial meeting, occurring usually within 12 hours of the termination meeting, the counselor should offer support to the candidate and the candidate's family. The counselor might begin by asking, "Do you need some help in breaking this termination news to your spouse, friends, or family?" It is not uncommon for the OTR counselor to accompany the terminated employee to break the news to the family. In some cases there may be good reason for delaying the announcement to the family or friends. Occasionally, candidates, for no reason other than the fear of facing their new status, will keep the termination trauma bottled up inside and begin a secretive existence. One manager, for example, never told his wife and family he'd been terminated. Instead, he left the house every morning at the same time with briefcase in hand and pretended to be on his way to work—"business as usual." OTR counselors can help with this family communication. Going home with the news is not easy. A friend or family member may experience such shock at hearing the termination news that they respond with remarks that are often unkind. They are likely to blurt out damaging comments such as, "Oh, no, what did you do to get yourself fired?" or "Did you screw up again?" An effective OTR service provides support for the employee and assists the family in providing support for the terminated employee.

Introducing the OTR Program Two additional items on the agenda for this initial orientation meeting between counselor and candidate get the employee started in the transition and relocation process: (1) bringing the candidate to the outplacement center and introducing it as a new work site—with introductions to the new secretary and associates—if the OTR service contracted includes office space for the candidate; and (2) providing a general overview of the new program and perhaps even giving an assignment to the candidate. Finally, this initial meeting between the OTR counselor and the candidate should end with an agreement to work together- -a type of verbal contract of consent—and an appointment to begin a work session in a day or two.

SUMMARY Armed with knowledge of how the OTR process gets employees started, providers, consumers, and users of OTR services can examine their particular service to see that assistance "up front" with the termination process is in place and has all the appropriate components. Firms package this part of the process under different names. Right Associates, for example, calls it "Notifier Training." Convinced that their job is a lot easier and the terminated employee better served if the

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OTR process is able to influence the way the tennination event is communicated, OTR firms have traditionally provided this service as an integral part of a "full outplacement service." It is usually integral to establishing a working relationship with the individual candidate. NOTES 1. While nearly all outplacement professionals consider early intervention to be important in providing readjustment services to dislocated workers, different people interpret "early" differently. Some outplacement professionals would trace the beginnings of layoff and termination problems to mistakes made in the selection and hiring process. See John L. Meyer and Melvin W. Donaho, Get the Right Person for the Job: Managing Interviews a Selecting Employees (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1979), Chapter 2, p. 18. Others feel personnel problems should be corrected with job appraisal interviews, motivation, or retraining. 2. Ibid. 3. Termination interviews vary in agenda and schedule. This is a compilation of several. 4. Anthony S. Papalia and Sheila Dai, The Role of Counselors and Counseling Agencs in the Industrial Outplacement Process (Alexandria, VA: International Association of Counseling Services, Inc., 1986), p. 12. 5. Bob Filipczak, "Group Outplacement: More Than 'How to Write a Resume,'" Training, June 1992, p. 48. 6. Richard L. Knowdell, Carl O. McDaniels, Al Hesser, and Garry R. Walz, Outplacement Counseling (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1983), p. 25. 7. Lawrence M. Brammer and Frank F'. Humberger, Outplacement and Inplacement Counseling (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984), p. 41. 8. Ibid., p. 42.

6

Accoutrements for People in Transition People shape their own environments, and then their environments shape them. John L. Meyer

"The best thing that outplacement services can do for the redundant or dislocated employee is to provide space or office facilities. That is important and valuable." These are the words of a person knowledgeable of outplacement services and skeptical and critical of most of what is offered. "If nothing else," he says, "outplacement provides a place." Although not every OTR service provides office space for each terminated employee, many OTR providers, whether operating in the workplace or off-site, have traditionally provided a workspace to which each outplaced employee can report. Included with the workspace desk are secretarial help, telephone or fax access, and OTR resource materials. OUTPLACEMENT IS THE "O-WORD," AN OUTPOST OFFICE-AWAY-FROM-OFFICE OTR services can provide an outpost for the displaced worker. This is an out-ofthe-way place where the outplaced employee can regroup in order to outflank and outmaneuver the stigma and sting of unemployment and plan to regain employment. An advantage of having such an office-away-from-office (if not a homeaway-from-home) is that it provides a place and a space where the outplaced can

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focus on the tasks of transition and relocation without the distractions of the home environment or shadow of the last workplace. It also creates a schedule and an agenda for the outplaced person who now needs to "report to the office" on a daily or regular basis for briefings, workshops, and meetings with counselors and trainers. This routine enables the outplaced person to maintain an efficient internal clock. It prevents the tenninated employee from drifting aimlessly on a sea of depression of fantasy. The importance of routine should not be minimized. The need to maintain a sense of "time" has been clearly recognized among males retired from the military. Following a reduction in force they are known as the people who were "riffed." Accustomed for decades to being up at the crack of dawn and reporting in a clean, well-pressed uniform, shoes shined, and groomed with a clean-cut shave and haircut, they now suddenly stop shaving, shining, shampooing, or dressing to regulation and start sleeping without regularity, reporting to no one at any time. They sometimes become slovenly, unkempt, and listless—without purpose, aim, or direction. Some have become addicted to alcohol or drugs, very unhappy, if not downright miserable, and, it is believed, short-lived at a time when they might be enjoying a second career or a happy retirement. Clearly, routine has a purpose.

FROM POSH TO PLAIN OTR CENTERS OTR centers vary in decor, just as corporate headquarters offer a contrast in workshops and workstations. Some centers attempt to replicate the most posh executive suites, and they are located in the best part of town, creating a considerable real estate expense for the outplacement organization. Surrounded by the excitement of downtown, with high-class restaurants, theaters, galleries, museums, hotels, and some of the most fashionable and elegant shopping facilities, these outplacement centers are furnished with plush carpeting, modern furniture, large colorful paintings, elegant fine-wood paneling, and large windows with panoramic views of the city. Some of the posh centers provide nearby access to private clubs, health spas, recreational facilities, and private underground parking. Some provide membership in nearby clubs where candidates are given schedules for fitness classes, workout sessions, or athletic activities. Locker rooms and shower or sauna facilities are available, so that the candidate can move between office and locker room and be appropnateiy dressed and groomed for either. A classy outplacement agency suite often consists of a reception area where one is greeted, offered refreshments, and invited to a lounge or reading area. The candidate is then escorted by an outplacement counselor to a conference room, passing along the way a library, a kitchenette or break room, and perhaps a computer center surrounded by individual offices or study carrels. Floor plans vary but many are designed to provide high-traffic and low-traffic areas, isolated conference rooms, and centralized classrooms or boardrooms, equipped with electronic visual and auditory aids.

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In contrast to the posh, there are in-house and off-site outplacement centers that are quite plain. Some look like ordinary business offices with numerous cubicles. Others resemble church or community hall basements, with one large room, headed by the receptionist's desk and divided by a multitude of portable screens that fold around a desk and a chair or two to make a "private office" for the outplaced employee. Most outplacement centers fall somewhere in between the extremes of the posh and the plain. Sometimes facilities are quickly leased near the plant or large industrial complex where large numbers of workers are terminated. Sometimes outplacement offices are located in a nearby shopping center, hotel, or office complex and look no different from offices common to doctors, dentists, or lawyers. ALLIED ACCOUTREMENTS When a soldier goes into battle, that soldier needs the necessary tools and equipment for both survival and battle. In the same way, outplaced employees need accessories to equip them in their campaign for relocation. OTR organizations often provide the needed anns to their job crusaders. These include: 1. A new address where there is a mailbox, secretarial assistance, and an individual answering service. Prospective employers can communicate with the outplaced and be greeted by a secretary answering the phone with a professional tone, such as "Good Morning. Executive office. How may I help you?" or the receptionist may even include the outplacement candidate's name, as in "Good Morning, Ms. Jones' office." 2. A private office or cubicle with a desk and phone. 3. Secretarial equipment, such as computer, printer, telephone, fax, and duplicating equipment. Usually the outplaced are provided letterhead and envelopes along with the secretarial help to construct and mail letters and resumes. Computer equipment often has software packages to help with networking and communication (see Chapter 13). 4. A training area with videotape equipment. This facilitates viewing many excellent instructional videotapes as well as recording role playing interviews to be studied and corrected in the office or on a video player at home (see Chapter 14). 5. Conference rooms with blackboards, overhead projector, and screen. 6. A library with job directories, electronic bulletin boards, career counseling books, catalogs, reference materials, as well as subscriptions to certain trade journals.

ADVANTAGES CLAIMED To many providers and candidates, the provision of an OTR center with its accoutrements provides advantages for the OTR candidate over job seekers who work without such benefits. In addition to equipment and facilities, gaining a place provides the candidate with the illusion of a new job and the professional contacts and support systems needed.

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Outplaced employees brought to an OTR center with a prestigious environment, pleasant ambience, and state-of-the-art equipment are impressed and often able to imagine that they have been given a promotion with their "new job." (Indeed, the transition process is a new job.) This often has a salutary, motivational effect in helping them to overcome the pain of job loss and dedicate themselves enthusiastically to the OTR process. Their self-image is enhanced, and they are less inclined to settle for a job that is not a good career fit for them. Similarly, when outplaced employees are given secretarial assistance, a personal counselor, trainers, and teachers, they are often motivated by this personal attention and get a lift toward a new start. Workshops and group sessions at the center also give them access to additional support persons. The contact with other outplaced employees using the center can provide a cathartic effect as they share ston e s of job outplacement, the uncertainties of the transition process, and the successful relocation. ALTERNATIVE VIEWS Discussion of the matter of accoutrements would not be complete if we did not note that there are cntics of the establishment and use of OTR centers. Their viewpoints are among those considered in Chapter 19's discussion on how one chooses an OTR provider. One concern is related to the cost of the real estate. Many feel that it is disproportionate to the benefit and forces the total cost of the service out of reach. Joe Meissner of Power Marketing sardonically refers to his office space as "real estate time share—a silly direction," he says, that might be better outsourced. l John Lucht has no problem with the office and support provisions, but, given the high cost of office space, he questions the extent to which candidates really are encouraged to use the space. He also wonders whether "ambience" is being substituted for other services, such as large direct mail campaigns, which he thinks are important. About one candidate's OTR office in a high-rent district, he wrote, "Nice office, and apparently you could sit there. Great secretaries, too. But don 7 ask them to put out letters."1 Some critics fear that instead of serving to motivate job seekers, the candidate's presence at the office may, in fact, slow down the process. Candidates, they say, tend to "play office" and ignore the reality of their situations. Keen OTR counselors in these cases detect procrastination and help the candidates "get to work," moving them through the OTR process. SUMMARY Whether an essential part of the service or a waste of dollars, accoutrements are integral to many OTR packages. Like any resource, they are best used when integrated into an OTR process that addresses the particular outplacement, transition, and relocation needs of each candidate.

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NOTES 1. Interview with Joe Meissner, Power Marketing, San Francisco. 2. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1993), p. 332.

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7

Personal Counseling— What and When The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933

There is a wise, old adage that says, Sometimes, before you can take one step for ward, you need to take two steps hack. So it often is with the OTR process. Befo outplaced employees can launch into a full career counseling program, they need to step back and get a firm footing over some slippery fears. COUNSELING THE DAZED CANDIDATE As we outlined in Chapter 2, termination has a profound emotional impact on the employee. Whether the employee knew well in advance that cuts were to be made in the workforce or it came as a sudden and complete surprise, the ultimate dismissal is always a jolt, shaking an employee from what may have been a state of denial. The shock and accompanying anger often manifest themselves in a sort of disorientation or confusion—a dazed state. An example of the behavior that can result is the case of Mac. Mac was a gentle, kindly guy, whose job in a rapidly expanding retail organization had outgrown his abilities. He seemed not to understand that he had been fired and kept going back to visit in his old office, visit with his former colleagues and try to give them a hand. Maybe the fact that a replacement for him had not yet been found and the office was still empty encouraged his belief that he hadn't been fired after all. The company finally had to lock his office. He

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still didn't get the message, and for weeks after, he refused to accept the written confirmation of his dismissal that the company sent to him via courier.1

Well aware of the fact that terminated employees might be experiencing any range of emotions, OTR firms have designed the OTR process to address the feelings of the outplaced employee as one of the first items on the agenda. Since its inception, the OTR industry has been staffed in large measure by professionals from the behavioral sciences fields -social workers, human resource professionals, psychologists, and clergy—all of whom are committed to the helping professions and are well-equipped to assist candidates with the psychosocial issues related to career transitions. Early in the process the counselor takes time to let the candidate become aware of and deal with the feelings that are bound to emerge. Some of the venting comes at the termination meeting, described in Chapter 5, some at the early sessions with the OTR professional at the OTR firm. Many counselors report, however, that it is not unusual for feelings to surface time and again throughout the process, and that sometimes progress tlirough the process has to be delayed or modified while a candidate takes time to deal with an emotional issue that he or she wasn't able to deal with early in the process. It is often useful to let the candidate talk about his or her feelings toward the employer, the person who conducted the termination notification, the corporate policy, co-workers, the community at large, and family members. The role of the OTR professional is to help the candidate process feelings and handle them responsibly. Counselors are trained in empathic or "active listening" skills, which enable them to be sensitive to the various ways candidates express their feelings. The exchange is often cathartic for candidates. As listeners, the OTR professionals serve as a sounding board, often what the candidate most needs. At other times, the OTR professional needs to be directive and caution the candidate not to do something counterproductive, such as venting anger at the former employer, writing an angry letter to the press, or engaging in vindictive or violent behavior. Through the use of fantasy, such as writing the angry letter and then discarding it, the counselor can help the candidate put such feelings to rest in order to get on with the job of planning a transition to a new career. COUNSELING FOR FAMILY AND FRIEND FEARS One of the early issues with which the OTR process assists is the candidate's anxiety about breaking the termination news to family and friends. The candidate often asks, "What will my family and friends think when they hear I've been fired?" This embarrassment, shame, or fear of being perceived as a failure is an understandable initial reaction by the employee given the role a person's job plays in our society. As William Morin and Lyle Yorks explain it: We are a society that assigns status according to a person's job. In industrial America, the father's occupation has been the major determinant of status which in turn has determined the family's class standing, wiiere they lived, where the children went to school and with whom the

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family associates . . . in short, the lifestyle and life changes of all family members. With the emergence of women into the mainstream of management and other work roles, family class standing is increasingly becoming codetermined by the male's and/or female's occupation. On a more fundamental level, to be employed is to have daily evidence of one's worth to others. Diversely, not to have a job is not to have something that is valued by one's fellow human beings. As Erich Fromm has observed: In our society success or failure at work is seen as a direct measure of a person's value as human being.2

Morin and Yorks cite additional evidence to show that the terminated employee is likely to face psychological consequences from negative reactions communicated by family and friends. Reports from outplacement counselors reveal, for example, that nearly half of the managers with whom they work encounter accusations of failure rather than support from their immediate family. This corroborates the more recent survey published by outplacement consultant, James Challenger, which we cited in Chapter 3. "Fired? Why? What did you do?" "You never do anything right!" "You got fired? How could you? Of all the times!" Responses and accusations such as these are not that uncommonly heard when the outplaced gets home. Suddenly, Morin and Yorks explain, friends and acquaintances are too busy to see the outplaced employee, who now begins to feel guilty, so much so that even when family and friends are supportive, the outplaced withdraws.3 Sensitive OTR professionals recognize that negative reactions are the result of fears felt by family and friends and that such fears are excess baggage for the outplaced employee. What is needed at this point is family and friend support—not criticism. Is it serious? The stress and disruption to family life can result in broken marriages and family separations. Consequently, OTR programs may offer valuable family-support counseling. Many outplacement counselors begin the process of family OTR counseling when they initially meet the employee during or after the termination meeting. Such questions as the following often are the starting point: Does your family know? Have you thought about how you will break the news to your family or friends? Would you like me to go with you to meet and talk to your family? When such questions are used appropriately, at the right time and place, family outplacement counseling may begin and end right there. More elaborate and welldeveloped programs may include a home visit, a family counseling session, or even a series of meetings with family and friends to develop a support group for the outplaced employee. WTiile most OTR firms extend an invitation to spouses to accompany the candidate to at least initial sessions with the counselor, few offer programs designed for spouses and family members, and few document any considerable involvement on the part of family members.

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Perhaps the most carefully researched, designed, and monitored of these family and friends OTR counseling programs is that created by Jill Jukes and Ruthan Rosenberg, both consultants and counselors with Murray Axmith and Associates, Ltd. In their book, Suniving Your Partners Job Loss* Jukes and Rosenberg discuss a number of elements on which they have built an effective spousal OTR program, including: Counseling to avoid isolation and burying of feelings. The authors contend that the outplaced employee, the spouse, as well as other family and friends may all feel a range of emotions. As we discussed in Chapter 3, these include shock and disbelief, bewilderment, shame and embarrassment, guilt, profound disappointment, anxiety, fear, vulnerability, helplessness, stress, and betrayal. Anger at the corporation may be expected, but anger at one's mate is often a surprise though not so uncommon. A spouse may not want to admit a feeling of anger toward one's marital partner for being outplaced and making the future less secure or certain. More specifically the authors explain: Recognize that your feelings are valid and valuable. Even anger. But remember, there is a huge difference between expressing your anger in a calm, rational way (or even a great airclearing fight) and engaging, as so many people do, in what is called passive controlling. That is, expressing your anger by getting mad over trivialities, or by keeping your partner waiting when you are going out, or being too tired for intimacy. And so forth.5 Assistance in breaking the news strategically. How the employee breaks the news to spouse, children, and friends can make a big difference. Jukes and Rosenberg believe that with a few exceptions it is a mistake to hide the fact of termination from family and friends. They advise in most cases there is nothing to be gained•- and lots to lose—by keeping news of the termination from the family. By speaking about the firing in a reassuring, optimistic, and realistic manner, more often than not they will find invaluable emotional support. Gaining the support of family and friends. This includes tactics for dealing with negative or disapproving members as well as those who interrogate the outplaced employee with a constant barrage of questions. The organization and development of a support group. Tactics here range from working out a family financial plan to discussing job targets with the respective families. Working as a couple, and including each mate's family, the family as a team can explore contacts, job leads, or suggestions. To be effective, Jukes and Rosenberg believe an outplacement approach should involve the family. They start with the couple and extend it to bring in, as appropriate, the immediate and extended family members. Also, they add friends and others to provide a support group to assist the candidate through the job search transition. FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND REVIEW "What are we going to do about the mortgage?" "How are we going to pay our bills?" "What's going to happen to our family plans such as school for the children, financial commitments, social or vacation goals?"

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Another personal and paralyzing fear that can impede progress toward career counseling is the fear of financial loss, dependency, or poverty. Therefore, OTR professionals often provide a helpful service by providing the means for realistic financial assessment. Drake Beam Morin, Inc., for example, considers financial matters so important that it offers its candidates access to personal financial service provided by the accounting firm Ernst and Young.6 Detecting anxieties on the part of the discharged employee, the sensitive counselor must be careful not to exacerbate the fear but to provide financial data that are accurate and reassuring both for the short term and the long term. A mistake in these matters can have longterm and devastating consequences. For example, Joanne, a single parent riffed from the military, was told by a resource person sent to her by the OTR firm that because of her time and rank she would receive a given amount of unemployment insurance once she was released from the military. Her financial income projections were shattered, however, when she learned she was not eligible for a higher figure quoted her but a significantly lower-figured benefit. The consequence? Months and years of greater financial hardship and a greater mistrust for OTR assistance.7 OTR financial counseling often begins with a discussion of when the current salary is terminated and when, and if, severance pay will begin. The aim is to reassure realistically and accurately that there is financial support of one type or another (severance pay, unemployment benefits or assistance, retirement funds, etc.) available to the outplaced employee and to reaffirm faith in financial plans by remaking budgets. Budgeting, which should be a family project (when, and if, family members are affected) often begins with the terminated employee making the following calculations: How much money will I have coming in each month? and How much money will be going out each month, in the form of expenses—rent, mortgage, utilities, fuel, insurance, groceries, and debt repayment? OTR professionals report that unfortunately for many of the outplaced, tins is the first time they have ever done such basic budget calculations. Therefore it is often desirable to provide budget worksheets. For example, a simple question such as, "How much do you, or your family, spend on groceries each month?" can stump many employees. They might need to answer that question by consulting with family members and then making calculations while observing buying habits over a week or two. Although at some point it may be crucial to look at the big picture—-one's total net worth (liquidable and illiquidable assets) and total debt—there are some advantages for the displaced worker to become more aware of the development of daily, weekly and monthly income and, especially, expenses. Figure 7.1 is a financial review form used by some OTR professionals to bring employees to such a heightened awareness. With the financial information calculated from the financial review and summary sheets it is possible for the discharged employee and counselor to make some financial projections. Even if it is impossible to predict how long before gainful employment will resume, one can, nonetheless, make projections—say, for example, six months or one year into the future. The process for each month is the same:

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Month 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Calculate currencurrenntt total net income Add, as necessary,cessary. total contingency funds Subtract totalct total fixed expenditures Subtract totalct total varied expenditures Calculate surplus urplus income or (-loss)

Caveat Emptor: "Let the buyer beware" Without a budget, particularly in these days of easy credit and credit cards, many consumers find themselves in significant financial debt. If the consumer doesn't understand the concept of credit, he or she is likely to pay up to 21 percent interest on credit card purchases. By paying only the minimum payment, the interest on the original balance might be extended over several months or years (at 21 percent interest). One estimate is that the average American family has $ 15,000 in unsecured debt (excluding house or car). 8 To help straighten out such problems, and avert the tendency of some to declare bankruptcy (usually a last resort) a consumer credit counseling service may need to be consulted. It can be tough to dig out of a heavy debt load and it may require the help of such financial experts.

SPECIALIZED COUNSELING AND REFERRAL PROCEDURES OTR organizations usually have officers and staff with a variety of abilities and specializations. For example, many have registered psychologists to perform the testing and assessment procedures. Others have lawyers on staff to help with legal or litigation problems that may arise. Occasionally discharged employees have personal problems that require the help of a specialist beyond the capabilities of those within the outplacement organization. It is then that specialists, including counselors skilled in areas such as alcohol abuse, divorce, or psychiatric counseling, are called in as outside con-

Figure 7.1 Financial Review Form

I.

Current Total Monthly Income (monthly average) A.

B.

Regular Income Salary Commissions Savings interest Investment interest/dividends Other Regular Income Subtotal Other Income Bonus/Commissions Stock options Profit Sharing Royalties Other Other Income Subtotal Fringe Benefits Health + Life + Retirement + Cost of Living + Fringe Subtotal (. ) Total Gross Monthly Income (TMI) Withholding

Federal Tax + State or Provincial Tax + Other + Total Taxation Other Withholding Unemployment Insurance +_ Pension Plan State/Fed. +

+_ + + + + ( + + + + + (

Figure 7.1 Financial Review Form (continued)

life Insurance + Health Insurance + Retirement + Other + Total Other Wi thholding Total Monthly Withholding (TMW) Total Monthly Withholding (TMW) from Total Monthly Income (TMI): TOTAL CU RRENT NET INCOME II.

(

.

Total Fixed Expenditures (monthly average) (Fixed = those expenditures that remain generally constant during any period.) A.

B.

House-related Expenditures House (mortgage, rent, etc.) Property tax 1/12 Homeowners/renters insurance 1/12 Other insurance 1/12 School taxes Heat/fuel Electricity Water/Sewage Telephone Trash removal Cable Total Fixed House-related Expenditures Transportation Automobile(s) or other vehicles (payments) Operation Maintenance 1/12 Insurance Parking Garage

76

+_ +_ + +_

+_ +_ +_ +_ +_ +_ +_

+. -h

+. +_ +_

+.

)

Figure 7.1 Financial Review Form (continued)

C

III.

Tolls Taxi, bus, subway Shuttle Other Total Fixed Transportation Expenses Personal Food Alimony Child Support Personal loans Clothing Personal (additional) insurance 1/12 Life Insurance Otlier Total Fixed Personal Expenditures TOTAL FIXED EXPENSES

+_ +_ +__ +_

+_ +_ +__ +__ +_ +__ +__ +_ __ (__

Noniixed (Vaiied) Expenditures (monthly average) A.

B.

House maintenance and repairs Cleaning Carpeting Furniture Drapes/curtains Masonry Lawn Snow removal Electrical Roof Appliances Painting Other Total NonfLxed House Expenditures Transportation Repair Tires

77

+ + + + + + + + + + + +

+ +

Figure 7.1 Financial Review Form (continued)

C

Battery Other Total Non-fixed Transportation Personal Pharmacy Medical/Dental Hospital Religious Charity Education Savings for college Allowances Cleaning/Laundry Recreation Entertainment Club Dues, expenses Books Subscriptions Gifts Other Total NonfLxed Personal Expenses TOTAL NONF1XED EXPENDITURES

+ +

+ + + + + + + + + + + 4-

+ + + +

(

)

Financial Summary Having collected all of the financial information listed above, one is ready for a financial summary. This consists of the following: Total Regular Monthly Income Total Other Monthly Income Total Gross Monthly Income (TMI) Total Withholding (TMW) Current Total Net Income Contingency Funds Savings Accounts Stocks/Bonds

+_ +._

Personal Counseling

79

Figure 7.1 Financial Review Form (continued)

Other Total Contingency Fund Fixed Expenditures Total House-related expenditures Total Transportation expenditures Total Personal expenditures Other Total Fixed Expenditures Varied (NonfLxed) Expenditures Total House varied expenditures Total Transportation varied expenditures Total personal expenditures Total Varied Expenditures Total Expenditures

+_

-h -f

+. -K

+_

-K +•_

Total Monthly Surplus Income Total Monthly Loss sultants to perform a service for the organization. Some of these outside specialists are on retainer and are readily available; others come in on a short-term contractual basis. In helping with the fears of the outplaced, OTR counselors may discover problems too complicated to be healed by the general practitioner. In these rare instances the counselor calls on competent specialists in finance, law, psychiatry, or medicine. NOTES 1. Jill Jukes and Ruthan Rosenberg, Surviving Your Partner's Job Loss: The Comple Guide to Rescuing Your Marriage and Family from Todays Economy (Washington, DC: National Press Books, 1993), p. 74. 2. William J. Morin and Lyle Yorks. Outplacement Techniques: A Positive Approach Terminating Employees (New York: AMACOM, 1982), pp. 16-17. See also Work America, Report of a special task force to the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (Cambridge, MA: The M.I.T. Press, n.d.); and Erich Fromm, The Revolution of Hope (New Yk: Harper & Row, 1964). 3. Morin and Yorks, Outplacement Techniques, p. 17. 4. Jukes and Rosenberg, Surviving Your Partners Job Loss. 5. Ibid., p. 37.

80

The Changing Outplacement Process

6. Burdick & Mitchell, "Winning Edge," San Diego Daily Transcript,March 1, 1993. 7. Interview with Joanne (pseudonym), Clinton (NY) Community College. 8. Mark Ducharme, Burlington, V T, Oft ice of Consumer Credit Counseling Servic as reported in Press-Republican, Pittsburgh, NY.

Stage Two Making Decisions

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8

Assessing the Unemployed Candidate Know thyself. Inscription at the Delphic Oracle. From Plutarch, Morals

As outplacement candidates embark upon the "Making Decisions" stage of the outplacement process, the OTR counselor helps them in three ways. One is to help them explore, through assessment, their life and work—their abilities as well as shortcomings; their dreams and limitations; their values, wants, needs, interests, temperaments, traits, and, very important, their accomplishments and achievements. A second way is to help candidates interpret subjective impressions gleaned through interviewing and written activities, often by relating these impressions to the results of more objective tests and assessment measures. A third way the OTR counselor helps is in assisting candidates to integrate assessment interpretations with their own insights and to "make sense" of the assessment information. The OTR counselor is an invaluable resource in helping candidates travel the road necessary to make career choices and design pathways. To help outplacement candidates, OTR professionals utilize a variety of assessment strategies—tests, questionnaires, inventories, and writing exercises. Typical are those found in the book, The Outplacement Solution: Getting the Right Job After Mergers, Takeovers, Layoffs and Other Corporate Chaos,by Karen lferer and Richard G. Wong.1 For example, starting with "your present state of mind," which is an exercise involving 65 emotions or descriptors, respondents are encouraged to identify emotions and get in touch with their feelings. These self-

84

The Changing Outplacement Process

directed inquiries lead respondents to gain vision and aspiration. They are frequently supplemented by tests and other alternative assessment strategies. Our purposes in this chapter are: to outline the opinions of OTR professionals regarding testing and alternative strategies; to list the major purposes of assessment, with examples of tests and assessment strategies used for each; and to give the reader an idea of how the assessment process proceeds. In Appendix C the reader will find names and addresses of organizations and consultants providing many of the assessment tools discussed in this chapter. TESTING For some outplacement counselors, assessment involves testing. For others it definitely does not involve testing. Still other outplacement counselors like to use a mix of tests and alternative assessment strategies, depending on the needs of the candidate. In reviewing the contemporary outplacement process, we asked OTR professionals what they thought of the practice of testing outplaced employees and how they determined the value of tests. W;e asked those who use tests to explain how their tests were used and what advantages they find to including tests in an OTR program. The answers we got were seldom predictable. Reactions were mixed and often expressed opposite points of view. To some, tests are of little or no value. Some outplacement counselors are, at least at times, opposed to the use of objective tests. This group of outplacement counselors presents the following arguments: 1. Throwing tests at an outplaced employee is a waste of time, money, and effort. 2. It is wrong to assume that just because someone has lost a job (or career), it is necessary to give him or her a test or, worse, a battery of tests. 3. The outplacement profession is not served well by psychometric experts who think gathering hard data for a so-called personal profile is necessary before one can begin providing help. 4. Some tests and inventories have been shown to be outdated, biased, or misleading in what they purport to measure as well as in the way counselois interpret the results. As such, the tests are of little benefit to the outplaced. 5. A good interviewer, through questioning, observing, studying, and researching, can discover as much, or more, about an outplaced employee than a whole battery of tedious testing procedures. In sum, to some OTR professionals, there is little or no need for tests or test results. To others, tests are helpful instruments. Opposing arguments were voiced by some outplacement counselors who saw tests and testing as quite important. Their rationale includes the following points: 1. Interviews, observations, and impressions can provide the counselor with much valuable information about the outplaced worker, but such information and interpretations can be

Assessing the Unemployed Candidate

85

misleading. Good test data are needed to provide verification and checks on subjective impressions. 2. Well-researched and well-constructed assessment inventories and tests almost always provide results or insights that are beneficial to both the counselor and the outplaced worker. 3. There is an important place for both "subjective" and "objective" test measures in outplacement counseling. Test information greatly helps both in assessing the outplaced worker's strengths and shortcomings and in making recommendations for improved future employment. Before recommendations or prescriptions are made, one should diagnose with a personal profile. 4. It is wrong to assume that just because someone has lost a job (or career) that it is worthless to give him or her a relevant test—or even a battery of tests—when a "second test opinion" may be needed. 5. While it does not make sense to indiscriminately "throw tests" at everyone who is out of a job, the wise administration of tests is indispensable in saving time, money, and effort in cases where outplaced counselors are available to assist with interpretation and follow-up. In sum, tests and test results can and should be used and used well. Most qualify their interest in tests by stating that, where possible, they choose from those tests that can often be quickly administered, express simple (but not simplistic) concepts explainable in easy catchy terms, can be self-scored where appropriate, and have immediate practical applications. Some take a middle road. In between those who shun tests and those who advocate their regular use one can find the majority of outplacement counselors, who believe that a middle-road position makes sense. Both testing and alternative strategies have their place in assessment. Middle-of-the-road practitioners contend that: 1. Interviews, briefings, and discussions should precede the administration of any testing. During that time, if testing is being recommended by the OTR counselors, the outplaced employees should be convinced that testing can be helpful to them. The general purpose of testing should be understood and appreciated, and employees should be agreeable to being tested. 2. The outplacement counselor should have good reason to recommend an inventory or test. The purpose of the test should be to answer a specific question with information helpful to the outplaced or to the counselor: The specific reasons for administering a given test need not, however, be revealed immediately prior to testing. To do so might bias the test results. 3. Tests, which are really tools, should be appropriate to both the individual (the outplaced employee) and the purpose (the specific inquiry). 4. Tests should be administered and interpreted by qualified, trained, and experienced persons only. This may mean engaging psychologists outside the outplacement agency. In such cases, there needs to be good communication between the test administrator and the counselor, so that the findings and interpretation of test results are clearly and supportively revealed to the outplaced employee.

a6

The Changing Oupplacement Processs

THE PURPOSES OF ASSESSMENT Whether tests or other more subjective assessment strategies are used, it is generally agreed that a comprehensive outplacement process addresses four major questions: 1. What are the candidates' values? That is, what is most important to them? 2. What are the candidates' interests or preferences? In other words, what do they like to do? 3. What are the candidates' styles? Put in another way, how will a candidate's personality affect job satisfaction? 4. What skills do the candidates have to offer that can be matched to employers' needs? Assessing Values Assessing one's values is where outplacement counselors begin when assisting a terminated employee making a job or career change. Since values usually control behavior and surface when one is making hard choices—such as those faced by outplacement candidates during the period of transition—some process for assessing values is of paramount importance. It is a particularly relevant endeavor when one is making a job or career change in midlife. Many employees who have remained with the same company or the same type of work for a long period of time are unaware that the values they hold in midlife differ from those they held when they started their careers. That revelation may help them understand why their performance rating fell or why their satisfaction with their work was less than it might be. Before embracing a new job it is worth taking the time to step back and assess what it is that is important to them now. While many OTR counselors help their candidates get in touch with what they value in life and in their career through interviewing and discussion, some counselors use instruments such as values checklists, Don Super's Values Scale (VS), or the work of Edgar Schein.2 Another interesting technique that Brammer and Humberger describe is called "the almost impossible dream." As they explain it, there are two ways to get into these daydreams One is to ask the candidate to finish the sentence, "My almost impossible dream is . . ." The second method is to ask: "If you had your choice of all things in the world to do (present realities notwithstanding), what would you do?"3 The purpose of this activity is to uncover significant values and wishes that may have been long suppressed. At the same time, the exercise leads to an understanding of the candidate's values and needs. Another technique is to ask candidates to write out why they cannot carry out their vocational dreams, or what abilities they have or lack that will affect their carrying out their dreams. A related activity is to jot down a list of their most press-

Assessing the Unemployed Candidate

87

ing needs. Both of these activities help the candidates to outline a life history into which a work history can be added. It may help the outplaced persons to see missed opportunities or patterns that took them toward or away from their dreams and ambitions. It's a useful strategy to help them build a career path or make career decisions. Some counselors look for the exception to the pattern. During an in-depth interview early in the assessment process they use what they call "the crease approach." This involves asking candidates to identify something that doesn't make sense as they look back over their lives.4 Another easy-to-use and nonthreatening assessment strategy that some candidates will encounter is the Career Values Card Sort developed by Richard Knowdell. It consists of caption cards labeled "Always Valued," "Often Valued," "Sometimes Valued," "Seldom Valued," and "Never Valued," and 41 value cards, based on Howard Figler's work,5 containing phrases likeecognition,n, profit gain, intellectual status, advancement, independent, security, moral fulfillment, and creative expression. The candidates spread out the caption cards across the table and then place each value card under the appropriate caption. This instrument is an enjoyable part of the assessment process by which candidates can get quickly involved moving the value cards around until they are satisfied with their list. Upon completion counselors and candidates discuss the items in the "Always Valued" category and how those values relate to jobs the candidates have held in the past and career opportunities to which they might aspire in the future.6 Assessing Interests or Preferences Sometimes when outplaced employees lose their jobs they find their termination to be an opportunity to enter a new career. It is a chance to ask, "What am I interested in at this stage of my life that might lead me to a new and satisfying career?" For those who will remain in the same field, assessing their preferences can also be helpful as they examine particularly the unique preferences they bring to the job as compared to the common interests of others in the field. Such selfknowledge can help them know how to market themselves to a prospective employer. One of the most respected tools for this purpose is the Strong Interest Inventory,7 a computer-scored test that involves usually a week turnaround time to be scored. It has been well researched and found to be reliable and valid, embodying male and female norms for 98 percent of the scales. The instrument measures introversion and extroversion, academic comfort (which relates to interest, not potential), clusters of basic interests based on John Holland's occupational personalities,8 and occupational scales, which help candidates learn how their interests compare with those of other people in a given occupation and what unique interests they might bring to the job. As with any instrument, however, the test is meaningful only when it accompanies an interpretation by a

88

The Changing Outplacement Process

counselor who understands what the scales are trying to describe and can discuss the findings with the candidate. For example, if the test suggests that the candidate's interests correlate with those holding an occupational title of "funeral director," the counselor needs to help the candidate isolate what transferable interests are represented by that occupation, such as working with people in grief. If the test suggests the candidate might be interested in the occupational title of "IRS agent," the counselor can help the candidate note that IRS agents deal with people in stress, an interest that may also be expressed in other careers. A listing of "bus driver" as an occupational alternative may highlight the candidate's interest in a "hands-on" job where there is the opportunity for control and some autonomy. A well-trained OTR professional can be a valuable resource at this stage. Besides the Strong Interest Inventory there are other instruments used by qualified OTR counselors. One such tool is the Career Assessment Inventory (CAI) developed by Charles Johanson of National Computer Systems and based on many of the same models as the Strong instrument. It is particularly appropriate for assessing interests in service and technical-level jobs.9 An instrument that is useful when working with employees in lower level job categories is a self-scoring instrument known as the Career and Occupational Preferences (COPS).10 Occasionally one might find an OTR counselor using the time-honored Kuder Vocational Test,11 though Richard Knowdell considers it passe now.12 Assessing Personal Style Sometimes termination results from tension or conflict with co-workers or a supervisor that is related to differences in working styles, personality temperaments, or managerial styles. Whether a termination is related to "style-conflict" or not, however, it is useful to assess and know one's personal style in order to maximize the possibility of a good match in the next position. There have emerged over the years many instruments that measure a candidate's propensity to act in certain ways. These instruments are all based on evidence that, while individuals may learn to behave in any number of ways, they have preferred styles of behavior, just as a right-handed person prefers to use the right hand though the left hand would suffice if necessary. One of the most widely used instruments to assess personal style is the MyersBriggs test developed by Isabell Briggs Myers and Katheryn Briggs.13 Based on the typology of personalities first outlined by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, the Myers-Briggs test reports on four bipolar scales—introversion-extroversion, sensing-intuition; thinking-feeling, and judging-perceiving. Other instruments are those that grew out of the 1929 doctoral studies of William Marston, who developed a four-quadrant model,14 and are usually simpler to use and interpret than the more sophisticated and complicated Myers-Briggs. This model includes instruments outlined in the following chart15:

Assessing the Unemployed Candidate

89

Four-Quadrant Personal Style Instruments Instrument

Quadrants

Performax

Dominant, Influencing, Compliant, Steady

Personal Style Indicator

Behavioral, Cognitive, Affective and Interpersonal

BEST Behavior Profiles

Bold, Expressive, Sympathetic, Technical

Communication

Direct, Talkative, Sincere, Organized

Time

New Pup, Tom Cat, Race Horse. Road Runner

Sales

Quick, Talkative, Persistent, Precise

Negotiating Styles

Pushy Buddy, Stand Pat, Check All

I-Speak

Senser, Thinker, Feeler, Intuitor (or Activator, Feeler, Analyzer, Conceptualizer)

Drake Beam Morin, Inc. (DBM), one of the large outplacement firms, developed the instrument called "I~Speak," which can be used together with a video to help candidates not only understand their style for the purposes of matching themselves to the right job, but also to become more effective in the interview process. For example, if a cue, such as a neat desk, suggests to the candidate that the interviewer is a "Thinker," the candidate would focus on accomplishments; if cues such as family photos on the desk suggest the interviewer is a "Feeler," the candidate would choose to take a few minutes to talk about something personal such as a hometown memory or a pastime story.16 As with any instrument, it is important that counselors understand the test and how to interpret it to candidates. The counselor must guard against letting candidates put themselves in a box, missing the subtle variances or intensities illustrated by their scores. Assessing Skills and Abilities Part of the OTR process also assesses candidates' skills and abilities. Outplaced employees want to know what skills they have that are transferable to othei jobs in business, industry, or government. Contrary to popular expectation, few outplacement counselors consider the IQ test an important assessment instrument. As measures of verbal ability and academic aptitude they would find the IQ test to be purposeful only when the OTR process is directed toward helping an individual who has not pursued academic training and wants to consider benefiting from an academic program. In such a case one might find the Otis Quick Score or the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale being used by a qualified counselor.17 More useful are instruments and formats that help candidates identify the skills they have and the skills they want to use. Bernard Haldane, who began working with World War II veterans who needed to reenter civilian life, developed something calls SIMS, the System for Identifying Motivated Skills. By "motivated skills" he means the skills that individuals are motivated to use—the ones that

90

The Changing Outplacement Process

"turn you on" when you use them. To get at these skills Haldane has used checklists and small group strategies and more recently has developed the Dependable Strengths Articulation Project, whereby teachers or counselors can help individuals identify their differentiated skills—those skills that make them unique.18 Tools used by the OTR counselor in skill assessment also draw from the work of Arthur Miller who developed SIMA, the System for Identifying Motivated Abilities.19 This is a process based on Haldane's concept of the motivated skills in which audiotaped interviews are typed and then analyzed for patterns by an expert in career development. Other OTR counselors use the Livermore Achievement Motivation Process (LAMP) developed by Richard Knowdell.20 This process uses what is called the "projective" interview. Candidates discuss what they did well, what they enjoyed doing, and what they were proud of. The discussion is videotaped, and then candidates, in small groups, are invited to participate in an analysis of patterns that can be gleaned from the interview. Another format for uncovering skills and abilities, often understood as a selfhelp strategy, is use of the "seven stories" approach. Designed by Richard Bolles, it is illustrated in The New Quick Job-Hunting Maplx and What Color Is Your Parachute?21 Many OTR counselors use this process when a less in-depth strategy is called for. As one explores the outplacement process one will find that the candidate's list of motivated skills can be identified in a variety of ways, ranging from checklists and card sorts to the writing of guided autobiographical pieces or engaging in structured interviews and group discussion. Some outplacement firms have developed assessment tools that have been fine-tuned for specific professions. For example, some firms use a technical aptitude test for computer specialists or a skills and abilities test for creative people in the advertising field. What all effective skill assessments do is to give candidates an opportunity to look at past accomplishments. As they look at what they have done they begin to identify skills and see patterns suggesting areas of greatest interest. This aspect of the OTR process can be quite affirming and is an important element in keeping candidates hopeful about their future. Integrating the Findings Important to an effective assessment is the counselor's ability to integrate the various test or assessment results with the entire OTR process. Some counselors discuss how test results relate to where the candidate is going. Others use a form, such as Knowdell's Career Profile Form, which captures values, styles, and skills in summary form. It includes a statement of career options, a specific goal, and a list of steps to get to that goal.23 Clearly, the OTR process exists to help candidates reach their goals. The assessment process is merely an aid to clarifying that goal. As the assessment part of the outplacement process goes forward it is also important for counselors to discuss with candidates how what they are doing fits into the overall OTR process. Lest the candidates jump into writing and mailing their

Assessing the Unemployed Candidate

91

resumes too soon, it is the counselor's job to lay out the whole process. They remind the candidates that often they must complete the "Making Decisions" stage before they can be effective in the "Launching the Campaign" stage. HOW ASSESSMENT PROCEEDS This important part of the "Making Decisions" stage actually begins when the counselor begins to gather data from the company or organization's personnel records. Wben the outplacement counselor asks management, "Who is it that you plan to terminate? Why are these persons being terminated?" the assessment process has begun. It continues as the counselor reviews the employment records of the outplaced worker (if available) and looks at the likelihood of persons being relocated in the organization or in the profession. The assessment process gets fully under way when the outplacement counselor arrives for the first meeting with the outplaced employee. In the OTR industry it is often referred to as the "pick-up" meeting. Forbes magazine even facetiously likene the process to that of the undertaker going to pick up the body.24 After outplacement employees are informed of their termination, it is not uncommon to have the OTR counselors there to "pick up" the candidates and get them started with the outplacement process. A homework assignment is often made during that first meeting, involving having the candidates make a list of their greatest achievements or life- or career-related accomplishments to be presented in writing by the next meeting. This initial assignment is a self-assessment strategy that gets candidates involved in the hard work of knowing themselves. It keeps them occupied rather than brooding over job loss during what may be a very traumatic time, and, by reflecting on past successes, including those of childhood and teen years, it helps them maintain a positive attitude. With this work done the next meeting can begin on a positive note as the counselor reviews and appreciates the candidate's past achievements and accomplishments. During succeeding meetings and workshops on assessment, outplacement counselors employ a variety of assessment techniques including those described above. Outplacement candidates or consumers are likely to find their OTR professionals using any number of processes that capture an understanding of the candidates' values, preferences, styles, and skills, which help ultimately to accomplish the philosopher's dictum to "know thyself." NOTES 1. Karen Wolfer and Richard G. Wong, The Outplacement Solution: Getting the Riht Job after Mergers, Takeovers, Layoffs and Other Corporate Chaos (New York: Johnley, 1988). 2. Donald Edwin Super and Dorothy D. Nevill, Consulting Psychologists Press, 3803 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, reviewed in A Counselor's Guide to Caree Assessment Instruments, ed. Jerome T. Kape and Marjorie Moran Mastie (Alexandria, VA:

92

The Changing Outplacement Process

The National Career Development Association, 1988); Edgar H. Schein, Career Dynamics: Matching Individual and Organizational Needs (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1978). 3. L. M. Brammer and F. E. Humberger, Outplacement and InplacementntCouunseling (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984), p. 57, 4. Interview with Susan Cotz and John Guthery, Seagate Associates. 5. See Howard E. Figler, The Complete Job-Search Handbook: All the Skills You Need to Get Any Job and Have a Good Time Doing It (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1979). Howard Figler can be reached at 2701 Cottage Way, Suite 17, Sacramento, CA 95835,(916)488-9810. 6. Richard L. Knowdell, "Tests: So Many Instruments, So Many Candidates, So Little Time" Workshop at the International Association of Outplacement Professionals Conference, May 15, 1993. Audiotape available from Teach'eni, 160 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 00611,(800)225-3775. 7. Edward K. Strong, Jr., Strong Interest Inventory, available from Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., 3803 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, (800) 624-1765. 8. John L. Holland: Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Careers (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1985); "Validating and Using the Career Beliefs Inventory," Journal of Career Development, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Summer 1993): 233; and Occupation Finder and The Self Directed Search: A Professional Manual, distributed by Psychological Assessment Resources, P.O. Box 98, Odessa, FL 33556. 9. Charles Johanson, Career Assessment Inventory, National Computer Systems, 11000 Prairie Lakes Dr., Minneapolis, MN 55440, (617) 829-3000. 10. Career & Occupational Preference Self-Scoring Instrument. San Diego Educational and Industrial Testing Services, P.O. Box 7234, San Diego, CA 92167. 11. Frederic Kuder et al., Kuder Preference Record-Occupational, pub. by Science Research Associates, Inc. 12. Knowdell, "Tests: So Many Instruments." 13. Katheryn C. Briggs and lsabell Briggs Myers, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,,aavailable from Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., 3803 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303,(800)624-1765. 14. William Moultou Marston, Emotions of Normal People (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1928). 15. These instruments are available from Career Research and Testing, Inc., 2005 Hamilton Ave., Suite 250, San Jose, CA 95125, (800) 888-4845. 16. DBM, Inc., I-Speak Your Language: A Sun>ey of Personal Styles (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992). 17. Richard Knowdell, Carl O. McDaniels, Al Hesser, and Garry R. Walz, Outplacement Counseling (Ann Arbor: University oi Michigan Press, 1983), p. 29. 18. Bernard Haldane, Career Satisfaction and Success: How to Know and Manage Your Strengths (New York: AMACOM, 1981). 19. A. F. Miller and R. T. Mattson, The Truth About You (Old Tappen, NJ: Fleming H. Revelle Company, 1977). 20. Richard L. Knowdell can be reached in care of the Career Planning and Adult Development Network, 4965 Sierra Road, San Jose, CA 95132, (800) 888-4845. 21. Richard N. Bolles. The New Quick Job-Hunting Map (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1990). See also John C. Crystal and Richard N. Bolles, Where Do I Go from Here with My Life? (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1988).

Assessing the Unemployed Candidate

93

22. Richard N. Bolles, What Color Is Your Parachute?: A Practical Manual for Job Hunters and Career Changers (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1991). See also The Thr Boxes of Life and How to Get Out of Them (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1981). 23. Richard L. Knowdell, Career Planning and Adult Development Network. 24. Dyan Machan, "Meet the Undertakers," Forbes, November 11, 1991, p. 384.

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9 Career Decision Making Nothing forces a decision as much as a fork in the road. John L Meyer

There is a story about a man taking a Sunday afternoon drive in the country. When he came to a fork in the road his wife, seated beside him, demanded that he turn left. His mother-in-law, from the back seat, simultaneously and just as insistently, ordered him to turn right. Thefrustratedman, unable to make a decision, drove the car straight ahead, bouncing across a ditch and crashing into the trunk of a huge tree that grew in the "Y" between the two roads. To avoid such a catastrophe on the road to a career, dislocated employees need to develop confidence in those major decisions that determine their career directions. Cooperative planning and decision making are part of the OTR process, provided the employee is enlightened and receptive to the direction being given. Without that motivation, it's back to square one—establishing a working relationship. Career specialist Richard Nelson Bolles says the major decisions center around three crucial questions—what, where and how.1 WHAT WILL I DO? In the previous chapter we dealt with the what question—what do you value, what do you like to do, what type of person are you, what skills do you have that you most enjoy using? Hence, what do you do best? What makes you transferable to another career field of your choice? We explained how OTR counselors help outplaced employees assess or identify these elements.

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The Changing Outplacement Process

WHERE WILL I WORK? Decision number two centers around the question, where do you want to use these skills? Bolles refers to the where decision as the "key to your dream job" and the "key to mastering the job market." However, the term is ambiguous. OTR counselors define the where decision in many ways. For example, suppose the outplaced worker is a certified public accountant (CPA) who enjoys doing accounting work. Asking where the CPA would like to work may reveal a place in the field, as in "I prefer public accounting over private accounting," or "I prefer private internal auditing rather than public tax accounting" The where decision could also mean the type of business, as in "I prefer internal auditing in the banking business rather than internal auditing for a chemical or oil company" If the OTR counselor thoroughly and repeatedly pushes the where decision, the counselor and CPA may discuss other environmental or locational preferences that reveal personal missions. For example, "I would love to do internal auditing in a hospital or other medical setting where I could help the organization find ways to keep medical costs down." Some may have personal goals, such as "My goal is to work for one of the Big 6 accounting firms," or "I want to work where I'm the only auditor, for a small company who recognizes me as their sole auditor." Some candidates' goals relate to salary and benefits, as in the CPA who responds, "I want to work for the best CPA firm available, one that pays the highest wages and has the best benefits, the classiest firm where I can be surrounded by the top CPAs in the country, with the most up-to-date electronic data analysis equipment available." In contrast, another lifestyle preference leads one to say, "I want to work where I can manage the books for a small informal auto and motorcycle salvage company, where I can name my own work hours, and where I can wear whatever I want to wear." (Do we have another "wear" decision?) In sum, the where decision is a question that leads one to consider various preferences including place in the field; type of business; environmental or locational preferences (where certain types of equipment, resources, or people are available); and personal goals. Add to these where decisions questions related to one's preference regarding the part of the country, city, or state, the physical, social, and cultural climate. If you're thinking about taking a position in a new location, consider: • Is the new location a desirable place to live? • Will the new location meet the needs of you and your family? • Does the area have religious institutions, schools, and recreational facilities that you desire? • What's the cost of living in the new community? • Are any environmental changes scheduled that will affect the community?2

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HOW WILL I FIND THE PERFECT JOB? The how question sounds like this: "How can I find a career situation or job that will allow me to do what I want to, where I want to do it?" Like the what and where decisions, it is also ambiguous and often takes outplacement help to determine how—how to organize and target. The how can mean "with whose help?" It can mean "through what type of research?" It can mean asking, "Do I work for someone else or start up my own business?" These how decisions take planning, which is an essential part of the outplacement service. William J. Morin and James C. Cabrera of the Drake Beam Morin outplacement firm state that "planning, in fact, is the weakest part of most careers, as people slip and slide from one job to the next."3 Outplacement assistance can help with the how question by encouraging information gathering, decision making, organizing, targeting, and arriving at a plan of action. INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS One of the most useful ways to gather data, new insights, and information about opportunities is the informational interview approach. In addition to enabling the candidate to explore, it is a way to begin to define and build a network that will be useful when it comes time to locate a potential employer, as described in Chapter 13. The informational interview is not a job interview. It is a short 20-30 minute meeting scheduled at the candidate's initiative, in which the candidate asks for advice about the following: the person's job function, the particular organization involved, the field you are considering, and the names of two or three more people whom you could contact to build your network. OTR professionals are of immense help in getting candidates started. They discuss the do's and don'ts and how to plan the agenda for this short meeting. They also help candidates think through possible questions, such as the following: Questions About the Job Function • Tell me about your job. Where did you come from? • May I see an organizational chart? • WTiat are your most recent successes on your job? What do you enjoy most about your work? • What parts of your job are the most challenging? • What professional in the field do you admire most and why? Questions About the Organization • What is the overall philosophy of management in this organization? • flow are new developments perceived?

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• What are the long-range goals of the organization? Short-range goals? • How are goals set and measured? • What has been the major achievement of this organization in the field? • How hierarchical is the company? • What are the trends/projections you see for this organization? Questions About the Field • What do you see the growth potential in your field to be over the next five years? • What are the positive or innovative trends in the field? • What journals or magazines should 1 be reading? • What professional associations might be appropriate for me to join?4

A CASE STUDY Information gathering can occur in any number of ways. The case of Sergeant Delson illustrates this point. Sergeant Delson spent 20 years in the Air Force, where he was successful and quite comfortable. "After all," he confessed, "Uncle Sugar has taken good care of me and my family for all these years by providing a salary, federal housing, medical and dental care, air base schools and chapels, commissaries, clubs and entertainment facilities." The thought of leaving the comfort and security of the military created a degree of anxiety in the sergeant. When forced to think about what he would like to do outside the military, he chose to return to a business he had learned prior to his military experience in Arkansas—the vending machine business. As a young man, the sergeant had learned how to construct and repair vending machines. He felt that he was good at it and that his military experience in a technical electronics field as well as experience in supervision of Air Force personnel in the shop supplemented and reinforced his ability. "WhattI want to do is go too work for a vending macliine company where these machines are constructed and repaired. I want to work either as one of the technicians or as a supervisor of such technicians." The problem was that the sergeant did not know how to proceed with such a job search. But he had the aid of a career counselor who asked him to describe what method of job research he had been employing. "Well," the sergeant replied, "it's a little embarrassing, but lately each time I pass a candy, cigarette, or soft-drink machine I try to read the label. Too often the name on the machme is just that of the food supplier, but sometimes I can push the machine away from the wall and crawl down behind it to find out where the machine was manufactured. This doesn't always work though, because sometimes you practically have to tip the machine over to read the manufacturer's name and address, and even then I can't always find the address and I don't know who to write to."

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The career counselor smiled and congratulated the sergeant for having discovered a unique form of job research. "Now," he said, "let's see if we can't find an easier, more productive method." Together they went to the library where they selected a volume of Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers.5hee counselor himself was amazed to learn of the large number of vending machine manufacturers in the United States, some 15 in California, 11 in Illinois, and so on. Turning to the sergeant, the counselor inquired, where [that is, in what state] would you like to live after you leave the Air Force? These companies are listed by state." "Either in my home state of Arkansas or in Florida, where we own some property," came the reply. So, the two began with vending machine companies in Florida—in Hialeah, in Sarasota, in Tampa. Together the men researched the companies, the types of machines the companies manufactured or serviced, the number of employees, the volume, the financial holdings, and the names and addresses of the administrators. After developing a company profile and comparing competitors, the two worked on a marketing strategy for the sergeant. This story concluded happily with invitations to interview and two satisfactory job offers. The sergeant, who was afraid he would have no job opportunities outside the military, was soon confronted with the problem of having to make a choice between competing offers. The point of the Sergeant Delson case study is, of course, that career transition counseling is a cooperative decision-making process involving decisions on what, where, and how, including planning, organizing, and targeting to locate happy reemployment. Today outplacement tools are much more sophisticated. Nonetheless, gaining confidence in career decision making and the old-fashioned thrill of landing a new job are the same. TARGETING IN DIFFERENT WAYS Although how the sergeant proceeded with his research was a bit more effective than the shotgun approach used by many, who just send out a hundred resumes indiscriminately, it was, nonetheless a blind-lead approach. Sergeant Delson was able to target manufacturers but not necessarily ones that were hiring at the time. OTR counselors keep up on the most effective self-marketing strategies and advise their candidates appropriately, depending on the what and where decisions. Currently many advise candidates to use a targeted approach. One such targeted approach is referred to as the "known-lead" method. For example, suppose that female accountants, particularly CPAs, were in great demand. An outplaced professional in this category would probably direct her letter of application and resume to a few hand-picked advertised job openings and be reasonably sure of job offers. In times such as these—an applicant's market—the need for sophisticated job search techniques are not necessary. It is enough to target known leads.

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The same is true, when jobs are plentiful, of the "targeted-corporation" approach. Some outplaced personnel wall attempt to target just one or two corporations, such as AT&T or General Electric. In some employment climates this approach may be a good one. In areas and times, however, when jobs are not plentiful, the targeted corporations approach has proved to be less effective, since it assumes that large corporations are always hiring. Many OTR counselors share the view of Richard Bolles who, in his 1992 edition of What Color Is Your Parachute?, warned against on going after positions in large organizations. In a list of "the ten greatest mistakes made in job interviews—whereby one's chances of finding a job are greatly decreased," Bolles listed, first, "going after large organizations (such as the Fortune 500)." In his 1993 edition he advised, "Approach smaller businesseG....enerallyally smaller firms are much more likely to be expanding.... Small firms are easier to approach, the boss there is easier to talk to, and there are no forbidding personnel or human resources departments to screen you out." He suggests targeting small organizations with 20 or less employees. The reason? They create two-thirds of all new jobs.6 In deciding on how to target an employer, OTR counselors help the candidates to remember that business cycles change as do the stock market values or housing starts. The creation of new jobs is cyclical, and small new businesses frequently go bankrupt. For this reason, working with an OTR firm can provide the guidance and security needed in the job search. OTR counselors are excellent resource people to guide candidates in how to target their job search. They devote their careers to studying the job market so they can advise and update those in career transition. SELF-EMPLOYMENT—FOR UNWANTED MANAGERS Related to the how decision is the option of self-employment. For outplaced managers, particularity those middle managers whose professions have begun to shrivel, this is an increasingly viable option. As managers face decreasing opportunities to manage someone else's business, they are often helped in the OTR process to explore the possibility of managing their own business. According to Fortune magazine, "it's safe to say that over the past decade mil lions of managerial jobs were surplused in the flattening or restructuring of corporate America." The article goes on to explain that the country's management cadre had a hard time adjusting and adapting to the finality of management shrinkage.7 Time magazine quoted Illinois opinion pollster Mike McKeon who said, speaking of managers, "These people can't believe what is happening to them. They decided they didn't want to work in factories, so they learned how to use computers. They were rewarded with service-sector jobs in the 1980's, but now they're out on the street and no one wants them."8 The American Management Association (AMA) has the same message for a whole class of corporate workers. "Middle Managers are losing their jobs out of

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proportion to their place in the workforce, and they continue to be a special target of downsizing," says the AMA's Eric Greenberg.9 According to Dan Lacey, publisher of the newsletter Workplace Trends, "the middle manager has gone out of vogue in corporate America....Indeed, the wordrdd 'manager' is the kiss of death on resumes." 10 Tragically for managers, according to Greenberg, "none of this is going to lessen in the coming decade and these jobs are not coming back." Given this disastrous forecast, self-employment is an option to explore. The OTR counselor becomes, at this point, an invaluable aid in helping the candidate decide how to research and plan for the business. For example, suppose an experienced outplaced manager from a printing company decides to pursue a career as owner and manager of a*publishing company. The manager and outplacement counselor now will explore a series of how questions, such as those involving the type of education or training that are necessary to be a successful manager in the publishing industry, where such educational background can be gained, who could serve as a mentor or trainer for the types of skills needed, and whether it is better to buy an existing publishing house or develop a new one. In the process of moving from managing someone else's business to owning and managing one's own business, there are many issues to consider. OTR counselors experienced in entrepreneurship and self-employment can be effective consultants.

SUMMARY This chapter has explored the cooperative, career decision-making process shared by OTR counselors and their counselees. The process involves raising and answering basic career questions—what, where, and how—which represent clusters of questions, all of which must be explored and researched to enable one to locate the best evidence in order to make the best decision. The process includes an understanding of specific occupations under consideration as well as the current employment market. And for many, one important alternative not to be overlooked is the decision-making process needed to guide those who might start their own businesses.

NOTES 1. Richard Nelson Bolles, What Color Is Your Parachute? (Berkeley, CA: Ten Spe Press, 1992), p. 61. 2. Melvin W. Donaho and John L. Meyer, How to Get the Job You Want: A Guide to sumes, Interviewing and Job-Hunting Strategy (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1976). 3. William J. Morin and James C. Cabrera, Parting Company: How to Survive the Lo ofa Job and Find Another Successfully (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982), p. 5. 4. "Informational Interviews" handout from Career Planning and Placement Center, Stanford University, 9/87.

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5. Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers (New York: Thomas Publishing Co., annual 1906- -. 6. Bolles, What Color Is Your Parachute? (1992) p. 166, and What Color Is Your Parachute? (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1993), p. 76. 7. John Huey, "Where Managers Go,1' Fortune, January 27, 1992, p. 50. 8. S. C. Gwynne, "The Long Haul," Time, September 28, 1992, p. 36. 9. Huey, "Where Managers Go," p. 50. 10. Cited in Gwynne, "The Long Haul," p. 30.

10

Career Pathlng

He chose a walk of life, less traveled . . . What difference did it make? The choice, the choosing was a pair of twins— A point where identity and destiny begins. John L. Meyer

Career counseling is the process of guiding individuals down pertinent career paths toward satisfying worklife. The OTR professional knows that there are many paths for the displaced employee. Richard Nelson Bolles, for instance, speaks of "the many paths through job-land" and literally sketches a map, "The Quick JobHunting (and Career-Changing) Map," to help job and career seekers see where they can go to leach their goals.1 The paths for employees in transition emanate from four main arteries. They include: 1. Moving in a similar direction (—>) to acquire the same type of job or career in a new location. 2. Taking a new direction (Jb) to switch type of jobs or career. 3. Trail blazing a new trail through self-employment or entrepreneurship (JT). 4. Scaling down (~~~l) work, or retirement. Some people have the strength and knowledge to develop their own maps to job and career change. They feel they can coach themselves in OTR. They ask them-

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selves "Where do I go from here with my life?" perhaps using the manual by that title by John C. Crystal and Richard N. Bolles.2 They may be aided by any one of the many books containing direction and worksheets for the unemployed. One such book, In Search of the Perfect Job, is a hands-on manual "for every stage o one's job hunt." It attempts to avoid the "cookie cutter" approach to job-changing success and is subtitled, 12 Proven Steps for Getting the Job You Really Want?though these "go it alone" approaches may be perfect for some terminated employees, they are not enough for some outplaced personnel who need a relationship with an OTR counselor who can outline for them a professional approach to career change and job transition. OTR counselors belong to a profession that has studied the experience of personal change. They know both when and how to begin the job and career counseling and guidance process. They can help the outplaced worker concentrate on job hunting or career changing, free of encumbrances such as the fear of criticism for being out of a job and the fear of financial failure. Also, if there is still anger, rage, or depression, they can assist the candidate in addressing these upfront issues so they can devote the determination, energy, and patience that their focus on their career requires. Guidance on a career path always begins with "where the client is at the moment." For that reason, trying to find "where you've been" and "where you are," OTR professionals often begin by asking dislocated workers to disclose a host of historical and biographical information. Not unlike a background check, OTR counselors' exploration involves reviewing a client's formal educational record, training courses, and employment history. An outline might resemble the structure of a formal resume. We provide in Figure 10.1a worksheet currently being used by leading outplacement firms.4 OTR professionals use this information along with workers' explanations and anecdotal remarks to begin the dialogue and discussion that leads to "career discovery," the essence of career counseling. Drawing upon additional data from assessment tools and strategies, career counselors employ various techniques to get the outplaced worker speaking and sometimes writing about factors that will lead to the right career path. There are several inroad techniques.

INROAD TECHNIQUES Inroad Technique No. 1: Discovering Those Activities One Most Enjoys "The almost impossible dream," previously discussed as an assessment technique in Chapter 8, is an essay-type exploration sometimes beginning with the sentence, "My almost impossible dream is ..." A variation is a discussion beginning, "If I had my choice of all the things in the world to do (present realities notwithstanding), I would do ..."

Figure 10.1 Biographical Worksheet I. Personal Data Date

Name Residence Telephone Date of Birth

Place

Citizenship

Age

Sex

Marital Status

Children

Dependents

n. High School Education Name

Location

Scholastic Standing

Year Graduated Class Size

Grade Average Organizations Activities

Scholastic

Athletic

Offices Field III. Coliege/University/Trade School Name of Institution Degree Major Fields Scholastic Standing

Location

Year Graduated Minor Fields

Figure 10.1 Biographical Worksheet (Continued)

Grade Average

Honors

Athletic Participation

Organizations Activities Offices Major Advisor

How Education was financed

IV. Employment History (Present or last position) Name of firm

Division

Address

City

From to Month/Year Function

Starting Position Title

Immediate Supervisor

Title

May this employer be contacted?

Telephone

Describe major duties and responsibilities. Describe major achievements and accomplishments. What do (did) you like best about the position? What do (did) you like least about the position? Compensation at time of leaving—monthly/salary wages

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Figure 10.1 Biographical Worksheet (Continued)

Commissions

Bonuses

Total monthly compensation

Other

Total yearly compensation

Reason for leaving V. Previous Position (s) Name of Firm

Division

Address

City

From to Month/Year Function

Starting Position Title

Immediate Supervisor

Title

May this employer be contacted?

Telephone

Describe major duties and responsibilities. Describe major achievements and accomplishments. What do (did) you like best about the position? Wrhat do (did) you like least about the position? Compensation at time of leaving—montlily/salary wages Commissions

Bonuses

Total monthly compensation

Other

Total yearly compensation

Reason for leaving (Repeat same information for additional previous positions.)

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Figure 10.1 Biographical Worksheet (Continued)

VI. Additional Credentials and Activities Are you certified or licensed to practice any profession or trade? For example: List any professional, civic, or trade organizations of which you are a member and any office held: List any professional achievements such as honors or awards or publications: Do you hold any copyrights?

Do you hold any patents?

Explain: Do you have any agreements with employers or others concerning inventions you have made or may make? Yes

No

Explain:

List any specialized skills that you have: Language

Read

Write

Speak

Typing W.P.M. Language

Read

Write

Speak

Shorthand W.P.M. List any specialized equipment with which you are familiar:

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Figure 10.1 Biographical Worksheet (Continued)

VII. Problem Areas Account for any unemployment periods in excess of two months since leaving school or between your positions. Period

Describe_reason_and activity during^ period

Montli/Year Month/Year Have you ever been discharged or asked to resign from a position? Explain in detail: v m . Major Personal Interests and Activities Interest/Hobbies (describe briefly): Recreational interests (describe briefly): What do you like to do when on vacation? Provide any additional information regarding nonwork interests and activities: In what additional activities would you like to engage which you currently do not? Why don't you engage in them now? Source: Career Transition Program Manual from Jean-Jacques Ranger, President, EXEC Transition Counseling, Montreal. Reprinted with permission.

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Probing the areas of interest and enjoyment, the OTR counselor helps the individual "jump start" the move from "things that I like" to jobs and careers that utilize these activities. As Bolles points out, the career counselor may encounter some resistance when guiding the individual to this inroad. The candidate's attitude, stated or unstated, may be, "Who cares what I like to do, what I enjoy doing? Aren't employers just interested in getting the job done whether you like it or not?" Bolles' answer is: Bad employers will not care whether you enjoy a particular task—they will only want to know if you know how to do it. But good employers will care greatly. They know that un less a would-be employee has enthusiasm for his or her work, the quality of that work w alwaysssuffer.5 OTR professionals urge their candidates, for their own satisfaction, to seek a life's work based on those enjoyable activities rather than on drudgery. Inroad Technique No. 2: Discovering What One Does Well After analyzing the skills and activities one enjoys, the OTR counselor leads the worker to a discovery of what things one does well. With knowledge gained through the assessment instruments, the candidates are encouraged to talk about recognition or awards they have received. Although some people are good at things they do not like to do, the opposite is usually true. Making a list of those things the candidate likes most about jobs held versus the things liked least is a good place to start to identify strengths. Inroad Technique No, 3: Discovering What One Wants to Be and Do John L. Holland, author of the Self Directed Search, outlines the "Holland Code" of occupational discovery He says: "Despite several decades of research, the most efficient way to predict vocational choice is simply to ask the person what he wants to be; our best devices do not exceed the predictive value of that method"6 OTR counselors know that sometimes "just asking" the individual is as good as a whole battery of self-inventory interest tests. But skill is required in how the question is asked. For example, "Describe someone who has the ideal job" may be an effective way to start the candidate thinking. Other useful questions to encourage thought are "Who among your high school graduating class has the job you wish you had?" or "Name someone's job that you could be jealous of" All of the above are ways of connecting one's likes and abilities with an actual job or occupation. OTR counselors rely heavily on the so-called "Bible" of career counseling, the Dictionary of Occupational Titles,to to help put the outplaced in vidual worker "on track" headed down the appropriate career path.

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Murray Axmith, of Murray Axmith & Associates, Ltd., believes the goal of the OTR professional is to help each candidate establish a "career fit."8 One way to do this is to create the candidate's ideal job description and then to abstract the requirements for the job that match the candidate's abilities and preferences. These inroad techniques can help the candidates determine which direction to go and which of the four major arteries to choose. WHICH DIRECTION TO GO? First there is "same direction mover" (—>), who may want to continue the same type of job or career but with a different employer. Here the direction is simply down the path, sometimes in a new geographical location. Second is the "job or career switcher" (JD), who may have to detour to a training or educational institution to get skills, abilities, or credentials before returning to the job path. Third, persons who want to become self-employed ( T) or embark on an entrepreneurial venture may need to detour to a management training program before they are capable of managing their own businesses with or without employees to hire, direct, supervise, and evaluate. And fourth, some individuals will scale down ( ~1) and follow the path to retirement, or part-time work. If it is retirement, the path may resemble that of the "career switcher" (±D) as the candidate assesses how to best use the time available. If it is part-time or temporary work the path may move in essentially the same direction (—») or take a bend ( I) toward something new. Ultimately, the task of OTR counseling is helping candidates position themselves so that they can, as Robert Frost said, choose the path that will make "all the difference"—between a satisfying "fit" or an uncomfortable, even disastrous, decision. NOTES 1. Richard Nelson Bolles, What Color Is Your Parachute? (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1992), p. 44. 2. John C. Crystal and Richard N. Bolles, Where Do I Go from Here with My Life? (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1988). 3. Clyde C. Lowstuter, In Search of the Perfect Job: 12 Proven Steps for Getting the Job You Really Want (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1992). 4. Jean-Jacques Ranger, EXEC, Montreal, Career Transition Program Manual. 5. Bolles, What Color Is Your Parachute? p. 92. 6. Cited in ibid., p. 101. 7. Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., rev, 2 vols. (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1991). 8. Interview with Murray Axmith, Chairman, Murray Axmith & Associates, Ltd.

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Stage Three Launching the Campaign

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The Marketing Metaphor "Do you sell the sizzle or the steak?" John L. Meyer

Once candidates have made decisions regarding their career move, they are ready to embark on making the transition happen. They move into a new stage of the OTR process and tap different skills and abilities of the OTR professionals with whom they work. Some OTR professionals assume the role of consultants, advising corporate management about downsizing and rightsizing and dealing with corporate change. Others play the role of the counselor, providing support services for outplaced persons who need emotional support as well as career counseling. In addition to the consulting and counseling roles, there is a third role played by OTR professionals. This is the role played by those who see themselves as marketing managers, supervising a campaign to market OTR service and the outplaced individuals whom they advise and counsel. "Marketing" as a field or discipline becomes a metaphor, a guiding force, for these professionals. Speaking of his outplacement staff, Joe Meissner, founder of Power Marketing, writes: "As expert marketers, we are highly attuned to the needs of our customers."1 Those professionals who play this role especially well often come from the ranks of sales and marketing professionals in business or from the marketing majors within management schools. Some have run their own retail businesses. Others have been salespersons. In either event, OTR marketing professionals

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assist the outplacement process in two ways. Some market the OTR services to corporations and businesses. They "drum up business," selling the services of the outplacement business and gaining accounts. They aspire to be members of that super-sales force (the A-Team) previously discussed. Others repackage and market the unemployed workers seeking counsel from the OTR firm. They focus on the quality of the product (the outplaced professional) and help to link that product with a buyer (an employer). They aspire for sales with quick turnaround. For example, Power Marketing practices what it calls a "brand management" approach to outplacement. The goal is to target a candidate to a specific employer market, package the candidate on paper and in person, and then distribute the candidate product aggressively through targeted job search channels. 2 All businesses have a marketing component. It is as important a function of business as accounting, management of information systems (MIS), management of human resources (HR), production, and supervision. In this chapter we relate standard marketing tasks to the activities of OTR in order to provide the reader with a broader understanding of the OTR process. We focus on the way all OTR professionals assist in the marketing of the candidates—some following the marketing metaphor very intentionally, others more unconsciously.

TWELVE MARKETING TASKS Standard marketing texts3 list as many as twelve marketing tasks: 1. Auditing 2. New Product Planning 3. Product Life Cycle Management 4. Marketing Organization 5. The Development of a Selling Strategy 6. Packaging and Branding 7. Customer Analysis and Distribution 8. Advertising, Publicity, and Promotion 9. Trade Show Participation 10. Target Selling 11. Drafting Network Diagrams 12. Pricing and Negotiating Using the rubrics above as a survey of marketing concerns and activities, what follows is a sampling of outplacement concerns and activities compared and correlated. These are gleaned from the growing body of literature, including work-

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sheets, brochures, articles, case studies, and manuals prepared by outplacement firms—usually unpublished for internal use only. Auditing Just as any marketing professional engages in internal and external audits, so OTR professionals with a mind for marketing utilize auditing or assessment processes. In fact, outplacement firms have developed assessment tools for corporations, individuals, and markets. Corporations. Some OTR firms offer services to corporations, auditing the ef fects downsizing is likely to have on the organization. Right Associates, for example, produced a seven-lesson manual entitled Lessons Learned: Dispelling the Myths of Downsizing,4 which reports how downsizing has impacted organizations and how the firm might help corporations assess what is right for them. Right Associates also offers seminars in downsizing and helps employers audit the existing payroll and profile of employees in the new trimmed-down organization. Individuals. As was described in Chapter 8, OTR professionals audit the values, preferences, styles, and abilities of their candidates using a battery of commercial tests as well as alternative assessment strategies. Some even publish and market their own instruments. DBM Publishing, a division of Drake Beam Morin, Inc., for example, publishes I-Speak Your Language, a survey of four personal styles (Senser, Thinker, Feeler, Intuitor), which it uses to increase the counselor's and candidate's knowledge of the candidate to be "marketed."5 Markets. The OTR industry also engages in assessing who is hiring and what kind of workers are being hired, such as chemists, engineers, managers, salespersons. The work of auditing changing trends in hiring is analogous to the auditing done by marketers in any industry. In order to match, product and customer auditing must be done. The current market, for example, differs from that of the 1980s. As outplacement professional Pat Windelspecht puts it, employers are not offering jobs described as neat boxes on an organizational chart but have what she calls circles to be filled—vaguely defined positions that will change as the environment changes and as the person filling the position influences the direction of the company.6 Her astute assessment of the market is important in helping her clients position themselves for success in the current job market. New Product Planning Any marketer must have useful products to sell—usually something timely and unique. Thinking of outplaced workers as the products, OTR professionals frequently look for the unique or new in their prospective job seekers. This may mean helping their candidates decide to retrain in order to position themselves for emerging professions. Outplaced persons interested in starting their own businesses may need training in entrepreneurial skills.

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Product Life Cycle Management Most products have a life cycle. Sales begin slowly, and then, if they match the needs and desires of the marketplace, sales climb. At some point, however, everyone who needs or wants the product is satisfied, and the market is saturated. The same is true for job openings. Consider job opportunities related to the beeper or cellular telephone phenomenon, for example. Until the markets for these products are saturated, managers and salespersons in this industry will be in great demand. A manager or salesperson displaced from the CB industry might well be relocated in these businesses. Particularly employable will be the person who can create a cheaper beeper. Once this product has outlived its life cycle, however, there are likely to be beeper managers and salespeople out of work. Just as manufacturing marketers need to assess the life cycle of their products, so OTR professionals need to help their candidates understand the inevitability of career cycles. Marketing Organization All organizations have to plan their marketing functions. This may involve training and utilizing internal employees—from support staff to design or production. Or it may involve utilizing external connections, partnerships, and affiliations. Outplacement firms organize their marketing functions by training salespeople and sometimes counselors and trainers to sell their services. Some feel it is important to separate the marketing function from consulting and counseling so that staff counselors are totally available to candidates and are not under pressure to both sell and provide the service. Others feel that it is essential that counselors get out of the office and interact with the business world. Furthermore, they feel that since much of the OTR process is in helping candidates market themselves, counselors engaged in marketing for the firm will better appreciate the marketing function and the experience of rejection that candidates as marketers must expect. Some firms establish partnerships with other independently owned firms or coordinate the various offices that a single firm may have in different cities, states, provinces, or countries. Some have become partners in a business entitled Outplacement International (01), which, for example, enables a displaced worker in Minneapolis who wants to move to Montreal to work with an outplacement counselor in Minnesota, relocate to Montreal, and continue outplacement counseling with an affiliated OTR firm there. Chairman of the Board Nancy Schellhous stated: "Our national structure means you can walk into any 01 office with an assignment involving several cities and be sure you'll get the same type and quality of outplacement you would from your local firm."7 The Development of a Selling Strategy All marketing professionals are concerned with selling their product. OTR professionals are no different. "Teaching you to sell yourself is a phrase OTR coun-

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selors frequently use in job counseling. They provide materials to the outplaced to make this type of sales job possible, teach applicants how to make telephone appointments, arm them with sales documents (resumes), and sometimes urge them to make cold calls to obtain interviews. While outplacement has traditionally been considered a candidate-directed process, outplacement counselors actually range on a continuum from very nondirective to quite involved. On the more directive end of the spectrum are the "campaign managers," which Power Marketing's counselors are called. Through them "a marketing campaign is customized, designed and developed for each Power Marketing candidate 'from scratch.'"8 OTR professionals help outplaced clients learn to prepare lists of 10 to 20 calls to make per day. They coach them in ways to get past the secretary to schedule an interview. Drawing upon the marketing adage that one "does not sell the steak but the sizzle," many marketing-style OTR professionals help their candidates build into their selling strategy creative presentations and avenues for reaching potential employers. A strategy unique to Kate Wendleton's Five O'Clock Club job search program is the "two-minute pitch." Kate coaches candidates to be prepared to respond succinctly and effectively when someone calls and says, "So tell me about yourself." She teaches candidates to be able to state in two minutes what they are interested in and what unique qualities or skills they have to offer, tailoring their pitch to a particular career goal.9 Packaging and Branding Marketing managers, whether selling soap or potato chips, need to consider what size, shape, and color package contributes the image that attracts and satisfies buyers. So, too, the OTR professional helps the candidate create an image that will gain the attention and respect of prospective employers. Borrowing heavily from the Dress for Success books of John T. Molloy and others,10 OTR professionals often become dress and appearance consultants. Coaching outplaced workers about what to wear to an information or employment interview is a big part of many OTR professionals' agendas. Customer Analysis and Distribution Marketing specialists consider customer analysis, distribution planning, and physical distribution to get their product to market. The career counselor also must be concerned with "moving the product." Assessing the willingness of the outplaced person and family to relocate to where jobs are available becomes one of the first auditing considerations. Early interviews and inventories with a dislocated worker attempt to establish whether or not the person could move to another city, state, province, or country. Customer analysis involves staying on top of industry movements. Where are the jobs? Where do unemployed candidates need to go to get jobs? Will they go?

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If an employee is outplaced from the pharmaceutical business because the drug manufacturer has moved from the States to Puerto Rico, the OTR professionals make it their business to know where such companies are now located and encourage candidates to consider moving. Advertising, Publicity, and Promotion As with marketers in general, OTR professionals help to advertise, publicize, and promote out-of-work employees. They do so in three ways. First, they help candidates create better resumes. Whereas most job applicants create a resume that is merely informative, OTR professionals teach their candidates how to make resumes to be persuasive documents—resumes that serve as "business cards" or advertisements for themselves (see Chapter 12). Second, applicants are taught how to research for jobs and engage in networking. Finding the right customer (employer) to receive the resume and publicizing the applicant's availability are promotion operations that candidates leani from OTR professionals. To assist their candidates in locating appropriate recipients of their resumes, some OTR industries are developing in-house job lead banks. DBM, for example, solicits employers for job openings that may match the employment opportunities sought by their outplaced candidates. They send a form to corporations that may have job openings, asking the companies to place the job in DBM's Com puterized Job Lead Bank free of charge. On their form they inform the prospective employers that their "clients constitute an exceptional source of diverse business and professional talent available."1} Traditionally OTR firms have found that as few as 10 percent of jobs are found through the classified ads, 10 percent through head hunters and 50-80 percent through networking. That is changing, however, as a result of job development practices and more aggressive marketing. Power Marketing, believing that marketing involves maximum exposure of the product, advises its clients to actively pursue multiple channels and claims to have had 17 percent of its placed candidates hired through search firms, 28 percent from classified ad responses, 25 percent through job development efforts, 15 percent from di rect calls or direct mail, and 17 percent through networking.12 And third, some of the larger OTR firms promote their job applicants by announcing their availability to employers. For example, the firm of Lee Hecht Harrison provides as a unique feature of its service, the publication of a Directory of Executive Talent.1he directory makes available profiles of its candidates to orgganizations that are actively recruiting. There is no placement fee, because the OTR firm is not a search firm and does not place people. The profiles are confidential (no names) and are updated as new candidates become available. Claiming to be the first to engage in job development, Joe Meissner of Power Marketing also provides a directory of its candidates, which includes the candidates' names. Meissner believes there should be no barrier created to employers contacting candidates. His strategy, he believes, is more in keeping with a "risk willing" marketing model of outplacement rather than what he refers to as the traditional "human resource" model. The

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latter is concerned with avoiding the risk that candidates will receive calls they do not want. The former model allows for an open channel of communication between the candidate and potential employer, which the candidate can handle.14 Trade Show Participation Merchandisersfrequentlyorganize or participate in trade shows to advertise and sell their products or services. Likewise, OTR professionals market their "products" by urging the outplaced to attend job fairs and professional conventions. Resumes in hand, job seekers are urged to make contacts and sell their services to potential employers. Such occasions are a step in the networking process necessary to research companies with job opportunities. Target Sclkng With the advent of computers, marketers are able to know the buyers for a given product and how to reach specific sectors of the population. For example, they select as their target an age group, income group, and perhaps a gender or regional or ethnic group and write ads that attract that specific target. Computers are able to tell the marketer exactly where those people are, enabling them to use direct mail advertising to get the message directly to their audience. Marketing outplaced employees has also moved from a shotgun approach of sending hundreds of resumes almost randomly, to the more common approach today of targeting an audience by job type, geographical region, or corporation type. Most OTR services teach the candidates how to write or adapt their resumes. At Power Marketing, the process is computerized, enabling candidates to match results of their assessment process to specific target markets and then to write tailored resumes and letters from macros that the campaign managers write for them.15 The ultimate strategy is for a direct-mail communication to lead to a job interview where candidates can further market themselves. In fact, James Challenger of a Chicago-based outplacement firm believes that, although candidates may resist them, repeated interviews are the best means of personal selling by job applicants.16 While targeted mailings are more effective than a shotgun approach, executive recruiter John Lucht points out that candidates should not limit the number of their mailings if they hope to reach an employer at exactly his or her moment of need. In fact, he says, candidates should endeavor to reach "the whole universe of potential buyers," and to "have a statistical shot at hitting one out of 200 letters, you must send at least 1,000 letters."17 Drafting Network Diagrams Just as sales managers in retail and manufacturing marketing help their sales staffs diagram networks of potential customers, so do OTR professionals help out-

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placed candidates diagram networks of potential employers. As indicated in Chapter 13, contacts are a primary source of job connections, particularly for the hidden job market. Whether the contacts are family or friends, disinterested strangers or professionals in the field, they are important. OTR professionals teach the jobless a variety of networking approaches. Ronald Krannich, for example, counsels the following: "the more contacts you make, the more useful information, advice and job leads you will receive"; and "the guiding principle behind prospecting, networking and informational and referral interviews is: the best way to get a job is to ask foi job information, advice and referrals. Never ask for a job."18 Pricing and Negotiating If the OTR professional's advice in getting a job sounds a lot like getting a sale, then the marketing metaphor is holding up strong. Just as marketing managers engage in pricing and negotiating and teaching their sales staffs how to do so, the OTR professional coaches employees in transition how to price themselves and negotiate a fair salary. The manuals of OTR firms invariably include instinctive materials in negotiation, typically including answers to such questions as: 1. 2. 3. 4.

When should one negotiate salary and benefits? With whom should one negotiate? What are the negotiation techniques9 (That is, how should one negotiate'/) What other things should be negotiated? (Should the discussion include travel, vacatio a car, equipment, a termination package?)

Providing an understanding of, answers to, and techniques for these considerations is part of the OTR pricing and negotiating advice. How training for this "negotiating stage" of the employment interview is carried out is covered in Chapter 14. SUMMARY AND CAVEAT In this chapter, 12 marketing concepts were reviewed in an extended comparison between what is involved in the process of general marketing and the marketing that is a part of the process of outplacement, transition, relocation (OTR) counseling. The many similarities have been explored. This treatment would not be complete, however, without a caveat regarding the comparison of the marketing approach to OTR services. The marketing metaphor does not always fit the outplacement situation. Consider the following instances: 1. The general marketing approach lacks an element of personal counseling The outplaced worker who needs recuperative time or extensive personal counseling before beginning the marketing stage is likely to revolt or become disinterested in the marketing campaign if it is begun without personal counseling as a preparation.

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2. Outplaced employees resist being treated as a commodity. Once into the s marketing campaign, some candidates may feel depersonalized, complaining "I don't want to be packaged and labeled and shipped out like a product. Treat me as a person, not a product." 3. Marketing may overlook genuine quality. If the act of marketing candidat results only in packaging and advertising, it may fail to foster any improvement in the person. Hence negative attitudes, irresponsibility, incompetence, or dishonesty may not be dealt with but just covered up. Attractive packaging resulting in sneaking by may become the result of the marketing approach. 4. Marketing may overlook careful matching. Slick packaging, emphasis on f turn-around, and a mastery of the self-marketing process can result in candidates being able to sell themselves so well that they are hired into positions for which they are not genuinely qualified. The match is not right. They have "oversold" themselves, and risk failing in their new assignment. 5. Marketing is not a substitute for education. If outplaced workers do not lea how to study the profession or job scene and engage in resume and interview preparation, because it is done for them, then the marketing approach does them a disservice. Properly counseled OTR candidates spend a lot of time learning about the prospective employer and how their qualifications might meet employers' needs. They are not only well prepared for this job search but have learned the skills for repeated job changes, should that be necessary. NOTES 1. "Marketing with a Human Touch," a handoutfromPower Marketing, 155 Samson 7th floor, San Francisco, CA 94101, (415) 392-7097. 2. "The Power Marketing Alternative," Staffing Industry Report. News and Res for the Temporary Help and Employment Services Industry, Vol. II, No. 8 (August 1), P.O. Box 1240, Cupertino, CA 95015 (408) 253-8481. 3. Walton Beacham, ed., Beacham s Marketing Reference (Washington, DC: Researc Publishing, 1986); Larry M. Robinson and Roy D. Adler, Marketing Megaworks: The T 150 Books and Articles (New York: Praeger Publishers, 1987). 4. Right Associates, Lessons Learned: Dispelling the Myths of Downsizing (Phillphia: Right Associates, Inc., 1992). 5. DBM, Inc., I-Speak Your Language: A Survey of Personal Styles (New York: H court Brace Jovanovich, 1992). 6. Pat Windelspecht, owner of Windelspecht Associates, Shaker Park West, 423 New Karner Road, Albany, NY 12205. 7. " You 're fired " Congratulations, a brochure of Outplacement International, Chica (800) 955-4404. 8. "Pro-Active Campaign Managers Who Market for Results," handon* from Power Marketing, San Francisco. 9. Kate Wendleton, Job Changing Workbook (New York: Five O'Clock Club, 1991). 10. John T. Molloy: New Dress for Success (New York: Warner, 1988) and The Womas Dress for Success Book (Chicago: Follet, 1977). Also see Jacqueline Thompson, ed.: Imag

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Impact for Men (New York: A & W Publishers, 1983), and Image Impact: The Aspiring Woman s Personall PackaginggProgram(New York: A & W Publishers, 1981); and Janetet Wallach, Looks That Work (New York: Penguin Books, 1988). 11. Drake Beam Morin, Inc., Job Lead Bank Specificationsns,,brochhure published by DBM, Inc. 12. "The Power Marketing Alternative." 13. Directory of Executive Talent, brochure published by Lee Hecht Harrison. 14. "Models of Outplacement," handout from Power Marketing. 15. Interview with Joe Meissner of Power Marketing. 16. James Challenger, "When Outplacement Is a Sham," PersonallJournal,,Vol. 2, No. o 4: 27 (February 1989). See also Michael Barrier, "Lighting a Fire Under the Fired," Nation s Business, July 1992. 17. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1993), pp. 187 and 231. 18. Ronald L. Krannich, Re-Careering in Turbulent Times: Skills and Strategies for Success in Today s Market (Manassas Park, VA: Impact Publications, 1993), pp. 139-40.

12

The Resume—A Personal Sales Representative

Some things are more important to you and to your future than they are to anyone else. The document that positions you in the employment world is one of them. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+

A New York Times article entitled "Resume Writers Can Read Between the Lines described how accurate a barometer of the economy is the professional resume writer or coach. Resume writers do not have to read in the newspaper when a company is on the verge of collapse, they need only inventory the number of employees from the same corporation (usually high-ranking executives first, followed by lower-echelon workers) who come flooding in for help with their resumes.1 These early warning signs of industries going bad are like Hashing red dashboaid lights to these professionals. Resume writers, as well as those who frequently read resumes, learn to read between the lines of resumes in many ways. The 600 members of the Professional Association of Resume Writers in St. Petersburg, Florida, meet regularly to review the messages sent by resumes. After all, the resume is an individual's sales representative—sometimes arriving uninvited and unexpected, and it is no secret that it is designed to give the recipient a persuasive message. Professionals who read and write resumes become master detectives in discovering the job seeker's desired message and clues to the job seeker's true identity and career characteristics.

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CREATING A VALUABLE CREDENTIAL Because many terminated employees have not written a resume in years— maybe even decades—and because most have been in a position where they have not had to read other people's resumes, the services of the OTR professionals at this point are invaluable. Many OTR candidates are very unaware of the importance of the resume and may be so eager to get on to their next job that they may be impatient with the instruction and effort required of them to compose a resume to serve as their "sales representative." The OTR professional will be useful at this point in describing to the job seeker the essential role the resume plays in the transition process. The professional will remind the candidate of the years spent in trade school, college, maybe in graduate school, gaining credentials for the job market. Now, even if it takes several weeks—or a month—to create an effective resume, the candidate will have a new, valuable, up-to-date credential. As with the diploma, it is just symbols on paper, but it contains a record of negotiable items at the job interview. RESUME COACHES—THE MASTER DETECTIVES Just as every journalist, good or bad, can profit from a good proofreader, so everyone who writes one's own resume can profit from a resume-writing coach. Once the candidate is ready to write the resume, the OTR professional assumes such a coaching role. As a resume-writing coach, the professional's objective is to help the candidate create a resume that will grab attention, engage interest, and convince the reader to take action. The candidate must develop a persuasive piece of writing that entices the reader and convinces the prospective employer that the person behind the resume is the right person for the job. To assist the candidate, OTR professionals perform several important functions. Spot Omissions For one thing, the coach can often see where job candidates have failed to point out job qualifications in an advantageous way. Job seekers often are guilty of underrepresenting themselves. Frequently the job seeker forgets to mention an accomplishment—especially in the community service realm—that might be germane to the position being sought. Also, oftentimes the resume's objective or career goal is written so generally or vaguely that the reader could not guess the position for which the applicant is applying. Or, on the contrary, sometimes it is written so specifically and precisely that the applicant could be excluded from consideration for a number of acceptable positions. The resume coach can also spot unexplained gaps in the resume. Since these can send up red flags to resume readers who might reject the applicant before giving the candidate a chance to explain, it will be important for the job seeker to have someone catch such points in the resume.

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Pick Out Errors The resume coach can often pick out errors that have been overlooked. Writers frequently are "blind-sided" to an obvious error in spelling, punctuation, phrasing, and even experience data. Such innocent errors can cause the resume to be quickly pulled from the pile. Proofing by a coach is well worth the time and cost. Job seekers often lack the experience or objectivity to detect misrepresentation or overrepresentation in their credentials. Reinforce Strengths The most important role of the OTR professional is to help the candidate structure the resume and add precise, well-phrased annotations to flesh-out the skeleton of a good resume. OTR workshops on resume improvement usually help candidates make their resumes more attractive, readable, and persuasive. The OTR professional helps the writer of the resume reinforce the strengths the candidate has to offer, so that the image is congruent and matches the image the employer is seeking. Books have been written on resumes, and individuals updating their resumes will find dozens of public seminars available to them. They will hear some teachers preach brevity and other thoroughness. They will hear some consultants advocate chronological resumes, while others recommend a functional organization. Given the changes in the job market, approaches to the resume have changed too. As Bruce Nussbaum summarized in his Business Week report, emphasis has, in general, shifted from stating a career objective and listing education and jobs held, to highlighting skills and experience.2 On the other hand, Kate Wendleton now says that what's newest is really old. She recommends the use of the chronological list of jobs, titles, and accomplishments, which some career counselors have been discouraging. She points out that when job seekers developed spotty patches in their work histories and counselors turned to advising candidates to write functional resumes that emphasized accomplishments, they obscured dates. The problem was that the personnel director was forced to become a detective trying to "read between the lines" to figure out where the candidate had been and what the candidate had been doing. In today's employment climate, Wendleton says, the employer has too many resumes to review to have time to go beyond what is clearly written on the page. Thus she, like many OTR professionals, recommends listing achievements at the top and then a documentation of jobs and titles chronologically. As for an unemployment gap, Wendleton says, "Fill it.... If you're currently unemployed, do some consulting or volunteer work and include that. If an interviewer asks how long you've been unemployed, finesse it."3 The candidate can discuss the pleasure of having time at last to travel or do consulting or volunteer work. As candidates go about portraying themselves on paper they can become very confused by all the advice. They will hear varying opinions about the wisdom of revealing age, gender, race, marital status, health, or personal interest. What the

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outplaced employee will learn is that advice that is appropriate for one person or job target is not suitable for all others. It is the role of the OTR professional, who knows the candidate and his or her work experience and career goals, to direct the candidate. The OTR professional's job is to help each individual candidate fashion a winning resume and, where appropriate, a letter of application to accompany it. COMPOSITION AND CORRESPONDENCE COACHES When it comes to writing a letter, an effective OTR professional serves as a composition and correspondence coach—a teacher, in fact—for the outplaced job applicant. First, this teacher instructs the learner in the principles of making a good first impression—creating an ethos or personal image, communicating and reinforcing that persona through good interpersonal relationships and career correspondence. Second, the teacher instructs applicants in how they will be perceived and judged, not only by their resumes, but also by letters of application as a first impression of their competence, intelligence, and literacy They discuss the difference between a mere "cover letter" and a more targeted letter of application. Third, the professional offers instruction in the form and substance of a letter of application. And finally, the OTR teacher encourages job applicants to improve their language usage and to be critical proofreaders of their own written compositions, including the "thank you" letters they send to interviewers. Through OTR seminars, as well as tlirough individual tutoring, OTR professionals provide valuable instruction and coaching in composition and correspondence for those who have been assessed as needing (raining or retraining in such skills. This may be particularly true for managers and professionals who have relied on secretaries and allowed their writing skills to become lax. HELP IN AVOIDING THE PASSIVELY PACKAGED PRODUCT Combining the high incidence of job transition with the popular use of wordprocessing equipment results in dozens of letters routinely sent to CEOs and personnel managers each day. Here's what the secretary to one of those CEOs said: We get a big pile of outplacement letters every day. Usually they're the assembly-line kind, where everything matches. But sometimes they're disguised as personal letters with no resume enclosed. Those are easy to spot, too, because a real personal letter doesn't begin "Dear Mr.," and the applicant wouldn't dare write "Dear Harry." So on every employment letter, my assistant who opens the mail runs off a form response and sends the letter to Personnel for filing. Mr. can't spend his tune reading that stuff or he'd never get any work done. However, sometimes, if an extremely impressive letter comes along, and I know he might be looking for that kind of person, I put it into a folder he does glance at. "Cream-of-the-crop," we call it.4

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To avoid being one of these passively packaged products that never gets into the folder, it is important that candidates work with OTR professionals who can help them think through their career goals and transition paths and learn how to fashion correspondence that will enable them to become one of the cream-of-the-crop. OTR professionals can help their candidates determine to whom they should send their correspondence. In seminars, job seekers may be asked to study employment advertisements of the "opportunities-available" variety from the "Help Wanted" sections of newspapers or trade journals. The professional often provides statistics on how many hundreds of applicants are likely to apply for such an advertised position, emphasizing the fact that usually only three to six applicants will be chosen for interviews and that determination will be greatly influenced by the candidates' written communications as presented in their letters of application, application forms, and resumes. The seminar will often include sample letters of application and resumes to be studied. These are understood as valuable assessment tools for employers and recruiters in deciding whether or not job seekers are to be invited to interview. The seminar will also include different letter and resume formats and encourage discussion about the form, appearance, and impressiveness. Discussion helping the individual candidate to tailor the format continues when the candidates meet privately with the OTR professional. MATCHMAKING Because of the huge volume of letters and resumes that CEOs now receive and because fashioning those letters is time-consuming, it is important for both the candidate and the target employer that letters be sent only when there is a reasonable match between the skills and interests of the job seeker and the needs of the hiring organization. OTR professionals can teach job seekers to make those determinations and then to word their letters and resumes to convince the prospective employer that the candidate matches the job requirements as found in job advertisements and job descriptions. Job placement, successful transition, and relocation are, after all, the goals of the OTR firm. The sooner the right match is made, the more satisfied both parties will be. The OTR firm can devote its time and resources to a new candidate, and the terminated employee can move on, begin his or her adjustment to a new job, a new career, and maybe a new lifestyle, and, best of all, be gainfully employed again. NOTES 1. Lynda Richardson, "Resume Writers Can Read Between the Lines," New York Time April 7, 1992, p. Bl. 2. Bruce Nussbaum, "The Career Survival Kit," Business Week, October 7, 1991, p. 10

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3. Cited in Linda Stern, "How to Find a Job: New Ways of Winning in Today's Tough Market," Modern Maturity June-July 1993. 4. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1993), p. 241. Lucht conceives the resume as "your personal sales representative."

13

Networking: Contacts and Connections, Links and Linkages

What webs we can weave When first we set out to succeed. Variation on a theme by Sir Walter Scott

Lynn Sabold, out of work when his employer, a telecommunications firm, went out of business, sent out 300 resumes over a period of 10 months. He responded to ads every week and to any appropriate solicitations from headhunters. No job materialized. One day, a former subordinate told him about a company that was about to retain a recruiter to find an executive vice-president. Fortunately for Lynn, the subordinate told them, "You're crazy. There's a guy living 20 minutes away who can do this job better than anyone." Lynn got the job—not through ads, not because he added his resume to their pile, but through keeping in touch with his former subordinate—that is, networking.1 One OTR professional said there is nothing new about networking. It is just the old-fashioned practice of making contacts. In fact, Saul Gruner, one of the first to intentionally develop an OTR process, called it "Contact Development."2 Networking, as we define it, is the process of making contacts and connectio with other persons who can help us—or influence still others to help us—by pviding career information or job opportunities. This is, however, not just an ofashioned practice. In this day of downsizing and outplacement, networking has taken on a new meaning and importance, and there are new approaches to networking. OTR professionals teach and coach the outplaced about the nature of networking and the theory on which it is based. They understand the types of

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outplaced persons and how they operate in networking, the purpose of networking, and networking techniques. THE NATURE OF NETWORKING When jobs and career opportunities are plentiful (a job seeker's market) it is no problem for the outplaced person to connect or contact employers indirectly. Formal methods involving the use of agents or agencies (including headhunters) work well. It is as easy as shopping for an apartment or a house when the market is flooded with vacancies (a buyer's market). Linkages can be made simply by looking at a list of sellers or renters in the newspaper's real estate advertisement section and calling an agent to arrange the details. When looking for jobs in a buyer's market, candidates need only contact employers' agents. But suppose one is looking for a very unusual dwelling or a unique real estate opportunity that is not so easily found using the formal contact method. In such a case one might have to turn to informal means such as personal contacts. Imagine further that housing is extremely scarce (a seller's market) and that you need to search the city, suburbs, or neighboring villages yourself. You may have to contact homeowners and convince them to sell their home to you. Hence, you will engage in informal methods, including personal contacts of any kind and direct application to the seller. Surveys suggest that "fully 85% of the jobs available on any given day are not advertised."3 The so-called hidden job market often requires job seekers to use the informal approach, particularly using personal contacts. With the exception of full-time, public-sector positions, which are often required by law to be advertised widely (that is, federal, state, municipal, and tax-supported businesses), a large percentage of jobs are not advertised and, hence, are hidden. A review of studies centering on how people get jobs showed that "formal mechanisms of job allocation rarely accounted for more than 20 percent of placements. By contrast, 60-90 percent of jobs were found informally, principally through friends and relatives but also by direct application."4 There are two reasons why networking works in a buyer's market. First, employers do not have the time and money to advertise for new positions and interview a long list of candidates. Second, employers prefer to hire someone they know or whose character they know. When an inside person or personal friend gives them the name of a qualified candidate, that candidate is much more strategically placed than any in the pile of resumes (if the employer even invited resumes). In the "old-fashioned days" when j o b s were plentiful, formal methods worked well. If one did use informal methods, it was necessary to tell only a small circle of family or friends, and they would direct the job seeker to an appropriate employer Today, however, when jobs are not as plentiful, we find the informal method has been developed to a well-planned combination of science and art.

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NETWORKING MODELS Those researching or utilizing OTR services are likely to encounter any of four models of networking—all based on the same theory of connectedness outlined below but each emphasizing a slightly different approach.5 The ABC Approach. First is what is commonly called the "ABC" approach, sug gesting that candidates first approach people they already know. Then, using those people as references, they bridge to people whom their acquaintances know who might consider them for employment. This approach assumes that the decision makers the candidate will reach are only one person away from a person the candidate already knows. The Geometric Spread. Most networking advice is based on the assumption th candidates can reach virtually anyone by starting with people they know and then talking to people that their acquaintances know and then to people that those people know and so on. It is an intimidating approach for some people and can be truly mind-boggling, but it has proven to be effective. The Decision-Making Down Approach. When candidates have a particular bj or even a particular location in mind, they are advised to find a way to get to the decision maker who controls entry into that field or who has position in the targeted location. In this case, they start with the decision maker and work backwards, strategizing how they can get into the decision maker's network. The Funneling Approach. This approach is a newer model based on the fact th many of the jobs available now and for the foreseeable future have vague or unwritten job descriptions. In place of well-defined jobs are opportunities for people who can help mold and create the position as the organization restructures and adjusts to new ways of working. It requires a match of skills and interests in a more general way. The approach uses networking beginning in the assessment stage. The candidate conducts informational interviews to find out from people what they think the candidate's strengths to be, where they see him or her fitting, and how they think the candidate should present him- or herself. This information, built on early networking, is "tunneled" into the decision-making process. As bits of information combine and pass through the funnel, the candidate begins to get direction and can focus the job search. In the process the candidate filters the information through his or her own career dreams and fantasies and makes judgments about the future based on what people in the marketplace are saying as related to the candidate's career goals. Learning to network in this way helps candidates learn a process they can keep current, staying in continual touch with their friends and acquaintances who have a pulse on what is out there and how they might fit in. As organizations change and as the economy makes some jobs obsolete while opening the door for new ones, candidates who have mastered the art of networking will be on top of things. They will be able to see new opportunities as they emerge and will be always ready to take advantage of those opportunities.

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THE BASIS OF NETWORKINGBUILDING ON A SINGLE LINK OTR firms teach their candidates that today's informal system begins with a single link (see Figure 13.1). In fact, with our more sophisticated methods of communication, a single link with a small inner circle of contacts can in some cases direct a job seeker quickly to the employment needed. In any event, OTR professionals are the first link in the chain, a connecting link between potential employee and employer. Personal Networks: The Inner Circle The OTR professional often begins by asking the candidate to examine the initial contacts the candidate becomes linked to. This is the inner circle (see Figure 13.2). As the OTR professional points out, everyone has family or friends, coworkers, and acquaintances with whom they interact on certain topics, though not necessarily on where to find employment opportunity. These selected persons constitute the inner circle, the personal network. Interlocking Networks Most often the inner circle is made up of people who interact with each other. The personal network, it can be said, interlocks with other personal networks. Generally interlocking personal networks are numerous, since an individual's friends are often friends with each other. When outplaced persons decide to discuss career and job-seeking problems with some, but not all, members of their personal networks (and sometimes there are some persons with whom they would not want to discuss these problems), the number within the total personal networks is reduced. The problem of a restricted personal network, particularly an interlocking one, is its degree of "sameness." If candidates discuss their career search with only a few people they know, and those people, in turn, mention it to their friends who know the candidate (an interlocking network), then the chances of developing new leads are diminished. This is particularly true if candidates know who and what their friends know. They end up Figure 13.1 One Link or Tie

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Figure 13.2 Inner-Circle You

in what Professor Stanley Milgram called the "small world phenomenon."6 This is what happens too when one meets a stranger and casts about for a mutual acquaintance. Before long one says, "Do you know so-and-so? You do! What a small world!" Radial Networks, the Channel to Personal Networks: Outer Circles Sometimes personal networks are radial in the sense that they radiate out to friends who do not know or interact with the candidate's other friends.7 Through radial networks candidates can go beyond the small world. Milgram's research suggests that a job seeker on the East Coast in New York can link with an employer on the West Coast in California with an average of only 5.5 intermediaries, if they ask their inner-circle acquaintances to contact friends who are unknown to them or unknown to their friends, thus creating an outer circle (see Figure 13.3). As one moves out from an inner circle of close friends and family to lesser acquaintances and eventually to people not known at all, the circles are like widening rings on water that reach out—albeit growing weaker and weaker. Moving to friends of friends and from acquaintances to acquaintances and getting leads of leads causes the length of the chain to increase and takes job seekers to those job opportunities that are only within "hidden job markets." Connections and interconnections with friends, acquaintances, professionals, and so on grow less familiar as they increase in length, signaling weaker ties between the links (see Figure 13.4).

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Figure 13.3 Outer-Circle You

Strength of Weak Ties In his study, Getting a Job, Mark Granovetter presents a theory referred to as the "strength of weak ties," which enhances our understanding of the value of linkages, even as the circle widens and the links in the chain become more numerous. The theory is that "one has a greater potential of exposure to information thiough weak ties than through strong ones"8 One example that Granovetter cites is that of a graduate student in chemistry, Mark G., who heard from a close friend that a junior college was opening a natural science department. His friend had heard this at a party from a female English teacher who taught there. Mark's friend knew the English teacher only slightly but passed the information on to Mark. It was, in this case, the English teacher—a weak tie for Mark who had never met her—that provided Mark with the information that led to his interview and hire. Figure 13.4 Weaker Ties

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In this case there were two links between potential employee and employer, a strong link and a weak one. It was the strength of the weak link with its strong information lead that made the vital difference. In this example of a chain length of two links, the strong link connected to a weak link of an unknown acquaintance provided great strength in terms of vital information. Chain Lengths and Web Size As candidates learn from their OTR counselors, the number of links or ties and the social distance between them is theoretical at best. The correlation between chain length and getting a job is also theoretical, but chain letters and sales pyramid schemes suggest some of the possibilities for career employee/employer contacts. Theoretically a radial chain of six links or six circles of acquaintances could result in a web of 1 million people if each person in th chain told ten unrelated persons. This is illustrated in Figure 13.5 in the following geometric progressions. The assumption is that you, an unemployed person, contact ten of your inner-circle, mutually exclusive friends (link one) and tell them of your unemployment and need to contact an employer. They, at step or link two, contact ten of their mutually exclusive friends, who in turn contact ten of their mutually exclusive acquaintances, and so on for six steps (links). Although Granovetter's study dealt with no chains as long as four, the theoretical chain and potential web size illustrated in Figure 13.5 illustrate how adding just two more inner-circle friends can result in 2 million more persons (included in a six-link chain size involving 12 friends of friends offriendsoffriendsof friends of friends). Figure 13.5 Steps and Links

1 (me) STEP 1 = 10 STEP 2 = 100 STEP 3 = 1,000 STEP 4 = 10,000 STEP 5 = 100,000 STEP 6 = 1,000,000 Total Web:

1,111,110

(me) contacts contacts contacts contacts contacts contacts

LINK 1 = 12 Inner circle 144 Second circle LINK 2 = 1,728 Third circle LINK 3 = LINK 4 = 20,736 Fourth circle Fifth circle 248,832 LINK 5 = 2,985,984 Sixth circle LINK 6 =

3,257,436

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TYPES OF OUTPLACED WORKERS Experienced OTR professionals can classify outplaced workers in terms of contacts and connections. Consider the following types: The Isolate. OTR professionals know that the most difficult outplaced worker t connect in terms of networking is the disconnected loner. Afraid or disinclined to confide in others or to ask for help, the isolate hides from job comiections. A father of an outplaced professional once confided, 'That's my son. He works hard, puts in overtime, quietly and methodically does his work. He never toots his own horn. He never complains or compliments. But he doesn't socialize and never has lunch with his co-workers. Now, he's the first one out of a job and has no one to turn to." The Weil-Connected. Much easier to work with is the so-called well-connecte person, one with many contacts and many connections. This outplaced person, if he or she is willing, can turn to a multitude of friends (bosom buddies, as well as friendly acquaintances) to ask for job help. He or she is likely to be the 'iocal yokel" who knows everyone in town and everyone's business. Such an outplaced person is more easily directed by an OTR professional. The Well-Disconnected.TThe theory of being well-disconnected is consistet with the strength of radial networks (with which it is synonymous) and the strength of weak (links) ties. The local yokel may be well-connected in town, but out of town or out of state that person may be a virtual unknown. On the contrary, a person who is well-connected may not know many in town, but has great connections out of town with people who are friends of friends. Sometimes called liaisons, they are people who have connections with others in organizations, clubs, or businesses. It has been said that a person with a thousand friends is rich. However, a person with a thousand friends who have a thousand mutually exclusive friends has a million friends. (Friends of friends equal a million contacts if the friends and friends of friends are not acquainted. Check the calculation chart, if you have doubts.) THE PURPOSE OF NETWORKING OTR professionals urge the outplaced to develop networks for a variety of reasons. Therapeutic and Motivational Networks If a person who has been fired is grieving, disgusted, or immobilized by the trauma of losing work or career, the OTR professional will encourage discussion with family or friends. Directive OTR counselors might suggest, "Why don't you talk to so-and-so? He/she has experienced what you are going through and might help you." Or they might recommend local community-based support groups.

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Some OTR firms have developed support groups (a built-in network) for incoming personnel who have lost their jobs. The group may include current candidates or even former outplaced workers who serve as consultants to the outplacement organization. Meeting at the OTR offices periodically to lend support can be encouraging. While technically not calling themselves "outplacement" services, various groups and organizations are emerging in churches, synagogues, and community halls, which among other things, provide support. As the number of outplaced individuals has grown, so has the understanding that an important aspect of OTR service is support. Professional Development Networks In addition to general support groups that enable unemployed individuals to trade ideas and resources or offer mutual encouragement, specialized networks are useful for candidates seeking particular kinds of resources and support. For example, outplaced professionals who decide to create their own businesses often need help, and that help may well come from other independent professionals who are managing their own businesses and are available to provide support or serve as mentors. OTR services help outplaced employees considering striking out on their own to join professional organizations, such as the local association of builders, optometrists, masons, printers, educators, or journalists. OTR counselors encourage candidates to attend the professional association's conferences, workshops, and conventions in order to network with professionals in the chosen field and keep up with the latest thinking and practices in the field. Referral Networks Some networks exist solely to provide referrals for job seekers. Establishing referrals and recommendations to other people and sources is an important method of establishing radial networks. When someone tells an outplaced worker, "I can't help you, but I know who can," a potential solution may well be at hand. The follow-up procedure- following up on leads with someone's referral and possible recommendation—is the soul of the networking process. In his Complete Job Interview Handbook John J. Marcus defines it just that way. He says "networking i developing interviews by asking people you know to refer you to companies or to other individuals who can arrange introductions."9 Job-Link Networks Other networks exist only to connect a job seeker with a particular job. Recently an outplaced individual told us about her job-link networking. She said "I have a friend in the position I want. She told me that when she gets her promotion to a higher job she'll call me about taking her present position."

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OTR professionals know that most any organization has a structural network. They frequently check the newspapers and trade journals for announcements regarding retirements and promotions, because often such changes result in job shifting from the bottom up. For example, if a manager is promoted to director, then an assistant manager's position opens as the present assistant moves up, and a supervisor's position opens as the supervisor moves up to fill the position of assistant manager, and so forth from the bottom, up the chain of command. The same is often true when someone leaves an organization to work for another organization. The vacancy that is created is created at many levels. Therefore, outplaced employees are urged to network with those in positions above and below the position in which they themselves are interested—and from organization to organization. NETWORKING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES Outplaced employees often say that networking is the most difficult skill they had to learn. It was difficult to grasp what networking was, and it was difficult to master the art and skill of networking. OTR professionals play a critical role in helping candidates to get out and conduct informational interviews in order to establish their employment networks. Madeleine and Robert Swain in Out the Organizationnencourage their readers:: 'This is the time to get into some heavy-duty networking. Do a reasonable amount of lunching. You want to know what's available out there, and the more people you see and get to know the better."10 OTR professionals coach outplaced employees on how to network. They urge them to make lists of everyone they know (that means everyone: the mail carrier, the doctor, the clergyperson, neighbors). They urge them not to discount the possibility of anyone being able to lead them to someone who can lead them to a job. They can use them to arrange face-to-face meetings where they might get the time and attention they could not get over the phone. They help their candidates learn to appeal to their contacts' desire to help, to tell them how much they would appreciate the advice and counsel they could give, and that they would not need more than five minutes of their time. They stress the need to ask for information—more contacts, information about the industry, position, or company—but not to ask for a job. Some OTR counselors coach their candidates to attend professional conventions and ask professionals for permission to call them or see them in their offices after the convention. Since it is only the most ambitious who spend the time and money to attend conventions, these candidates are in a special position to be noticed. As outplacement consumers shop for an OTR service or as counselors consider establishing such a service, they will find that OTR personnel employ differing networking strategies based on differing philosophies. Many agree with Ronald L. Krannich, author of Re-Careering in Turbulent Times, who warns the reader to "be sure you do not ask someone for a job" when making an appointment. Just

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ask for an informational interview.11 He advises that one must be alert to the risk that the candidate will lose valuable contacts by being too bold or pushy. A Toronto-based OTR professional also told us that she coaches her outplaced employees not to ask for the job. Her approach is to keep the contacts and ask for referrals. She coaches outplaced applicants to provide potential employers (contacts) with all the information they need to make a job offer if they want to, but to ask only for job leads and further contacts and references. "We never ask for a job," she says, "we only ask for leads, contacts, and advice on how to proceed with a job search. Invariably, job offers come from these informational and referral interviews."12 Contrary to this coaching philosophy is that of Robert Half, author of How to Get a Better JobiinTThisCCrazyWorldaHalf's advice is "You gotta ask! Every g salesperson knows that one of the keys to success is to ask for the order."13 PREPARATION Whether counseling candidates to ask for a job directly or not, most OTR professionals include in their service training how to prepare for the interview, how to research the company or the position, and how to prepare questions. Depending on the industry or position, research may involve going to lunch with someone who works in the industry or company. It might mean calling a stock broker to learn about the company or locating articles about the company or industry in the local library's periodical guide and reference section. A CYNICAL VIEW Although John Lucht believes that "networking is your #1 tool,"14 he believes that it is only one tool and should not be used to the exclusion of others. He points out, somewhat cynically, that "networking is the least-cost recommendation for an outplacement firm."15 Therefore, users of OTR must view advice about networking with that knowledge. Certainly if candidates are engaged in local networking, they would not be using the OTR firm's long-distance phone lines, secretarial services, or even office space. His advice is not to allow time spent on networking to rule out the use of other appropriate marketing strategies. CAVEAT As more and more outplaced employed have come to realize that networking is the most effective way to find a job and informational interviews are an important point to reach, we are beginning to hear some OTR professionals caution candidates against overdoing the informational interview strategy. They indicate that some employers are tired of being contacted and are wise to the fact that someone presumably seeking information is really asking for a job. They refuse to grant the interview. Saul Gruner is one who feels that the original concept of "Contact De-

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velopment" has been lost as many OTR professionals encourage their candidates to blindly call decision makers.16 A strategy that some OTR professionals recommend to overcome employer resistance is what Charles W. Cates calls "valueadded" networking.17 He recommends that candidates indicate in what way the interview might be of help to the employer. For example, they might say, "I'm exploring the field of creative design and have spoken to a number of professionals in the field, including some of your competitors. 1 would like to share my finding with you to gain your perspective." Eager to learn through the traveling candidate, the employer might be more inclined to find the time. Others believe that there is not a problem based on their belief that the large number of potential contacts reduces the risk of disproportionately imposing on some. Most urge their candidates not to be put off by negatives, not to use excuses to keep from getting on the phone or out to make visits; 20 -30 calls per day is not too many to get started. OTR professionals give candidates the coaching and urging to get started and to keep going. COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND DATA BASES OTR firms frequently have computer systems and data bases in their library sections that allow the outplaced to get a good start on networking. To answer the question "Well, who should I ask that I don't know?" such systems can provide an excellent start provided the information in the system is kept up-to-date. These systems are not too unlike the ones in public unemployment offices (e.g. TOPS, Terminal On-line Placement Systems), but the software packages and data bases are often quite different and more specialized. For many years organizations have been forming to assist outplaced workers in networking, even before the term "network" was fashionable. The Forty Plus Club founded in 1938 was a well-structured one lasting over 50 years.18 Church support groups have also formed to provide contacts for their members to create job networks. Women's gtoups have done the same to help address the special needs of outplaced and jobless women. (The subject of women's groups and how to form them is outlined in Mary Scott Welch's book, Networking.19) OTR professionals often urge membership in such clubs. They also lead their candidates to available job banks or sources of job banks, sometimes within the OTR firm and other times in the community. In 1991 Rebecca Jespersen and Gerald Roe reported that there were over 17 job bank books on hundreds of the largest employers.20 In an OTR service library or public library a candidate will find a growing collection of job bank books. Some list regional resources, such as Atlanta Job Bank, Boston Job Bank, Chicago Job Bank, and so Others list contacts in specific fields. Such books provide hundreds of contact persons along with their addresses, telephone numbers, and company descriptions— wonderful ways to network with the outer circle and locate the "hidden job market."

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SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES OTR counseling can help the outplaced understand the importance of networking and how it can be used as a tool to locate future employment or career advancement. OTR services help their counselees to develop different kinds of networks, depending on immediate or long-term needs. Many OTR services have the systems, data, software, and structures to make networks easier to form. Networks with referrals and references can create "pull" for the applicant seeking a job and for those "out the organization" who want to develop their own business enterprises.21 Networks are invaluable at a time when "who you know" or "who you can contact" creates the web that makes all the difference. NOTES 1. Interview with Lynn Sabold, Plattsburgh, NY. 2. Interview with Saul Gruner, Westport, CT. 3. Robert Lewis, "Networking, New Tactics Lift Older Job Seekers," AARP Bulletin, Vol. 34, No. 2 (February 1993). 4. Tom Jackson, Guerrilla Tactics in the Job Market (New York: Bantam Books, 199 p. 114. 5. Robert Maher, "Listening to the Market Place" Workshop at the Association of Outplacement Consulting Finns' 4th Annual Conference, October 12-15, 1991. Audiocassette available from Teach'em, 160 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 6. Cited in Everett M. Rogers and Rekha Agarwala-Rogers, Communication in Orgnizations (Glencoe, IL: The Free Press, 1976), p. 112. 7. Ibid, p. 115. 8. Mark S. Granovetter, Getting a Job (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1974), p. 5. 9. John J. Marcus, Complete Job Interview Handbook (New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1988), p. 14. 10. Madeleine N. Swain and Robert L. Swain, Out the Organization: New Career Op portunities for the 1990s (New York: MasterMedia, 1992), p. 39. 11. Ronald L. Krannich. Re-Careering in Turbulent limes: Skills and Strategies for Su cess in Todays Market (Manassas Park, VA: Impact Publications, 1983), p. 232. 12. Interview with Wendy Johnson, President, W.E. Johnson Consultants, Ltd., 150 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 308, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 1E8. 13. Robert Half, How to Get a Better Job in This Crazy World (New York: Plume, 199 p. 162. (See Chapter 22, "Ask for the Job"). 14. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1993), p. 58. 15. Ibid., p. 334. 16. Interview with Saul Gruner, Westport, CT. 17. Charles W. Cates, "Street to Suite: New Avenues for Outplacement Professionals," "What Are You Going to Do After Outplacement" Workshop at the International Association of Outplacement Professionals Conference, May 15, 1993. Audiocassette available from Teach'em, 160 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775.

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18. Hilary Ostlera, "Forty Plus at 50: America's Oldest Self-Help Executive Job Hunting Organization Turns 50," Across the Board, December 1988, p. 39. 19. Mary Scott Welch, Networking: The Great New Way for Women to Get Ahead ( York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980). 20. Rebecca Jespersen and Gerald Roe, Over 40 and Looking for Work? A Guide for th Unemployed, Underemployed and Unhappily Employed (Holbrook, MA: Bob Adams, 1991). 21. Kirby W. Stanat, Job Hunting Secrets and Tactics (Chicago: Follett, 1977), p. 94.

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Employment Interviewing

I give to you The interview— An opportunity to tell A chance for you to sell Perceived identities, Talents and abilities. John L. Meyer

Another valuable educational training service provided by OTR programs is a knowledge of and skill in employment interviewing. One outplacement manual states: "Probably the most important element in any successful job marketing campaign is effectively selling yourself during an interview."1 This type of instniction is rather unique and often unavailable. College students are unlikely to encounter instructions in interviewing with the exception of a few isolated courses in departments of speech communication, counseling, business, or as a service of college career planning and placement offices. Members of the business community often lack training in interviewing with the exception of those who have attended workshops, seminars, or courses provided by organizations such as the American Management Association.2 As a result, too often interviewees (EEs) and interviewers (ERs) are lacking in their ability to conduct or participate in employment interviews. The effect of meetings of untrained and inexperienced interviewers with untrained and inexperienced applicants has been described in How to Get the Job You Want, by Melvin Donaho and John Meyer.3

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This chapter focuses on the "what" and "how" of outplacement programs on interviewing. Emphasis is on the basic understandings about employment interviewing and the teachings and training provided. IMPORTANCE AND PURPOSE OF INTERVIEWS Getting the outplaced candidate to recognize the importance of the employment interview is a major emphasis in OTR education. Despite the fact that research continually questions the interview as the most valid hiring tool, the interview remains the chief means of selecting employees. And, despite a host of printed data on candidates—letters of application, resumes, references, application forms, grades, degrees, performance samples, psychological tests, and preemployment physical exams, the interview is almost always the deciding measure.4 Many employers, with the help of their personnel managers, human resource specialists, and sometimes management consultants, develop strategic procedures and programs to get the right person for the job. They begin by defining the position needed and the job requirements for the position. Then as the recruitment program and selection process proceed, employers attempt to match job requirements with candidates' qualifications. This process is understood as the Matching-Image Theory5 and is a process OTR professionals help job seekers comprehend and appreciate. DEFINITION OF AN INTERVIEW The employment interview has been defined as a series of interviews aimed at selecting the right person for the job.6 Thousands of dollars and countless hours are spent on this process. Sometimes called the selection interview, the employment interview is an employment tool "for screening, hiring and placing applicants, employees and members of organizations."7 In the OTR process the counselor helps the outplaced employee understand that different definitions, depending on the perspective of the participant, may result in different purposes, processes, and procedures for the employment interview. Both the employer and the applicant see the interview as a business meeting, but for each it offers different opportunities. For the employer, for example, the interview is an opportunity: 1. To inform potential employees about the organization, the position, and the job requirements. 2. To gather information about specific candidates, their qualifications, and how their employment might benefit the organization. 3. To persuade applicants regarding the good public relations the organization extends to them through interview opportunities and relationships.

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4, To persuade some applicants to join the organization because of its mission, effectiveness, leadership, or opportunities for employees. 5. To negotiate a wage and benefits package beneficial and agreeable to the organization. In contrast, for the applicant, the interview is an opportunity: 1. To inform a potential employer about the availability of the candidate and the candidate's job qualifications. 2. To gather information about the organization, its reputation, and what it has to offer that would benefit the applicant's needs and career goals. 3. To persuade employers to consider them seriously as job applicants. 4. To persuade employers to hire them. 5. To negotiate a wage and benefits package beneficial and agreeable to the applicant. In sum, the employment interview can be defined as a business meeting opportunity for employment information and employment persuasion for both ER and EE, even though each defines that opportunity differently. TYPES OF INTERVIEWS OTR firms prepare their candidates for at least four types of employment interviews so they can understand and interpret what is happening. The Screening Interview The screening interview is a short meeting usually limited to a few qualifying questions, often conducted by someone in personnel immediately after or just prior to the completion of an application form. In some cases an application form need not be offered. Other companies provide the application form on request. Its purpose, for management, is to categorize applicants into several groupings such as the "not qualified" group, the "potential" group, the "put-on-hold" group, the "recommend for-candidates-pool" group, or the "recommend-for-immediate-callback" group. The two positions of screening interviews are outlined in Figure 14.1. Employers can glean much information from both the screening interview and the application form that answer questions such as the following: 1. Should the person be encouraged to apply for a position with our organization? Is the person suited for work here? 2. What types of talent does this applicant offer in terms of our company's needs (i.e., clerical talent, computer skill specialist, or management expertise)? 3. In what areas is this person most qualified by training, special abilities, experience, or education?

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Figure 14.1 Screening Interviews

Source: Reprinted from Melvin W. Donaho and John L. Meyer, How to Get the Job You Want: A Guide to Resumes, Interviews and Job-Hunting Strategy (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1976), p. 143.

4. Is there an immediate opportunity for an applicant with these interests and qualities? 5. Is such a need likely to occur in the future? 6. Is there an abundance or shortage of the type of employees we need to fill our job requirements in all or specific areas? OTR professionals will prepare candidates for typical employer questions during the screening interviews. For example, candidates need to know that sometimes two or three questions are sufficient to determine if the applicant is eligible or qualified for further consideration. In other cases, many questions are asked. Outplacement counselors coach their candidates to respond to questions such as the following in several categories:

Employment Interviewing

A. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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Questions Regarding Qualifications What are your career goals and objectives? For what type of work are you applying? For what type of work are you most qualified? How has your education or training prepared you for this type of work? Under what types of working conditions do you work best? Least effectively?

B. Questions Regarding Availability 1. If you were hired, when would you be able to begin work? 2. What hours would you prefer to work? 3. On which days would you prefer to work? 4. Would you be able to travel if required? 5. Are you likely to have difficulty in traveling to and from work? 6. Could you relocate if the job moved? C. Questions for Further Probing 1. Do you have personal and professional references? 2. May we have permission to contact these and/or others if we decide to consider you further for a position with us? 3. Is there anyone you would not give us permission to call regarding future employment with us?

The OTR professional counsels the job applicant to gain information from the screening interview, especially if the interviewer asks if there are any questions the applicant may have, by asking a few questions that show interest in the position. Such a request may be rewarded with oral or printed information that would not otherwise be offered. While the applicant is not expected to ask too many questions at this point or to extend the brief screening interview through extended dialogue, a few well-placed questions and remarks may be appropriate. The Stress Interview Although rarely used and not often recommended, the stress or confrontational interview still exists among aggressive interviewers. Seen as a test or an opportunity to see how job applicants will react under pressure, the "stress interviewer" attempts to unnerve, challenge, agitate, and even trick and harass the applicant during the interview. Some interviewers justify the approach on the grounds that the job being applied for (such as sales, arbitration, negotiation, police, or collection agency work) requires a strong individual who can take abuse or rejection. The purpose is "to test under fire," to see how a candidate will handle personal attack and rejection. Rude behavior may be the deliberate approach of such an in-

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terviewer. For example, the interviewer may refrain from asking the applicant to sit down, use delaying tactics, or yelling, or scolding the applicant. Sometimes a "good guy-bad guy" approach is used as in interrogation sessions. Questions may also be couched in blunt, rude, or challenging rhetoric such as: 1. Where do you get the audacity to think you have the qualifications to work for our company? 2. What makes you think you have anywhere near what it takes to work for us? 3. How could you possibly imagine that you have anything to offer our organization? 4. Just how intelligent are you, anyway? Coaching applicants "not to take the bait" in such insults and taunts may be part of the OTR training. For a candidate, trying to remain calm and confident in the face of such indifference to feelings or obvious abuse and attacks may seem impossible or unbearable. However, applicants forewarned by their OTR counselors that such interviewers and interviews exist are forearmed in handling this type of unusual interview. The Search Committee Interview OTR professionals help job applicants to know that hiring decisions are sometimes made by the vote of a group or a board rather than just one individual. Even when one executive makes all the hiring decisions, the OTR counselor points out that the executive is often influenced by the perceptions and recommendations of a screening or search committee. The outplacement counselor can be invaluable in helping the candidates locate and understand the person and to be aware of the need to influence not just that one person but several persons who may make or influence the hiring decision. The committee members may meet with the candidate on a one-to-one basis, or the entire board may invite the candidate to meet all the members at one time. This can be a frightening experience for the job applicant—like facing judge and jury to plead a case. Preparation from the OTR professional gives outplaced candidates the confidence they need. These committee interviews usually do not include the negotiation stage, which is most commonly left for the final selection interview by a single person, but they may involve a demonstration by the candidate for the group. For example, when hiring a salesperson, the committee might say, "Provide us with a typical sales demonstration." "Present us with a typical mathematics lesson," might be the request made of a candidate for teaching. Often candidates are given preparation time to demonstrate; sometimes, however, it is an impromptu situation. OTR professionals, therefore, help candidates to prepare so that the impromptu situation will be an extemporaneous presentation that appears spontaneous but that is, in fact, prepared and calculated to win the approval and recommendation of the committee.

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That is the goal, and the preparation for achieving that goal comes through practice the OTR professional provides in both group and individual training sessions. The "outplacement interviewer-coach" shows applicants how they can influence selection committee members. The Selection Interview The ultimate interview, usually conducted by the person empowered to negotiate and make a job offer, is characterized by six stages or phases: the approachreception, the EE response period, the ER briefing stage, the cross-examination sequence, the negotiating interval, and the summary and leave-taking stage.8 Table 14.1, later in the chapter, describes these six stages and includes definitions and purposes from the perspectives of the ER and the EE with a sample dialogue of transitions for each stage. OTR professionals help candidates to understand and rehearse each of these stages. FORMS OF INTERVIEWS All four types of employment interviews may be conducted in four different forms for which the candidate must be prepared: solo, tandem, group, and mediated. The traditional form is for one interviewer (ER) to manage and conduct the interview with one applicant (interviewee) (EE) at a time. This one-to-one solo approach is not only the most customary, it allows the greatest privacy and comfort. The tandem interview consists of either one or two ERs with one or two EEs at a time. Occasionally recruiters, for example, will ask to conduct screening interviews with two candidates at a time. Similarly, a team of recruiters (ERs) may screen individual EEs so that the recruiters can readily get a second opinion. They can compare notes and make coordinated decisions. The group employment interview format involving the search or screening committee is becoming more popular. Similar to a graduate school dissertation defense, the employment applicant may be asked to respond to a panel of ERs who take turns questioning the applicant, sometimes in specialized areas. The committee, for example, may have interviewers in the applicant's field as well as personnel outside the department or field, such as human resource personnel. ERs can thus query applicants in the technical or specialized areas as well as the general information. The group can also organize itself to allow for the demonstration or performance by the candidate. Mediated interviews, such as by telephone or videoconferencing, are occasionally used to interview candidates in remote or distant geographical areas in an attempt to reach out but save the cost of transportation and room and board, whether the cost is borne by the organization or the applicant. Mediated interviews may be done in any form—solo, tandem, or group. Some OTR professionals discourage mediated interviews. They warn applicants against such situations where there is uncertainty about the credentials of organi-

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zations or ERs. The caveat for mediated interviews, without prior correspondence and proper credentialing, is that they do not allow candidates nor the organization to properly size-up each other. Also, because it may be easier to say, "No!" to a candidate over the telephone, applicants are usually schooled to request a face-toface interview, preferably on the site of the organization. INITIAL INTERVIEW PREPARATION Following career counseling and job orientation the OTR firms provide candidates with preparation for the employment interview. While creating one's letter of application and resume with coaching and editing by an OTR consultant, the candidate actually begins preparation for the interview. Step 1. Personal Inventory: Taking Stock OTR manuals or consultant-led discussions help candidates make a personal inventory by taking stock of themselves. They force the outplaced to reflect on the aptitudes, knowledge, skills, and abilities that could be offered to employers. As discussed in Chapter 8, the philosophic dictum "Know thyself" is crucial here. To zero-in on one's personal career potential, there must be an alignment of four factors: the outplaced's personal and professional needs and goals; one's interests and attitudes; background of education, past experience, and training; and physical stamina and general health. Imagine looking down a microscope or rifle scope and discovering the nexus point of two cross hairs, as shown in Figure 14.2. Figure 14.2 Taking Stock

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Step 2. Personal Briefing: Preparing to Sell Your Services Step two is self-sales preparation. Because employers want to know what you can do for the company, taking stock of oneself is not enough. OTR coaches help the outplaced to speak freely about themselves in a positive manner. The outplaced need to speak confidently on topics such as the following: my most valuable educational experiences; my most rewarding work experiences; my most successful projects, accomplishments; or my strengths and capabilities. Too often job applicants feel reticent to talk about themselves for fear it will sound boastful or egotistical. Indeed, if it does sound that way, more coaching is needed so that the outplaced can speak with confidence and pride but with no hint of boastfulness. Sometimes OTR consultants work on the negative communication attitudes the outplaced may harbor. Internal messages saying "keep your light under a bushel" or "if you don't speak out in support of yourself, who will?" are explored. Also, if the outplaced applicant sounds angry, cheated, or frustrated over past employment experiences, such tones can be reduced or eliminated with an OTR professional's help.

Step 3. Research: Investigate the Company and the Interviewer OTR organizations warn outplaced applicants that they may be asked by ERs, "Why do you want to work for our company?" Not having done their homework, applicants could be at a complete loss to answer and may feel foolish. Therefore, most consultants advise applicants to research the company before going to the interview. OTR libraries, with reference books such as the Thomas' "Register,,, ,MacMillan Job Guide, Moody s Industrial Manual, and Standard and Poor s Corporation Records and Register of Corporations as well as computer profiles, give candidates the tools with which to research companies. 9 Homework assignments in OTR manuals often require applicants to create their own company profiles on each company with which they might possibly get an interview. Some libraries also enable candidates to research the interviewer. Seagate Associates, for example, provides the candidate with the services of a reference librarian who uses on-line data bases to search for sources that reveal not only information about companies and their competitors, products, suppliers, finance, and stock ratings, but also infomiation about the interviewer, including his or her publications, membership on boards, panel or public speaking presentations, education, career history, and even family background.10 Step 4. Company Briefing: Prepare to Discuss the Business Simply researching, however, is not enough. The fruits of that homework must be communicated. Hence, OTR groups under the direction of the OTR coach are encouraged to talk about the advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses of various corporations and businesses.

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"What do you know about our company?" is a frequent question in interviews. Applicants need to be knowledgeable and fluent in discussing the products, types of operations, and work history of a company or its competitive standing in the industry. The OTR firm helps prepare the candidate for informed responses. Step 5. Evaluation: Study the Situation "Know what you are applying for!" Too often applicants pin their hopes on a certain position only to discover later that the job is far less than they hoped it would be„ OTR consultants can help applicants spot problemsfrequentlysignaled by cues, or the absence of cues, in job advertisements and job descriptions. Doubts and suspicions about jobs or companies can be checked out through discussion and consultation with other agencies. According to Donaho and Meyer, there are three challenging questions OTR consultants typically raise for the applicant's defense: 1. You want to work for that company? 2. You want to work for that company? 3. You want to work for that company?

The first question suggests there might be something wrong with this company in comparison with other companies that should have been detected in steps 3 and 4. If the company has a bad reputation, for whatever reason—inferior products, unreliable guarantees, poor service, shoddy workmanship, exorbitant prices, unfair treatment of its employees—candidates should know these facts in advance of the final (decision) employment interview. Question two raises the issue of how well suited the company or job is to the applicant—"Is it the wrong job for you?" Are there undesirable side effects of the work for the applicant, such as "reputation by association" social criticism, health hazards, or safety risks? Would taking the job put the applicant in an untenable or undesirable position in any way? Are the job and salary worth it? The last question raises the issue of the applicant's suitability to the position. Is the applicant applying for a job for which he or she is unqualified? These are the devil's-advocate questions and challenges that OTR professionals can and do put to the outplaced so that the candidate can approach the employment interview with critical thinking and listening skills and with confidence. Step 6. Anticipate: Get Set Through Rehearsal "Practice, practice, practice" is not only the advice on how to get to Carnegie Hall but sage advice for mounting any type of show or performance. While job applicants learn about employment interviewing the hard way through rejection, mistakes, and the "hard knock" experiences in the field, OTR candidates are fortunate in getting training and advice.

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When OTR consultants conduct workshops and simulated employment interviews, they can spot problems in individual performance in interviewing behavior and can discuss more effective techniques and interviewing skills. They can coach the outplaced toward greater effectiveness and for more confidence in employment interviewing. Role playing within a group of outplaced applicants—intermittently changing roles of ER and EE—is valuable training. Other techniques candidates might encounter include having the OTR professional play the role of "mock" interviewer or switching places and demonstrating for applicants how they might have handled a situation differently. TEACHING VIA SIMULATION AND TELEVISION Another exciting type of training about interviewing involves simulated, televised interviews. Most OTR firms have television equipment for role playing. An outplaced applicant can rehearse a hypothetical interview situation with the camera recording the action. Later, the applicant, with coach or group viewing the video, can analyze and criticize the "performance." This is an exciting way of learning with unmatched provisions for constructive criticism and worthwhile suggestions for improvement. In the analysis, participants discuss candidly questions such as: 1. Were the applicant's dress, grooming, and appearance appropriate for the position outlined in the simulation? 2. Did the applicant appear and sound confident? Too serious or tense? Too smiley or poised? Too relaxed? Interested? Disinterested? Enthusiastic? 3. Should the applicant have been better prepared to provide information about oneself, the company, the job, etc.? 4. Was the applicant persuasive enough? Too pushy? Too aggressive? One OTR consultant likes to record simulated interviews on Friday followed by a weekend assignment. He tells his candidates to take the videocassette home, review it, using the analysis in the workbook, and discover at least three ways they can improve the interview so they will feel and appear more confident. Then he advises them to practice the three ways so that on Monday morning they can rerecord the simulation and see significant improvement in the interviewing behavior.

IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES Because it is not always practical or desirable to rehearse an entire interview at one sitting, and because OTR trainers want to help applicants understand and improve each phase of the interview, interviews are frequently broken down into the stages outlined in Table 14.1.

Table 14.1 Six Stages and Phases to the Employment Interview STAGE:

Approach-Reception phase

DEFINITION! The introduction and welcoming stage to a private business meeting with greetings, introductions, and the establishment of relationships.

ER Purposes

EE Purposes

Dialogue

1. Provide a welcoming reception; 2. Establish interpersonal relationships (rapport); 3. Create environment. Ice-breaker questions to assess mood and need to get EE speaking and responding spontaneously. Leading to the agenda or purpose statement of interview. Sometimes, etc. possible length.

Gain recognition and acceptance as a serious candidate. Create favorable impression (image). Show appreciation for granting interview. Build rapport, verbally and nonverbally.

ER:

Hello and Welcome! I'm John Jay, Vice President for Human Resources here at Ansco. (handshake)

EE:

How are you, Mr. Jay? I'm Chris Allen, a candidate for the accounting position.

ER:

Won't you sit down, Chris? I reviewed your resume and wanted to meet you.

EE:

Thank you. I appreciate your granting me this interview.

a STAGE: EE Response Period DEFINITION: An EE briefing stage. The1 second stage in which "getting down to business" includes predominantly ER controlling the questioning -- EE responding. Frequently over 75% of dialogue is dominated by EE. This phase may be expanded into a demonstration by EE.

ER Purposes

ER Purposes

Dialogue

To learn about candidate's qualifications. To gather info, for hiring decision beyond that in print sources. To verify existing info. To structure questions and interview. Encourage EE to continue speaking spontaneously and reinforce selfdisclosure. Discover unique qualities of candidate. To utilize a variety of closed and open-ended questions, probing for further info, and clarification.

To inform ER regarding qualifications and availability. Provide info, clearly, responding positively verbally and nonverbally to all questions. Maintain poise while illustrating answers with examples in efficient and economic manner. Speak spontaneously with relevant selfdisclosure and persuasive "matching" qualifications.

ER:

What do you see as your grestest accomplishments in your career in accounting?

EE:

There are three accomplishments of which I am quite proud. As an undergraduate I completed a double major in accounting and computer science.. My goal was to... etc.

Table 14.1 Six Stages and Phases to the Employment Interview (continued) STAGE:

ER Briefing Stage

DEFINITION: or company.

Phase in which EE asks questions of ER which ER provides briefing on job, job requirements Tours, films, audio-video presentations are sometimes included. ER dominates talk.

ER Purposes

BE Purposes

Dialogue

Provide initial orientation to company and employees. Clarify rules, regulations and procedures with printed, audio-video materials or oral commentary. Demonstrate working conditions and environment (with possible tour). Assess candidate's reactions while soliciting their impressions. Represent good public relations of organization. Persuade applicant of organization's mission, effectiveness, leadership and opportunities for employees. Check candidate's alertness and reactions to introductions, demonstration or tour.

To raise relevant questions to gather info, about organization, reputation and its offerings while demonstrating that you "did your homework." To acquire more information about this position and its requirements (job descriptions, etc.). To verify info, and previous impressions. To demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm for this company and this position.

ER:

What questions do you have for me and what more would you like to learn about our company, the business, or this position?

EE:

Could you tell me how this firm's mission statement relates to this position?

ER:

The purposes of this company include. . . Interns of the position for which you are applying. .

STAGE:

Cross-examination Sequence

ER and EE share (50-50) talk, DEFINITION: An extension of stage 3, this is the truest dialogue stage cross-questioning each other on variety of topics including tour, film, meeting other employees or the EE's demonstration.

BR Purposes

EE Purposes

Dialogue

To answer EE's questions, clarify points. Establish understanding and agreement (persuasion). To raise (probing) questions to gain further Information from candidate such as candidate's perceptions of job or company, reservations held, etc.

To answer ER's questions, clarify points, establish precisely what job requires, persuading ER that candidate's qualifications do meet or could meet job requirements. To probe for further info, on company, job, etc. To discover ER's reservations about hiring and counter them.

ER:

Do you have any further questions for me?

EE:

Yes, I dol What does the company policy clause on overtime mean when it states that "periodic overtime opportunities exist?"

ER:

Let me clarify; that policy means the company both requires and offers additional hours of work. . . Would you be interested in more or less overtime work?

Table 14.1

Six Stages and Phases to the Employment Interview (continued) STAGE:

The Negotiating Interval

DEFINITION; A bargaining-phase on matters such as salary, commissions, fringe benefits, options, perquisites, (insurance) etc.

ER Purposes

EE PurposoB

Dialogue

To discover applicant's past salary. To clarify applicant's salary expectations. To make attractive what company has to offer in terms of the entire salary-benefits package. To negotiate a wage and benefits package agreeable to the company.

To acquire a copy of the salary scale and benefits plan if available. To clarify what past and present salaries and benefits for this position included in relation to duties, responsibilities and company expectations for this position in relation to others. To negotiate a wage and benefits package agreeable to candidate and consistent with other employees at this firm.

ER:

What kind of salary were you expecting?

EE:

I am not certain about salary. What was the salary for this position originally, and can you tell me, at this time, what the job pays or what the company is offering?

ER:

We do have a salary schedule with ranges within steps. . .

STAGE:

Summary and Leave-taking Stage

DEFINITION;

The conclusion phase of the interview.

BR Purposes

BE Purposes

Dialogue

Signal end of interview and bring note of finality, establishing if and when candidate is available for future meeting if desired, whether or not candidate should call. Leave good last impression of company and ER.

Establish when you might expect to hear from company regarding decision to hire or offer to make contact requesting appropriate time. Leave good last impression with a closing statement.

ER:

That concludes our business for this session; we are out of time. Before you leave Chris, let me. .

EE:

Thank you very much. I appreciate your consideration of me for this position.

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The table summarizes the amount of knowledge, skills, and abilities required of interviewees to realize their purposes. OTR trainers give applicants specific advice on each stage. 1. The approach-reception stage. This stage requires applicants to understan the importance of making a good first impression verbally through the words used and, nonverbally, through their appearance, posture, gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice. Interviewers who make snap judgments are likely to form opinions about candidates rejecting or accepting them in a very short time. Some OTR professionals draw upon insights such as those of Leonard and Natalie Zunin, found in Contact: The First Four Minutes.l ] Through rehearsals, critiques and discussions, OTR coaches help EEs gain recognition and acceptance as serious candidates. Coaching on details—such as coming alone, early, or on time but never late; waiting to be asked to sit down before taking a seat; refraining from smoking or chewing gum; bringing a copy of the inviting correspondence, a resume, and pen; greeting by name; responding to introductions with a smile and a f irm handshake—may seem too minor to have a major impact during this introductory stage of the interview but they add up to provide a significant image of poise and confidence. To build rapport and establish a favorable interpersonal relationship with the ER, EEs are coached in what to say and how to say it. This speech communication training emphasizes positive but sincere communication, neither too brief (suggesting abruptness) nor too loquacious (suggesting excessiveness). Because social amenities, personal regards, and ice-breaking comments usually characterize this phase of the interview, an easy flowing dialogue is desirable. EEs are usually coached to avoid one-word responses and to have a short anecdote or two, provided the stories are not too extended. 2. The EE response period. This "getting-down-to-business" stage requires Es to speak spontaneously for longer periods of time. Learning to distinguish between close-ended questions and open-ended questions, EEs are coached on where a one-sentence answer is appropriate and where a more extended, monologue-type answer is necessary to provide a fuller explanation. Self-disclosure (publicly revealing thoughts and feelings about oneself) is difficult for many people. OTR coaches provide practice sessions so that thorough answers with insight, analysis and openness become easier for the candidate. Kate Wendleton refers to this monologue as your "two-minute pitch," a positioning statement in response to the interviewer's request—"So tell me about yourself."12 Coaching candidates on presenting a demonstration during this phase is also invaluable training. When OTR consultants provide advice on how to respond to different kinds of interview questions—including "illegal" ones, trick questions, verifier, clarifier, and rationale probes—they provide unique interview training. Many OTR manuals contain a list of the most commonly asked interview questions for review and rehearsal. Specific advice on how to be professional in answering questions about former supervisors, managers, and bosses helps EEs avoid terrible interview errors.

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3. The ER briefing stage. This stage requires the EE to listen with good comprehension. Critical thinking also plays a major role, but discretion must be used in revealing doubts about the ERs briefing or in pointing out contradictions that are detected. Once again, it is the OTR coaching that can help candidates respond discreetly, knowing when to respond candidly and when to refrain from showing shock, irritation, or disapproval. Helping EEs learn to raise relevant questions both to gather data and to reveal interest and insight is also part of the knowledge, skill, and abilities EEs need. OTR manuals have for study some of the typical questions asked of ERs by EEs. These questions help the EE evaluate the job, working climate, corporate culture, expectations, and management style. These questions often need to be followed by probes. Teaching EEs how to use verifier, clarifier, and rationale probing questions that show interest and enthusiasm is also part of the interview training. Finally, EEs need to know that this phase of the interview may be the basis for a test of the candidate s alertness and perceptions, especially when a tour, information session, or series of introductions is made. OTR professionals teach candidates to take notes to recall facts, figures, and names or titles as a part of good listening practices. 4. Cross-examination sequence. This stage often requires the skills of a debat or a lawyer in moot court. ERs may use this as a follow-up to determine how well the candidate listened, comprehended, or learned from the briefing in the previous stage of the interview. The candidate may be asked what he or she learned on the tour or from a video program. Candidates may be asked their opinions or impressions of the other members of the management team. Coaching on the ethics and discretion needed when responding to such "in-your-opinion" type questions is part of the OTR professional's role. Candidates who do not have questions to discuss during this phase of the interview could be judged to be uninterested in the position. Learning to deal with retortmanship is part of the training. Beware of the tendency of some ERs to answer a question with a question, for example. In this phase of the interview, EEs often attract several cross questions as the interviewer asks: "Do you mean . . . ? Would you be interested in . . . ? Could you . . . ? It is exactly this type of free exchange that brings clarity and understanding. Therefore, EEs may be coached in handling a list of prepared questions that they can ask all interviewers for purposes of gathering comparative data from different organizations. 5. The negotiating interval This stage is perhaps the most difficult for job ap plicants, most of whom have had no background and little experience in negotiating their own salaries and benefit packages. Hence, there is much to be learned and taught in terms of improved knowledge, skills, and abilities in bargaining and negotiation. Most OTR firms have units and chapters in their manuals on the topic, including: when to negotiate and when not to; why negotiating is important; and what to negotiate. This stage discusses benefits, perks, salary, compensation, titles, severance, workload, relocation and travel expenses, vacations, promotions, environment, al-

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lowances, stock options, insurance and retirement plans, termination agreements, responsibilities, and so on. Questions such as with whom to negotiate; and how to negotiate—tactics and strategies, are in a category that lends itself well to rehearsal at this stage. Coach and applicant role-play scripted and spontaneous scenarios that are likely to occur in the actual interview. The applicant learns how to clarify the position once an offer is made or to buy additional time to "make an informed decision" so that both applicant and employer have a fair and equitable agreement. Criticisms and further videotaped or role-playing rehearsals help the applicant to: • maintain confidence and enthusiasm for the position while discussing terms and condi tions; • reinforce, through feedback, the ER's offer even if disappointment or surprise must be ex pressed at the gap between the offer and the expectation; • help "close the deal" or request more consideration and evaluation time and an additio meeting to either accept or reject the job offer; • respond to a verbal offer and request a written final offer. Improvement in the negotiation and bargaining skills suggested here can be presented to a group, but OTR candidates fortunate enough to practice individual role playing are likely to gain the greatest measure of confidence. 6. The summary and leave-taking stage. This stage, like the introduction, call for an understanding of image (making a good final impression) and skill and ability' in verbal and nonverbal interpersonal communication. In some instances, the EE may want to summarize—if the ER does not—what has been covered and accomplished in this business discussion. Applicants should be coached not to leave without first probing when and how they will be contacted or if it would be appropriate to call after a specified time. Leaving a final, positive impression, no matter how well or badly the interview has gone, is important training.

EVALUATION Two valuable types of evaluation that are provided by OTR professionals ate evaluations of employment interviews, and evaluation of the job offer. In an attempt to offer a thorough instructional guide to employment interviewing, OTR professionals and program manualsfrequentlycontain a "before-during-after analysis," sometimes referred to as "tips in the preparation, tips in the participation, tips in the evaluation of the employment interview." The matter of evaluating the EE's success in employment interviewing is complex. Too often it is based on the no tion that "if you got the job, you were a good EE. If you didn't get the job, you were a failure." The correlation is spurious. For a variety of reasons one could participate very well in the interview and not get a job offer. Conversely, one's interview performance could have been exceptionally bad but the job was offered anyway. Appli-

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cants need to know the plethora of variables—such as nepotism, favoritism, bias, ineptness of interviewer, others more qualified, or the reverse, the only candidate, others (EEs) were even more inept, and such. All of these could be the causal connection rather than the success or failure of the EE's interviewing behavior. When outplaced candidates are participating in real-life, rather than simulated or role-playing interviews, they can get help in evaluating their behavior through discussions and suggestions with their outplacement counselors and from the OTR manuals. Most OTR manuals have criteria for self-evaluation of one's participation. A candidate might be asked to: • reconstruct the interview from recollection soon after its completion, • make an outline of the main topics discussed along with impressions, • make notes on the facts. The next step is to match this information with criterion questions such as: • Did I accomplish my purposes in this interview—to inform and to persuade? • Did I get the information that I needed about the company, position, duties, working conditions, responsibilities, benefits;job security, and so forth? • Did I provide all the necessary information the ER wanted from me? How well? • Did I persuade, by impressing, convincing, stimulating, or actuating the interviewer? What evidence is there? • What impressions did I make?13 The success of this method of evaluation is dependent on the objectivity of the EE. However, the candidate can be assisted by the OTR consultant. Together they are likely to have valuable discussions in appraising the success of each interview and the directions needed for improved interview participation. There is a tendency for interviewers to get discouraged if no job offers are readily forthcoming. EEs often attempt to rationalize mistakes or judge the entire company by the ER alone. The OTR counselor-coach must be gentle but candid in pointing out errors in reasoning or jumping to hasty generalizations, as when a candidate judges the entire organization on the basis of the interviewer. Above all, objectivity in interview evaluation combined with confidence, enthusiasm, and encouragement is important. In addition to this criterion-questions approach there is another approach to evaluating employment interviews developed by DBM. It is the "adaptability measure." Using the instrument, "1-Speak," OTR professionals attempt to help candidates identify four basic communication types—activators, feelers, analyzers, and conceptualizers. After discovering their own styles, they are then taught how to analyze the communication styles of their interviewers—assuming a solo (one-toone) interview in the interviewer's office. Once they have diagnosed the style of the ER (as activator, feeler, analyzer, or conceptualizer) they are then trained to

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make a successful adaptation. To assess the effectiveness of their interview, EEs then determine how effectively they adapted to the ER or learned to speak his or her language. The ultimate evaluation question becomes, "How well was I able to tailor my way of thinking and communicating to that of my interviewer?" 14 Evaluating the job offer is another valuable service of the OTR program. If the candidate gets a single job offer from a company, he or she may need help in deciding how good an offer it really is. Again, outplacement manuals frequently contain worksheets for "objectively comparing different organizations." Company profiles can be created for comparative purposes. There are guides and guidelines that OTR consultants use in "evaluating the contract" and even in "assessing the salary and benefits package." Sometimes the applicant, who has made a study of various salary schedules in the OTR manual, can decide alone. At other times the experience of the consultant can be helpful in deciding to accept or reject the offer. Applicants sometimes feel pressured by receiving two or more offers at the same time. How do they decide which is best? Getting the OTR counselor's advice on this kind of decision making (when to hold them, when to fold them?) can save many anxious moments and sleepless nights. FOLLOW UP Following each interview, OTR professionals will advise the candidate to send a thank you letter. This practice is not only appropriate and expected, but good strategy. Such a letter expresses appreciation for the opportunity to apply and interview, and also indicates the candidate's continued interest in the position, the company, or both. Moreover, the letter once again places the candidate's name before the ER's eyes, and perhaps, in the employee pool. The letter is also an opportunity to underscore certain points or add information. Kate Wendleton, as part of her career counseling, suggests that the follow-up letter address such things as: • The positives about the candidate, why the person would want to hire the candidate. • The key issues, as the candidate heard them in the interview. • The candidate's feeling about the job. • Suggested next steps, such as "I'd like to get together with you to discuss my idea on .. .," or "As you interview others, you may more clearly define what you want. I would appreciate the opportunity to address the new issues that may arise."15

SUMMARY This chapter attempted a comprehensive review of how OTR programs help outplaced applicants understand employment interviewing and help them develop

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skills and abilities in being successful interviewees. Chapter divisions emphasized the importance and purpose of employment interviews as well as definitions, types, and forms of interviewing. Initial interview preparation teaching methods and six stages of the employment interview were analyzed and reviewed from the perspective of improving the applicant's knowledge, skills, and abilities in interviewing. Finally, evaluation methods for interviews and job offers were discussed, followed by follow-up suggestions for courtesy and strategy. NOTES 1. "Job Marketing Program," an outplacement manual. 2. Seth O. Reed, How to Choose the Right Person for the Job, audiocassette by Ameri can Management Association, New York, 1988. 3. Melvin W. Donaho and John L. Meyer, How to Get the Job You Want: A Guide to sumes, Interviews and Job-Hunting Strategy (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1976) p. 144. See also John L. Meyer and Melvin W. Donaho, Get the Right Person for the Job: Managing Interviews and Selecting Employees (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1979), p. 218. 4. Charles J. Stewart and William B. Cash, Jr. Inteiyiewing: Principles and Practices 6th ed. (Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1991), p. 127. See also E. E. Ghiselli, "The Validity of a Personnel Interview," Personnel Psychology, 4 (1966), pp. 389-394. 5. Donaho and Meyer, How to Get the Job You Want, p. 110. 6. Meyer and Donaho, Get the Right Person for the Job, p. 153. See also Marvin Gottlieb, Interview (White Plains, NY: Longman, 1986), p. 87. 7. Stewart and Cash, Interviewing, p. 127. 8. Donaho and Meyer, How to Get the Job You Want, p. 95. 9. Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers (New York: Thomas Publishing Co annual 1906—; MacMillan Job Guide to American Corporations (New York: The Macllan Company, 1967); Moody's Industrial Manual: American and Foreign (New York: Moody's Investors Service, 1964; Standard and Poor's Corporation Records (New Yo: Standard and Poor's Corporation, current, cumulative news of corporation descriptions); Standard and Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives (New York: St dard and Poors, annual 1928—). 10. Interview with John Guthery and Beth Rizzotti, Seagate Associates, Inc. 11. Leonard and Natalie Zimin, Contact: The First Four Minutes (New York: Ballanti Books, 1972). 12. Kate Wendleton, Tlirough the Brick Wall: How to Job-Hunt in a Tight Market (N York: Villard Books, 1992), p. 163. 13. For a thorough list of criterion questions succinctly outlined see Donaho and Meyer, How to Get the Job You Want, pp. 120-123. 14. John D. Drake, The Perfect Interview: How to Get the Job You Really Want (Ne York: AMACOM, 1991), pp. 94 and 98. 15. Wendleton, Through the Brick Wall, pp. 259-260.

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Part III The OTR Process and Its Industry Having studied in Part I the problems of unemployment and the career disruptions that job loss creates and in Part II the OTR program that addresses these problems, we now turn our attention to the OTR industry and how the process and industry are changing. Part III answers several questions being asked by outplaced individuals as well as CEOs and human resource managers who offer support to outplaced employees: • How has the OTR process adapted and changed over the two (plus) decades since its introduction? In particular, how has the OTR process adapted to help job seekers address what many regard to be a turbulent world of work with new notions of careerism? • What is the nature of the outplacement industry? Is it a passing fad or a permanent part of the economic landscape? What types of outplacement firms exist? What kinds of organizations, besides outplacement firms, provide job seekers with aspects of the OTR process? What new services are outplacement firms providing? • What challenges and issues exist for the industry? What ethical dilemmas do OTR professionals face? • Given the proliferation of outplacement firms in the last decade, how does one select an outplacement service? OTR has traditionally offered personal and career counseling, geared toward outplacement, transition, and relocation. Over the years, there has been a move from counseling to another c word—consulting—as OTR professionals have sought closer linkages with organizations undergoing restructuring. Early in the history of outplacement, OTR firms offered assistance to employers with the ter-

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mination notification process. Current trends suggest an increased emphasis on helping management adapt to the restructured organization after downsizing. The OTR acronym now represents outplacement, transition, and restructuring as we as relocation. Part III describes these shifts and discusses the role the outplacement industry might play as our society continues to undergo massive changes in the way we structure work. To remain current, the reader may wish to contact some of the organizations listed in Appendix C that have contributed to the activities of the outplacement industry.

15 Changes in the OTR Process But times do change and move continually. Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene

The continuing turbulence in the world of work has resulted in changing expectations of OTR. (See Appendixes A and B for an overview of the history of outplacement.) As a result, the OTR process has been adapted and modified. As John Lucht put it: "No question about it. The outplacement industry has kept right on improving. And today outplacers are more alert and better equipped than ever before to help you conduct a multi-faceted and truly aggressive job-hunting campaign. In the end, the outplacers who lag behind will be left behind."1 In this chapter we will discuss ten changes in the OTR process.

THE OTR PROCESS HAS BECOME MORE WIDELY UNDERSTOOD Outplacement services and their various elements are now common topics of conversation. The jargon of the industry has become part of everyday vocabulary. "How's your networking going?" "Who's your outplacement counselor?" "What kind of resume have you written?" "How have you targeted your marketing campaign?" These queries arefrequentlyheard at social events or when friends gather to catch up on the news. The professionals who provided outplacement services were at one time invisible servants helping the "down and out." Because of the stigma attached to los-

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ing one's job, the embarrassed and depressed executive candidate went secretively to the outplacement professional's office. Few people knew about the service. What went on behind the outplacement counselor's doors was mysterious. All that was known was that it was costly and often lengthy. It was assumed that it must be important because it was provided by the corporation for its key executives. It was assumed that it involved some magical strategies. These hard-to-place executives eventually located jobs, regaining their self-esteem. In fact, they often emerged happier than before—with a new start on life, free of the corporate rat race. Today, OTR professionals are widely quoted and well-recognized players in career development. In any given week the Wall Street Journal and its National Bus ness Employment Weekly cite the observations of James Challenger, Bill Morin,f a local OTR professional such as Leslie McDonald or Linda Davidson. Job loss has become so commonplace that it has almost lost its stigma. It is well understood now that most of those people being outplaced are skilled and able employees. Where once an executive recruiter wanted nothing to do with an outplaced executive, fearful of what might be "wrong" with the individual, today's recruiters find outplacement candidates to be highly desirable. Not only are they not "tainted," but, after having engaged in the OTR process, they are probably people who know themselves and their strengths and weaknesses better than most job candidates. THE OTR PROCESS HAS BECOME MORE WIDELY AVAILABLE As knowledge of outplacement has spread and an increasing number of middle managers have been terminated, employers have felt pressure to provide to middle and lower level employees the same or variations of the same service granted key executives. The result has been what some call the "democratization" of the OTR process. One firm documented this phenomenon among outplaced employees in New Jersey. According to research illustrated in Figure 15.1, about half of the outplaced employees receiving OTR services in New Jersey in 1992 earned less than $50,000. Increased Demand Several dynamics came together to result in this expansion of services. Some have created an increased demand for the services. One of these dynamics was the spread of information about outplacement. Many excessed employees knew about it and wanted it. Another was the tough job market. Where it was once thought that jobs were scarce because of a recession that would soon bottom out, it has become accepted that global competition, change in technology, and streamlining will continue to make it difficult for some people to find their place in the work world. In-

Figure 15.1 Management Levels Receiving Outplacement (New Jersey)

Source: Severance of Employees in New Jersey, a report by Seagate Associates, Inc., Fall 1992. Reprinted with permission.

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dividuals out of work have been eager to accept help to learn about the new careerism and how to position themselves. Employers have also been more eager to provide help. They see providing transition services as the humane—as well as expedient—thing to do. Increased Supply On the supply side, other dynamics have been at work. During what may be regarded as the heyday of the outplacement industry in the 1980s, hundreds of practitioners and professionals entered the field. With the mystery gone from the process, more and more organizations (including in-house corporate career centers) began to offer OTR support. In addition, many human resource professionals themselves were outplaced. Eager to put their skills and experience to work, they opened small one- or two-person "boutique" firms. The increase in the number of OTR firms has meant increased competition. This, plus the interest on the part of employees and employers, has resulted in OTR firms repackaging the elements of the process to meet the needs of a wider audience of middle managers, support staff, and production workers. The OTR Process If as Become Available to Hourly Workers The newest trend has been the adaptation of the OTR process to hourly workers. Heretofore, it was believed that this group had the support it needed to locate work. Union stewards and business agents, it was presumed, were responsible for finding displaced workers new jobs. It was also thought that governmental unemployment offices were equipped to find new jobs for these employees. Historically, employees at the lower end of the pay scale have been in and out of work throughout their careers, and no one has paid much attention. When the distress of unemployment hit the management level, however, employers understood the pain and took notice. Outplacement firms have begun to address this segment of the market. Cynthia H. Ware of Ramsey, New Jersey, has offered outplacement services to hourly workers through the United Labor Agency, funded by the AFL-CIO and Bergen County.2 Catherine Mossop of Mossop Cornelissen & Associates in Toronto also has had experience serving hourly employees, beginning with service to the Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress in 1986.3 Erik Shtob reports that outplacement services have been written into the contract of the Hospital League, Local 1199.4 While this service represents a newr frontier, there remain barriers to its expansion. Some industry workers still think their jobs will be secure forever. Some union leaders resist outplacement services as an admission that some of their jobs will, in fact, disappear or that the union cannot take care of its own. Some employers find the added cost of this expansion of OTR services to be too great a financial burden.

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THE NEW OTR PROCESS USES BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP INSTRUCTION Largely because of the expansion of OTR service to include clerical and hourly workers, the process has gradually been reconfigured. One adaptation has been to abbreviate the process and offer services in group settings. This frequently has involved a one-day seminar in resume writing with feedback on the first draft and a one-day seminar in interviewing, including a limited amount of practice and feedback. Cynthia Ware's program consists of four three-hour sessions, the first dealing with the stresses and pain of job loss to employee and family, the second related to resume writing and the use of job sources such as ads and personnel agencies, the third about the strategy of networking, and the final session on the do's and don'ts of effective interviewing.5 As OTR firms have become more skilled in group instruction, there has been a shift in thinking with regard to the service for executives. Robert Lee of Lee Hecht Harrison wrote the following in his firm's newsletter: Throughout American History (at least for the last 15 or 20 years), corporate outplacement has been delivered in two basic versions: "one-on-one" or "group." The first of these versions has been for older, longer tenured, senior level people, and the other has been primarily for younger, often more mobile, lower level folks. But no more.. . . The artificial dichotomy . .. didn't always work because the people who received individual services were often isolated, and didn't get as much social support, group encouragement and networking help as was available.6 As a result, Lee Hecht Harrison no longer has just two or three neatly bundled and easily described packages. Each package is tailored to combine the best of the individual and group processes as needed.

THE OTR PROCESS HAS ADAPTED FOR IMPROVED INSTRUCTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS Research suggests that different groups of employees may be more successful with different processes. For example, Anthony J. Vaccaro cited a survey of 210 outplacement candidates using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Correlating their designation as extrovert or introvert with job-search time, it was found that it took an average of 4.89 months for extroverts to find new employment versus 5.80 months for introverts—the assumption being that the networking-oriented approach described earlier and developed originally with the executive in mind appeals to extroverts but not to introverts, since introverts are found in larger numbers as one moves down the corporate hierarchy.7 Research has caused OTR professionals to review their material for instructional effectiveness and appropriateness. Many enterprising OTR professionals have written new materials for middle and lower level employees. Cristina Mejias of Buenos Aires, for example, has

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been particularly creative in substituting videos for the usual training manual, which, she said, her candidates frequently did not or could not read.8 When North Face closed major parts of its production line, it funded an innovative multilingual reemployment assistance program for the 150 mostly immigrant, non-English-speaking employees who were losing their jobs. Created by Power Marketing, it was delivered in five languages and won the 1991 Award for Excellence in Managing Corporate Change from the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms.9 Other firms are increasingly borrowing materials from the career development field that were designed for employees in lower level jobs. An example of the quality materials available for hourly employees is the Career Development Series developed by Dr. Winthrop R. Adkins of Columbia University as a part of the Adkins Life Skills Program. His program is a ten-unit, videobased group counseling/learning program designed originally to help disadvantaged youth and adults learn how to choose, find get, and keep jobs. It has been used across the country by countless OTR counselors working with unemployed and underemployed workers as well as with displaced homemakers and college students.10 According to Dr. Laurence J. Stybel of Stybel, Peabody & Associates, as outplacement spreads to new groups of employees, consumers must beware. "Human resource managers may be sending today's employees to outplacement firms with solutions appropriate for yesterday's clients," he said. The manuals, workbooks, and even the process itself need to be customized by salary level— one program for hourly workers, one for middle management, and one for senior executives. Stybel advises: "Those who purchase outplacement services should investigate outplacement firms' willingness and ability to individualize the outplacement services."11 THE OTR PROCESS HAS BEEN UNBUNDLED AND REPACKAGED Outplacement firms originally created a full range of services for executives and sold their services as a package because it was more profitable for them to sell their services this way. There was also the genuine belief on the part of the professionals that unemployed persons would not be successful in their job search unless they did it "right." Doing it "right" meant engaging the services of the OTR professional for everything from notifier training to salary negotiation training—in other words, full service. As the recession put a strain on businesses' budgets, and some skepticism emerged with the lifting of the shroud around OTR, firms have felt the squeeze and are increasingly offering various packages or even letting customers shop for what they believe they need. The term "unbundling" refers to the process of pric ing services separately, such as $100/hour for counseling, $150 for testing, $400 for resume consultation, $500 for interview training, or $500 for advice on preparing a marketing plan.

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Unbundling Enables the Process to Fit the Need The considerable experience of OTR professionals has taught them that candidates' needs differ and that unbundling is often the appropriate way to serve them. Steve Harrison of Lee Hecht Harrison pointed out, for example, that an employee such as a mechanical engineer who will need to refocus into electrical engineering or retrain to enter an entirely new field will benefit from the firm's full range of services. On the other hand, a sales or marketing person who knows how to sell, network, and handle rejection will not need as extensive training and counseling to locate a new position.12 When OTR service providers find employees returning after being outplaced a second or third time, they are often asked to offer the candidate just what he or she feels is needed. Much of the basic education was done during the first round. The return visit may require very specific intervention, such as sharpening interviewing skills or retargeting the marketing plan. On other occasions, the outplaced individuals are human resource professionals, experienced and well-trained in job-search skills. They feel strongly that they know what they need and do not want to waste time or money engaged in services they can provide themselves. Likewise, those with home offices often wish to negotiate a less than full-service package in order to do their own typing and phoning from home. Unbundling Is Not Without Its Detractors, However The emergence of unbundling has been troublesome to the industry—partly as an economic issue but also as a professional and ethical one. The informed consumer needs to understand the pitfalls involved in shopping for services, particularly if unbundled. The question of quality of service is paramount to an industry eager for a reputation for results. If the candidate or corporate client rejects some aspect of the service, this means that the outplacement professional loses some control over the process and is unable to be sure that all important steps in the process are covered. While a partial service may, in fact, be appropriate, oftentimes it is the corporation that negotiates such a contract without knowing what the real needs of the candidate will be. Jim Cantor of Right Associates says it is as if a patient were cut off from his doctor's care after $500 worth of tests and services were administered because that is all the cash he could allot to his health care at this time. The doctor, knowing now the extent of the patient's needs, is left unable to help.13 In the OTR world candidates with partial service may feel that they just got started in the process when they were cut off. If the candidate is slow in being reemployed, failure may be unjustly attributed to the OTR process or OTR professional. In fact, the quality of the overall search may have been compromised. Another issue of concern relates to the risk of a consumer being victimized by a high-pressure salesperson. Whether the consumer is a corporation or an individual, the buyer who is concerned about results must learn to identify impossible promises that might be made by fast-talking or low-priced OTR marketers. OTR

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professionals feel that unbundling has led less scrupulous providers to make unreasonable promises based on very limited service. Hayden, Heman, Smith & Associates, a Cleveland-based individual and organizational consulting firm, conducted a survey of outplacement candidates who had been given a choice in selecting their providers. The results indicated that "offering a choice of providers cieates a new challenge tor HR: the need for more inhouse education on the function of outplacement services." The president of the firm, Timothy J. Williams stressed, as a result, that shoppers must learn what the core outplacement services are. They will then, he wrote, "be able to better negotiate the services that suit their personal needs " i4

THE OTR PROCESS HAS ADDED JOB DEVELOPMENT SERVICES "Outplacement" has traditionally been defined as a process whereby candidates find their own jobs. The role of the OTR professional has been to train candidates in how to conduct a job search and to encourage and facilitate the process. As the number of available jobs has shrunk and the turn-around time increased, however, firms found themselves building an uncomfortable long-term inventory of highly credentialed former executives who, in Dan Lacey's words, were "all dressed up, but [had] no place to go."'5 Likewise, consumers of OTR services also became impatient with the length of time a job search could take (ranging from a few weeks to several years in some cases). The result is the addition of a service referred to as "job development." To provide this service an increasing number of firms are hiring "job developers." These people are employment experts charged with locating job opportunities for candidates. Contrary to what might be suggested by the term "developer," these professionals are not usually working with firms to identify organizational needs that might turn into jobs, but, rather, they are uncovering job opportunities already created by employers. Job developers are people with an understanding of employment categories and compensation and a knowledge of business and organizational needs. They build relationships with employers. As they spend time with employers, they are likely to get an early word on positions that might be coming vacant or created. With this "early warning" the firm can often enable its candidate to apply before the position is widely known. Because the OTR firm is not a placement agency, it is up to the candidate to take the initiative to contact the employer and seek an interview. It is often said that the OTR process, in general, is analogous to teaching hungry people how to fish, not giving them fish to eat. With the assistance of the job developer the firm "shows them the river in which they can fish." Candidates fearful of the job search and the networking in which they need to engage are reassured knowing that someone in the OTR firm is making contacts on their behalf Job development makes "cold calls warm."16 The OTR candidate

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can request an interview saying, "Joe Job Developer recommended that I see you about a position you have available." A variation of this service is provided by Power Marketing, whose staff clips classified ads and channels them to appropriate candidates. As we indicated earlier, Joe Meissner of Power Marketing finds want ads to be useful, especially when an employment expert can help candidates locate and identity appropriate ones. Corporations who fund the OTR process are pleased to know that the firm is actively assisting the candidates in the job search. Also, organizations in the business of hiring someone regard the OTR firm as a useful channel through which they might locate a qualified employee. Matching people with jobs more quickly saves time and money for all parties concerned. THE OTR PROCESS INCREASINGLY PROMOTES CANDIDATES' AVAILABILITY In addition to bringing to candidates news of job opportunities, firms are more active now in telling prospective employers about candidates available for hire. Jim Challenger cites his "job availabilities service" as evidence of OTR's shift to blend the requirements of employers and employees to serve their mutual best interests.17 As cited earlier, Lee Hecht Harrison and Power Marketing are among those firms that assemble their candidates' resumes in a nationwide directory, which they circulate to major employers and placement agencies. It is, of course, their hope that employers and searchers will find the person they need from among their OTR candidates. If a candidate is placed as a result of either a job developer's posting or the distribution of the directory, the OTR firm accepts no fee. The OTR firm is not in the business of placement but is strictly involved to provide information. Although some placements result, bypassing the services of the placement agency, Joe Meissner claims that his firm is not in competition with the job placement agencies. Instead, he feels that the OTR professionals serve as a source for funneling people to the placement agencies, bringing good candidates on to the job market.18 THE OTR PROCESS INCREASINGLY USES DATA BASES FOR THE JOB SEARCH Another addition to the OTR process that enables firms to be proactive in locating job leads for candidates is the use of nationwide data bases of job openings. DBM, for example, has established its own data base. In the firm's brochure it claims that "DBM was the first career consulting firm to establish a computerized national data base of actual job openings. . . . A large number of these jobs come . . . directly from the hiring company and are unavailable through any other source."19 Each DBM office continually solicits job openings for its data base, circulating a Job Lead Bank Specifications form, enabling DBM candidates to have access to hundreds of job openings that never reach the classified ads.20

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In 1989 Outplacement International (01) developed a three-part data base that it calls Beacon System. The first part, The Opportunity Bank, is a computerized listing of job vacancies obtained from executive search firms, clients, and sponsors. A second part, The Talent Bank, contains the resumes of the candidates that, broken down into thumbnail sketches, get distributed monthly to over 8,000 corporations and search firms. A unique feature is the third part, The Network Bank, which contains a listing of all former 01 candidates who are willing to assist new candidates in their job search.21 In addition to the use of directories and in-house data bases like The Talent Bank, some OTR firms announce their candidates' availability through commercial data bases. Job Bank USA, for example, contains the electronic career records of thousands of prospective employees. OTR firms can enroll their candidates. Employers who subscribe can search the data base and identify potential employees.22 Mark Jordon of University ProNet in Palo Alto promotes the process, pointing out that it typically costs a company $1,000 to conduct a job search through a ProNet data base, while the cost of using an executive search firm can average between 10 to 30 percent of the employee's first-year salary. It might cost an employer as much as $30,000 to hire an executive at a salary of $90,000 per year.23 Some firms solicit position openings geared for a particular group of candidates or a particular locality. The John Joseph Group, Ltd., for example, when providing service for 100 employees terminated by Carrier Corporation in Syracuse, New York, sent a letter and "Position Opening Form" saying, "we are contacting companies in the Syracuse region that may have openings that would match the qualifications of these individuals." In this case, the John Joseph Group also invited prospective employers to view a booklet containing the complete resumes of the affected individuals and to conduct on~site interviews at the Carrier Career Center.24 THE OTR PROCESS HAS SHIFTED ITS COUNSELING EMPHASIS Personal counseling has always been integral to the OTR process. OTR professionals understand the importance of providing personal support for individuals moving from an often traumatic termination through the unknowns of career transition. Many have felt that venting anger, grieving, and dealing with the emotional trauma of job loss are a major component in the process. Much time has been devoted to getting the candidate emotionally ready to look at options or to face an interviewer. As termination without cause became more commonplace, however, OTR firms found that most of their candidates did not need to spend as much time dealing with emotional issues. They also found that getting on with the task of finding a job can, for many, provide the healing that must take place. The result has been a subtle shift in emphasis from personal counseling to career counseling. In the early days of outplacement, many of the professionals entered the field from the behavioral sciences—psychology, social work, pastoral counseling,

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human resources. They were individuals who cared and possessed strong personal counseling skills, as well as knowledge of the world of work. They were particularly sensitive to the personal needs of candidates. Or, as John Guthery put it, "When you have a hammer, every problem becomes a nail."25 In more recent years, OTR firms have made a concerted effort to add to their staffs individuals who possess strong business skills, often in marketing or entrepreneurship, as well as the ability to care. They want to provide both personal and career counseling but with a shift in emphasis to the job-search facilitation. THE OTR PROCESS IS INCREASINGLY WORKING IN CONCERT WITH OTHER HELPING PROFESSIONS In order to provide the appropriate level of emotional and psychological support wfiile remaining focused on the career search, OTR firms have been teaming up with other helping professions to offer the range of services appropriate to the needs of the candidate. Janice Guerriero outlined this range in a model she refers to as "The Helping Continuum,"26 intended to help OTR professionals and candidates understand the boundaries of each type of help and where various kinds of help can be found. She described the various levels of help as along a continuum, diagrammed in Figure 15.2. At the extreme left along the continuum are self-help and peer support—the easiest forms of support to acquire and utilize. OTR professionals often refer people to books, tapes, resource centers, or peer support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous where individuals draw support from people who admit they have the same problem. This informal support is not therapy, although it may be therapeutic. Moving toward the right one finds more formal, professional services, including OTR. These are structured services, directing people toward solutions. They involve experts who have information, access to resources, and a process that will help individuals with problems related to career or job. As one moves to the right to the more formal forms of help, one encounters more complex helping skills. The professional takes more responsibility for the total well-being of the individual. Professionals have more training. Figure 15.2 The Helping Continuum

Self help

Guidance Counseling

Psychological Counseling

Peer Support

Career Counseling

Crisis Intervention

Resources

Outplacement

EAP

Psychotherapy Psychoanalysis Psychiatry

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Those to the left of the midpoint essentially advocate on behalf of the client, trying to provide assistance, pointing out resources, referring them to help until they can do for themselves. Such services usually last a limited length of time and involve a limited depth of involvement. Compared to those services to the right of the midpoint, assistance listed on the left tends to be more directive. This includes many OTR professionals who have been outplaced themselves. As such, they have experienced the process, know what works, and can be very directive. (Some firms even require such an experience as preparatory for the position.) To the right of the midpoint the intervention becomes more process oriented. The professionals become less directive, more committed to working over a long period with the clients to see that they are empowered to help themselves. Problems are more intense, and obligations to the clients increase. The substance of the problem is more emotional than practical. The helping professions, including psychological counselors and psychotherapists, move from problems in daily living to more long-term on-going problems. People come to a professional psychological counselor when they have identified that they have a problem, are stuck, and are ready to ask for help. The expert they seek is a trained individual knowledgeable about crisis intervention. Many OTR service firms have such professionals on their staffs, or they contract with external psychological counselors when the candidate has emotions or behavior out of control and needs specialized, long-term help. They also work with the Employee Assistance Program (LAP) professional at the workplace, whose job it is to locate appropriate help. At the extreme right of the continuum are psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, and psychiatry. Each of these professional helpers makes interpretations, explaining a person's behavior using a formal theoretical model, such as Freudian psychology. They are trained not to interpret in terms of a personal frame of reference, supposition, hearsay, or popular psychology. OTR professionals continually ask themselves, "What role are we playing? When do we send this person on for more complex intervention? Where do we send this person if he or she still needs help?" The OTR professionals feel it is important that counselors and candidates understand the boundaries of the OTR counselors' role. They want candidates to learn not to put too much responsibility on the OTR professionals by acting as though they are in therapy. They believe that it is the OTR professional's role to get the candidate to focus on the job search and to utilize the services of other appropriate professionals when necessary. Increasingly, OTR firms are defining the limits of their personal counseling services. They are working in coalition with others in the helping professions, so they can remain focused on career counseling. In addition to turning to individuals in the traditional helping professions, as outlined by Janice Guerriero, OTR firms are also utilizing the services of professionals qualified to provide personal support through relaxation, exercise, nutrition, stress management, financial counseling, and spiritual guidance.

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SUMMARY Changes in the OTR process are inevitable. This chapter has reviewed ten recent changes. Several forces have influenced these changes and are likely to cause continual change. For one, increased Experience in what is still a relatively young profession teaches OTR professionals how to deliver services more effectively. Second, the volatile global economic environment keeps OTR professionals vigilant and continually reshapes the notion of job or career. And third, the demands of the marketplace and the need to satisfy the customer cause OTR professionals to continually adapt the process. NOTES 1. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1993), p. 329. 2. Interview wilh Cynthia II. Ware, Ramsey NJ. 3. Interview wilh Catherine Mossop, Mossop Cornelissen & Associates, Toronto, Ontario. 4. Interview with Erik Shtob of the Hospital League, Local 1199. 5. Interview with Cynthia Ware of the United Labor Agency. 6. Robert Lee, "Outplacing the Outplacement Packages," LHH Compass, Fall 1992, P . i. 7. Anthony J. Vaccaro, "Typology Tennination and the Job Search," Proceedings of the 1988 National Conference of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms (Parsippany, NJ: AOCF, 1988). Audiotape available from Teach'em, 160 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611,(800)225-3775. 8. Interview with Cristina Mejias of CM SOCIOLOGIA of Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 15, 1993. 9. "Power Marketing Diversity Program Wins Major Award," Press Release from Power Marketing, October 16, 1991. 10. Adkins Life Skills Program: Career Development Series, available from the Institu for Life Coping Skills, Inc., Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 West 120th Street, Box 138, New York, NY 10027. 11. Laurence J. Stybel, "Do Old Job-Search Models Make Sense for Today's Candidates?" The Directory of Outj)lacement Firms 1993-94, 7th ed. (Fitzwilliam, Nil: Kenne Publications, 1992). 12. Interview with Steve Harrison, Lee Hecht Harrison, New York. 13. Interview with Jim Cantor, Right Associates, New York. 14. Timothy J. Williams, "How to Prepare Employees for Outplacement 'Shopping,'" HR Focus, Vol. 70, No. 7 (July 1993): 23. 15. Dan Lacey, Workplace Trends, September/October 1991. 16. Michael Memmolo, "What's Job Development'' Workshop at Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms Conference, October 12, 1991. Audiotape available from Teach'em, 160 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 17. Jim Challenger, Outplacement (Chicago: Apex Publishing Company, 1993). See chapter, "New Horizons in Outplacement." 18. Interview with Joe Meissner of Power Marketing.

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19. "DBM Consultants in Career Management, Job Development," brochure distributed, by DBM Corporate Headquarters, 100 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017, (212) 692-7790. 20. Job Lead Bank Specifications distributed by Drake Beam Morin, Inc., 100 Corporate Woods, Suite 220, Rochester, NY 14623. 21. Network, A Publication of Outplacement International, Vol. II (Spring 1989). 22. Job Bank USA, 1420 Spring Hill Road, Suite 480, McLean, VA 22102, (800) 296-1 USA. 23. Bill Leonard, "Resume Databases to Dominate Field," HR Magazine, April 1993, pp. 59-60. 24. Personal correspondence from Jerry Sands, Vice President of The John Joseph Group, Ltd., 6780 Northern Boulevard, Suite 201, East Syracuse, NY 13057, June 15, 1993. 25. Interview with John Guthery, Seagate Associates, Inc., Paramus, NJ. 26. Janice Guerriero and Sharon Ligett, "Helping Continuum: Outplacement and Employee Assistance Programs Working Together" Workshop at the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms Conference, October 12-15, 1991. Audiotape available from Teach'em, 160 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775.

16 The New OTR Process and the New Careerism To reach new frontiers it's necessary to build new roads. Carolyn C. Shadle In addition to the modifications in the OTR process outlined in Chapter 15, OTR firms are making changes that address the new realities of the job market. It has become increasingly clear that the OTR process is not simply a safety net to assist job seekers during a period of recession. OTR is positioning itself to help candidates understand the new careerism. OTR professionals are talking about the turbulent world of work. Technology, streamlining, and globalization have impacted the world of work. They are also influencing new trends and directions into which the OTR process and the industry are moving. In this chapter we outline several such trends. INCREASING RESEARCH Many books have been written over the years about job search strategies. In the early days the field was called "vocational guidance," and organizations were established to bring professionals together to share resources and methodologies. The change of name from the National Vocational Guidance Association (NVGA) to the National Career Development Association (NCDA) signaled an expansion of the field. Organizations like the International Association of Outplacement Professionals, the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms, and hundreds of large and small OTR providers came into being. Each of these groups has con-

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tributed to the body of know ledge referred to as "career development." Beyond the study of counseling strategies, however, little research has been done. Absent, especially, has been research about the particular needs of outplaced individuals in relation to the changing career scene. Several efforts have been made to fill this void. Robert Wegmann et al.'s work entitled Work in the New Economy was written to assist career counselors in gat ering updated information about the job market and career trends.1 A short-lived research project called BORIS (Basic Outplacement Research Information Services), sponsored by the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms, gathered data that isolated the usefulness of various features in the OTR process. And large OTR firms have collected data related to their own client population in an effort to detect trends or clues regarding appropriate intervention. Little research, however, has been done to examine specific job seekers' needs. Murray Axmith, one of the leaders in the field committed to improvement of the OTR process, seeks a deeper understanding of the needs of outplaced individuals as they face the new careerism. He has made a list of issues he would like to see researched. Through a grant from the Ontario Institute for Studies and Education, which is a research arm of the University of Toronto, he plans to research some of the transitions that the industry faces. Many trends discussed in this chapter are on his list.2 SERVING FAMILIES AND DUAL-CAREER COUPLES Axmith's interest in research was sparked in part by the useful information he garnered from research commissioned by his firm on the impact of job loss and the OTR process on the family. Findings from this research led him to make improvements in his firm's service to the families of OTR candidates and, thereby, to the candidates themselves. The research was undertaken by his wife and partner, Ruthan Rosenberg, and associate Jill Jukes. Based on a study at the University of British Columbia, which found that family support was the most important factor in helping job seekers face rejection, they developed programs to expressly address the needs of spouses and then researched their effectiveness. Through this process they learned what motivated spouses to become involved, and what the most effective ways were to reach spouses. For example, they found that, though spouses were themselves grieving and in pain over the job loss, they hesitated to admit their pain, lest it be too much to handle or constitute a betrayal of the spouse who was the focus of OTR attention. Because they were expected to be supportive, they thought that seeking help for themselves would appear selfish. They were, however, motivated to respond to help offered to them if it were presented as a way to help their spouses. The research also showed that 70 percent of the spouses responded when someone from the firm reached out and invited them, as opposed to only 30 percent when it was left to the spouse to make the phone call. This quantitative research,

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as well as countless hours of interviewing and working with spouses, gave Rosenberg and Jukes a depth of knowledge related to their candidates' families, which they published in a book entitled, Surviving Your Partner s Job Loss. The knowledge found therein has been instrumental in helping corporations, candidates, and colleagues in the field understand the "ripple" effect of outplacement (see Chapter 2) and design programs to address the needs of families of outplaced individuals. 3 The 1993 survey sponsored by James E. Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. is another example of OTR research related to family needs. Though some of his findings differ from those of Rosenberg and Jukes, taken together these two studies help firms fine tune ways they address candidates with families. He found, for example, that contrary to generally accepted notions, the topic of job loss is not the hushed subject it was in the past. Not only are candidates less likely to conceal the job loss from spouses and older children, but Challenger found that more than 50 percent said that the job loss actually drew the partners closer together during the critical first week.4 Based on this research, OTR firms will be in a position to consider how to help the remaining 50 percent and how best to intervene as the job search process wears on. One of the demographic changes facing OTR firms is the growing number of two-job couples. The Conference Board statistics in 1986 revealed that there are about 47 million men and women in dual-career families, up from 900,000 families in 1960—now surpassing the 50 percent of married couples. 5 The relocation of the outplaced candidate increasingly means that his or her spouse may have to relocate to a new region and also find a job or reestablish a career. Corporations wooing candidates often are now aware that a positive decision on the part of their prospect will depend heavily on what opportunities exist in the region for the spouse. Currently many OTR firms offer assistance in such cases. Lee Hecht Harrison, for example, offers a workshop covering topics such as creating a network in the new location, developing a resume, and understanding the business community in the new location.6 Challenger, Gray & Christmas offer a program called "Transplacement" as a routine part of their OTR service when a candidate is married. Challenger points out that it could be reserved for only those situations where spousal objections to move are known ahead of time, but in many cases the OTR professional and the employer are unaware of any difficulties. He said that a common cause for the secretive nature of the problem concerns a very prevalent and egorelated managerial need to avoid any appearance or admission of "weakness." . . . The employee may not want to disclose, for example, that he or she needs the uninterrupted income the spouse provides. Or, that a move might cause domestic problems. Such admission could indicate that the employee is not in control of the decision or the situation at home, which is inconsistent with the decisive image most executives want to maintain. The bottom line is that there remains an invisible boundary between home life and work life that many managers fear to cross.7

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The Changing Outplacement Process

THE TRANSITION FROM FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT TO FREELANCE CONTRACT WORK One of the aspects of the new careerism and outplacement that Axmith has on his research list is the emergence of "contract" work—variously referred to as temporary or freelance work. As Lance Morrow described it, we have entered the age of the contingent or temporary worker, of the consultant and subcontractor, of the just-in-time workforce—fluid, flexible, disposable. This is the future. Its message is this: You arc on your own. For good (sometimes) and ill (often), the workers of the future will constantly have to sell their skills, invent new relationships with employers who must theselves change and adapt constantly in order to survive in a ruthless global market.8 Axmith believes that further understanding of this phenomenon will result in modifications to the OTR process that will help outplaced employees adjust to "contract" work in place of the traditional full-time employment they have known. In order to assist the candidate in locating and accepting a new job, the OTR professional, according to Axmith, must be able to assist candidates in accepting this new reality and learning to live the life of a "temp" worker. OTR professionals will need to know how people make the transition from working in the traditional mode to life as a series of assignments, how they negotiate contractual and project-based employment, and, in some cases, work for more than one employer at a time. OTR professionals of the future will need to acquire skills to prepare their candidates to market their services in new ways, to be mobile, to be flexible, to be able to accept the time between assignments as part of the "new job." THE TRANSITION TO EMPLOYMENT IN SMALL BUSINESSES In 1980, 19 percent of workers were employed by large, Fortune 500, firms. Ten years later that number had dropped to 10 percent.9 Such information led career advisor Richard Bolles to tell job seekers that the best place to look for a job is among small businesses with less than 100 employees.10 For employees accustomed to the large corporate benefits, such as medical coverage, cafeteria benefits, paid vacations, Employee Assistance Program services, and perhaps an on-site day care or fitness center, it is a rude awakening to find that the only jobs for which they are qualified are those with small employers offering little or no benefits. Besides the loss of benefits, they may find that they will miss the layers of bureaucracy that oftentimes frustrated them. They may find that they are not quitfc sure how to act when the CEO sits at the next desk and lunches with the staff regularly. Certainly the employees' roles will change. Where they once had highly specialized assignments with lots of support, they are likely in the small business to wear many hats, work in teams, and

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create their own roles. As Pat Windelspecht observed, many jobs in the past have been represented by neat squares on the organizational chart. Future jobs will be more accurately represented by circles—somewhat raggedly drawn, at that.11 OTR professionals are increasingly observing this phenomenon and considering how the OTR process can more effectively assist candidates making this kind of transition. TRANSITION TO SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP When he lost his job in transportation and distribution, one man said "every company in the world is getting rid of their transportation business, so what I'm going to do is—I'm going to be the outsource person for all those people who are trying to get rid of them."12 Most employees have always dreamed of being their own boss, and many outplaced individuals, with years of experience, have the expertise to run a business and the capital needed to invest in the start-up. Many outplaced candidates are being encouraged to strike out on their own. According to Dale Learn, president of the Greenwich Group, 30 percent of displaced executives started their own companies in 1991, up from 3 percent in 1980.13 Bob Evans of Evans Duff Associates in Toronto finds self-employment to be an option worth considering for the 30 percent of his candidates he classified as either "refuseniks," who do not want to reenter the large corporation, or "can'ts," who are virtually unemployable in positions they once held.14 The question OTR firms are confronting is how OTR professionals can most effectively help these individuals accept self-employment as an option. What kinds of assistance will they need? Will OTR professionals have the relevant skills? OTR professionals believe that in the future an OTR firm that wants to succeed must train its staff in entrepreneurship and self-employment or hire professionals with that expertise. Already some firms offer an optional service for those who, through the assessment process, reveal an interest in and propensity for success in an entrepreneurial venture. The Greenwich Group, for example, offers an entrepreneurial program including a special consultant manual, a process for identifying a business or focus, assistance with market evaluation, development of a business plan, assistance in buying a franchise or business, development of a brochure, accounting and legal assistance, and assistance with investor and venture capital development.15 Seagate Associates, Inc. established an "Entrepreneurial Incubator" to assist candidates opening their own businesses. Once a candidate has decided to launch a new business, the business may set up operation in the Seagate office/incubator, if the business is compatible with Seagate's office environment. At this point, the OTR process ends and a new relationship begins. The fledgling business contracts with Seagate for entrepreneurial advice and counsel, office space, secretarial and clerical support, and involvement in a professional adviser network.16

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The Changing Outplacement Process

TRANSITION FROM PUBLIC- TO PRIVATE-SECTOR EMPLOYMENT Government has entered the OTR business, in large part to address the needs of state and federal workers who have lost their jobs due to government downsizing. This will continue, as a result of streamlining, computerizing, and policy decisions to shift public services to the private sector. The new lean, mobile, and high-tech military will need less employees. Between 1993 and 1998 the federal workforce alone is forecast to be reduced by over 300,000 jobs.17 As long as the work is being done, it will mean employment, but outplaced public employees will find that their new jobs call for some adjustment. OTR professionals know that they need to have professionals on their staffs trained to assist people in examining their transferability. They are positioning themselves to help public sector candidates identify the skills and knowledge they used in the public sector and how to transfer their experience to the private sector. Such firms understand the two workplaces and are able to prepare candidates accustomed to civil service rankings to deal with the competitive interview and hiring process of the private sector. HGL Associates, Inc. of Arlington, Virginia, for example, specializes in publicsector human resources management and has developed a program called "job bridging." This program combines career counseling and outplacement support for federal employees transitioning to new jobs in other government activities or private industry. In addition to the basic elements of the OTR process, the program includes assistance with unique government processes, such as the SF-171 form.18,

THE TRANSITION TO NEW EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS One of the characteristics common to many of the changes OTR firms arid their candidates are addressing is what one outplacement consultant refers to as the move toward the "locus of power in the individual."19 WTiereas in the past, upper management, organizational policy, the profession, or a written authority held the power, today we are increasingly seeing that information, initiative, and power reside in the individual employee. Employees will increasingly work as respected "partners," bringing both brain and brawn to the operation. The working relationship will be different for employees who have been accustomed either to being subservient to authority or to having authority to make decisions with minimal input from others. Effective OTR firms are training their candidates to interview "as equal partners" and to negotiate a new type of contract in which power is more equally shared. KEEPING UP WITH THE JOB MARKET The new careerism involves whole occupational fields disappearing and new ones appearing. Job seekers who must locate themselves in new occupations will be increasingly hard-pressed to know which way to turn. And when they do have a direction, they will often lack the networks needed to get them into the new field.

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It is the belief of Seagate's John Guthery that OTR candidates do not have the time to keep up with the job market or learn how to research it. He believes that it is the responsibility of the OTR firm to provide job market information and coach candidates in its use. He, therefore, offers on-line data base research support and MLS-degreed business librarians as part of his firm's outplacement service. His operation was the forerunner of Outplacement International's Business Information Center, which maintains extensive (and expensive) on-site libraries of core print materials, CD-ROM data bases, lending agreements with libraries nationwide, and 450-500 on-line data bases. The 01 firms also employ research librarians, who do the research for the candidates and who understand how the information they gather can be used in the OTR process. Whether the candidate is trying to learn about an occupational field, an industry, a specific firm, people in the field with whom to network, or the person who will interview or employ the candidate, Seagate's librarians can help. They gather relevant data as background reading or as the nuts and bolts information a candidate needs to prepare for a hiring interview.20 To assess the value of this service, Seagate asked its candidates to rate their satisfaction regarding help with research techniques. The firm then compared the rating to that of the industry average as found in the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms' survey data. Figure 16.1 illustrates the finding. Among Seagate candidates, 81 percent said they were highly satisfied or very highly satisfied, as compared to 47 percent of candidates working with other firms surveyed (who do not, in general, offer such service). Given the complexity of the job market and the feedback from Seagate candidates, one might expect an expansion of job market research as an OTR service. The possibility of locating career information will increase through the use of computerized data bases. Several sophisticated data bases are already available. They include L. A. Online, which is a computer information service based in Hermosa Beach, CA; Echo (Extended Career Hotline Option), by which users can scan career openings in a variety of financial, retail, and travel-related companies; and CompuServe, which offers electronic job listings to members who subscribe.21 Some are now served by a data base such as Career Search, developed by Career Finders, Inc. of Needliam, Massachusetts. Instead of listing job openings, this data base contains information on 180,000 companies nationwide. Through a userfriendly menu, it enables job seekers to locate information by industry, location, specialty, contact, or profile. To remain current, it updates information monthly from a variety of sources such as R. L. Polk & Co., Peterson's, Gale Research, Custom DataBanks, Billian Publishing, A. M. Best, Labhar-Friedman/CSG, Gold Hill Publishing, Pick Publications, and Commerce Register.22 Some job listings, such as those posted in the Chronicle of Higher Education can be accessed through Internet, the gigantic "network of networks" funded by various governments and organizations that maintain Internet sites. Since it is a goal of the Clinton administration to increase access to this "Information Superhighway," it is quite likely that OTR candidates of the future will tap into this source and that OTR firms will have people on staff to assist with the process.

Figure 16.1 Research Techniques

Source: A Benchmarking Study of the Outplacement Industry and Seagate Associates, based on BORIS data, a cooperative research program conducted under the auspices of AOCFI and Columbia University, published by Seagate Associates, Inc., n.d. Reprinted with permission.

The New OTR Process

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Savvy job searchers in high-tech fields can now dial up Internet on their modems and type Career.Com at the $ prompt. They will then be introduced to HEART (Human Resources Electronic Advertising and Recruiting Tool) and find a simple menu-driven system that will lead them to job openings, an option to post their resumes, and tips and trends in the high-tech field. The service is being offered by Westech ExpoCorp of Santa Clara which publishes High Technology Ca reers Magazine and has remained on the leading edge of employment services with its career expos.23 Probably because of the expense of such services and the lack of computer search knowledge by candidates and OTR professionals alike, most OTR firms today coach their candidates in use of public library services. The trend, however, is toward the increased use of computerized data bases. INCREASED USE OF TECHNOLOGY In Part II we outlined the basic elements that have become part of the OTR process. In Chapter 15 we noted that time and cost-effective ways to involve candidates in the process are increasing concerns. As a result, employers and OTR firms are looking to technology to help. Audiocassette programs, such as "Opening New Doors," created by TTG Consultants, or "Job-Bridge" with its 800 number and dubbed "outplacement in a suitcase," are two commercial examples of which we will undoubtedly see more.24 They are offered to terminated employees in lieu of OTR services or as a supplement to OTR service. Software is also available to be used independently or in conjunction with an OTR service. "Achieving Your Career," for example, is interactive and provides an array of features to inform, stimulate, and motivate the job seekers, including templates for customizing a resume, templates for letters, a searchable data base of 500 national companies, a system to track contacts, a calendar to facilitate managing the search, a review of research services, a budgeting system, and even a voice-activated system whereby the user can respond to interview questions posed in digitized speech.25 Videotaped Instruction Many of the OTR firms have an extensive library of commercial training tapes and have developed proprietary tapes as well. Right Associates, for example, has one on ZIP (Zeroing In Process). Jean Jacques Ranger has an extensive lending library of motivational tapes featuring Zig Ziglar and Anthony Rollins. Outplacement International has developed a multimedia program known as PowerSearch™, which contains a videotape, 14 audio cassette programs, a workbook, and quick reference cards. Besides the warm style of the presenters and the excellent information conveyed, what makes this program unique is the way in which it utilizes leading edge technology to produce a customized tool. Through the use of laser

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The Changing Outplacement Process

disc technology changes can be made in 21 locations of the script based on any of six variables (age, gender, compensation, geography, industry, and function). The result is a video formatted to the profile of the client—one of the possible 600,000 variations.26 Some professionals, such as Murray Axmith, foresee the development of proprietary videotapes on very specialized topics, like interviewing in Germany, which candidates could borrow to view on their home TV, or, one day, access from the OTR office to view at any time through their home TV/computer.27 Computer Searches John Guthery also values the way in which technology can supplement the role of the OTR professional. He already has tapped the use of computer technology for access to job-search information. Now, knowing how valuable these data bases are, Outplacement International, of which his firm is a part, is creating a data base of local and occupation-related support groups with a hotline. This will increase the level of personal, even instant, service available to candidates. He further foresees the day when computers will assist some candidates in matching people with job specifications. Like many OTR centers, he has installed state-of-the art telephone equipment with features such as a voice bank, which enables counselors to get a message or query to every one of the member firms in a matter of minutes, and equipment that enables candidates, while in a distant airport following an interview, to dictate a thank you letter by phone to support staff in the office for next-day delivery. Videoconferencing Seagate also has linked all of its five sites by videoconferencing, installing satellite downlink technology at each of its sites. This is to reduce drive time between the five New Jersey offices and make staff experts available to all candidates in face-to-face real-time meetings.28 As the OTR process increasingly addresses special needs, such as spouse relocation, entrepreneurship, or contract negotiation, technology will allow linns to employ specialists who can cover large geographic areas. Computer Systems There is no question that digital technology will revolutionize the way we use the telephone, fax, computer, and TV OTR firms know as well as any business that it will be necessary to make good use of technology in the future. Toward that end, Right Associates, based on an assessment by Arthur Andersen of technology usage and needs, developed a five-year plan to install a central system that will serve all Right Associates offices for business purposes with applications as well

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for clients and candidates.29 The use of technology has begun and suggests a major trend for the industry. GLOBALIZATION OF OTR SERVICES A number of outplacement firms are multinational in scope with offices around the world. The establishment of these offices was primarily to facilitate the needs of multinational corporations like Dow Chemical and IBM and to assist North American citizens abroad when they were outplaced. Increasingly, foreign nationals are opening offices, sometimes competing with North American firms and sometimes partnering with them. Although perhaps ten years behind the development of the North American outplacement industry, European and Asian counterparts have organized to address the impact of downsizing, restructuring, and the new careerism. Joining the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International and the International Association of Outplacement Professionals or partnering with Outplacement International, they are learning from the trials and mistakes of their North American colleagues. The growth in these firms is an indication of the continuing growth in the industry and also represents an opportunity for North American firms to relocate candidates overseas. Overseas Job Opportunity Despite the overseas travelers' perception, the cost of overseas air flight has actually decreased since the advent of the 747. This fact, as well as the continuing standardization of English as the international language, relaxation of immigration regulations, and the mismatch of skills and job openings, has led to increasing international OTR activity. As the economies of Eastern Europe develop and as the European, Latin American, and Asian economies become increasingly linked with the economies of North America, firms are likely to find employees who are not able to use their experience and skills in their home region or home country willing to apply themselves in faraway places. If it is deemed in the interest of the United States to develop countries in the former USSR and Eastern Europe as allies and market partners, policies will be put in place to support investment of American businesses abroad. At that point, it is likely that outplacement firms will address a vast array of new job opportunities abroad. It is possible, for example, that new enterprises in Eastern Europe funded by the World Bank and foreign aid will require the placement of qualified and experienced North American workers. Libraries and data bases already offer a plethora of resources on international careers, including Eric Kocher's International Jobs: Where They Are and How t Get Them, The International Employment Gazette, and Curtis Casewit's How to Get a Job Overseas?0 These resources and others will provide an opportunity for outplaced individuals and OTR professionals to navigate the international job market.

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Campaigning and Interviewing in Multicultural Contexts The globalization of hiring and the changing demographics of the workplace suggest that OTR firms will increasingly be training their candidates to understand the expectations in various cultures related to use of the resume and cover letter or the process of networking. OTR firms will hire and train staff to teach candidates how to interview in multicultural contexts. It is generally understood that employers tend to hire people like themselves and especially, if they have the choice, someone they know. This is, in part, because interviewers feel that knowing where the job applicants come from—being familiar with the candidates' schools, communities, affiliations, and even family ties—enables employers to assess the likelihood of the candidates' success. When the cultural backgrounds of the interviewers and interviewees do not match, however, job applicants are at a disadvantage. Effective OTR firms will seek to understand the meaning that symbols and frames of reference have for interviewers and help their candidates prepare to overcome potential gaps. SUMMARY Many aspects of the new OTR process represent improvements in the effectiveness of its delivery. These include modifications described in Chapter 15, such as adapting OTR for groups or individuals, providing the service bundled or unbundled, and packaging it for executives or for hourly workers. This chapter outlined other aspects of the new OTR process, which attempt to address changes in the environment of work. Technology, globalization, and streamlining have resulted in a new careerism. The new way we view careers has resulted in modifications in ihe OTR process and its delivery. These changes suggest trends that are likely to continue into the next century. NOTES 1. Robert Wegmann, Robert Chapman, and Miriam Johnson, Work in the New Econ omy: Careers and Job Seeking into the 21st Century (Indianapolis: JIST Works, 1989). 2. Interview with Murray Axmith, Chairman, Axmith & Associates, Ltd. 3. Interview with Ruthan Rosenberg; and Jill Jukes and Ruthan Rosenberg, Surviving Your Partner's Job Loss: The Complete Guide to Rescuing Your Marriage and Family f Today s Economy (Washington, DC: National Press Books, 1993). 4. Cited in Joseph P. Ritz, "Loss of Job Is Bringing Families Closer Together," Buffalo News, July 24, 1993, p. B6. 5. Uma Sekaran, Dual Career Families (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986); and Jame Challenger, Outplacement (Chicago: Apex Publishing Company, 1993). 6. "Presentation of Programs, Lee Hecht Harrison Group Services," booklet published byLHH, Inc., n.d. 7. Challenger, Outplacement. 8. Lance Morrow, "The Temping of America," Time, March 29, 1993, p. 40.

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9. Charles W. Cates, "Street to Suite: New Avenues for Outplacement Professionals" Workshop, International Association of Outplacement Professionals Conference, May 15, 1993. Available on audiocassette from Teach'em, 160 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 10. Richard Bolles, What Color Is Your Parachute? (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1993), p. 76. 11. Interview with Pat Windelspecht. 12. Cates, "Street to Suite." 13. Brochures from the Greenwich Group, Inc., Greenwich CT, 1993. 14. Bob Evans, "What Are You Going to Do After Outplacement?" Workshop, International Association of Outplacement Professionals Conference, May 15, 1993. Available on audiocassette from Teach'em, 160 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 15. Brochures from the Greenwich Group. 16. Interview with John Guthery, Seagate Associates. 17 Helcne G. Liebman and Steve McCarthy, "Job Bridging: Downsizing Without RIFs," The Public Manager, Summer 1993. 18. Ibid. 19. Evans, "What Are You Going to Do After Outplacement?" 20. Interview with John Guthery and Elizabeth Rizzotti, Seagate Associates, Inc. 21. Arthur Goldbaber, "New Software Program Helps Job Seekers Span the Continent for Executive-level Employment," Los Angeles Business Journal April 8, 1991, p. 29. 22. "The Ultimate Individualized Employment Search Database," flyer from Career Search, Needharn, MA. 23. Stephanie Kirtland, "The 'Heart' of High-Tech Employment," High Technology Careers Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 1 (February-March 1994): pp. 24-26. 24. "Opening New Doors," produced by TTG Consultants, © 1989, 4727 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90010; and "Job-Bridge," published by Wilson McLeran, Inc., New Haven, CT, 1988, (800) 736-8840. 25. "Achieving Your Career," Career Planning and Adult DevelopmentntNetworkrk Newsletter, July 1993, p. 5. 26. Interview with John Guthery, Seagate Associates, Inc., and written promotional material entitled PowerSearch™. 27. Interview with Murray Axmith. 28. Interview with John Guthery and Susan Cotz, Seagate Associates, Inc. 29. Interview with Richard Chagnon, Senior Vice President, TQM/Consulting Service, Right Associates, Philadelphia. 30. Eric Kocher, International Jobs: Where They Are and How to Get Them (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1993); The International Employment Gazette, 1525 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, SC 29609; and Curtis Casewit, How to Get a Job Overseass(New York: Arco, 1984).

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17

The New Face of Today's OTR Industry

The chief business of the American people is business. Calvin Coolidge, Speech to American Society of Newspaper Editors, January 17, 1925

The OTR process, as outlined in Part II, has drawn its concepts and practices from the fields of vocational guidance, marketing, human resources, counseling, and consulting. Aspects of the process have long been at work in these various fields. What is unique about OTR is the profession and industry the process has spawned. This chapter discusses that industry, the new face of the industry as it exists today, and ways it is likely to develop in the next quarter century. A PERMANENT PART OF THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE As the 1990s overtake us, outplacement has become a nascent industry. Since the tenn "outplacement" was coined in the late 1960s,' the outplacement industry has matured, responded to marketplace pressures, and made adjustments. (See Appendix B for historical chronology of the industry.) In its earlier days it was thought to be a passing fad. Like outplacement, many products and services thought to be only a passing fad found a permanent place in the economy. For example, there was a day when it was thought that digital clocks were a fad, never to replace the face clock with its variously crafted numbers and hands. You might remember, too, when heavy metal music was first heard. It was regarded as an expression of a few angry musicians rather than the art form it has

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The Changing Outplacement Process

become. When outplacement firms began to launch full-scale services to downsizing companies, they, too, were seen as part of another fad—a hot business opportunity that would have a short life. John Lucht wrote in 1988: "The newest and fastest-growing way to make a living from the relationship between a corporate employer and his management-level employees is outplacement."2 In 1993 he wrote: "Two decades have gone by since outplacement as we know it today first began to be practiced in the '70s. Since then, a genuine profession has developed."3 Layoffs Continue It was once thought that since the recession seemed to fuel the growth of the OTR industry, the industry would soon pass out of view; along with other dying industries. In fact, however, that did not happen. Layoffs have continued, no longer solely recession related. Restructuring, with resulting layoffs, now accounts for a large number of terminated employees. This is likely to continue into the next century, affecting every job. Referring to the continual med to adjust the workforce, AT&T Senior Vice President Harold Burlingame said: "This is a dynamic process. WeTl never be therightsize. We may be growing in one market but shrinking in another."4 Employment experts project downsizing to be an ongoing corporate activity. They cite the American Management Association 1991 survey, which revealed that 30 percent of the firms surveyed planned further downsizing and that reductions in force were no longer considered last-resort practices, but rather ongoing corporate interventions. Unlike earlier downsizing blamed on national or international business conditions, more than half of the Fortune 1,000 companies surveyed said they were reducing their workforces to realize productivity gains or to save money by cutting personnel after a merger or acquisition.5 In the American Management Association's 1992 Survey on Downsizing it was found that one-quarter of the firms responding to the survey planned reductions within the next year. That was the highest record of planned reductions in the survey's six-year history.6 The organization's 1993 survey revealed that the trend is likely to continue. While 36 percent of the responding employers downsized before the 1990-91 recession, 56 percent downsized during the recession and 47 percent downsized during the recovery.7 Dan Lacey, labor consultant, wrote: "There is no historical precedent for this. This does not represent a recession but a permanent shift in management thinking that is both structural and profound."8 "The National Study of the Changing Workforce" reported that nearly 20 percent of workers worry that they will be fired.9 Reports such as this lead career experts to speculate on the future. According to Craig Dreilinger, of Dreiford Group in Bethesda, Maryland, downsizing will continue for another 10 to 20 years in America.10 OTR Services Continue to Grow "Outplacement firms won't need huge corporate cutbacks to keep on growing," wrote Jeremy Main in Fortune magazine, since companies will be continuously

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Table 17.1 Outplacement Industry Serves More Candidates Every Year

Year

Candidates Served

Average Sales Revenues

Revenue Per Candidate

1990

669,000

$393,000,000

$587.44

1991

800,000

$500,000,000

$625.00

1992

1,200,000

$625,000,000

$520.83

Source: "Workplace Rainmakers: The Outplacement Industry Comes to Town," Benefits and Compensation Solutions, March 1994, p. 27. Reprinted with permission.

adjusting their workforces. In fact, the American Management Association's 1992 survey reported a rise in the number of companies offering outplacement assistance to fired employees from 52.2 percent in 1989-90 to 77.1 percent in 1991 - 9 2 . n Personnel Management reported in 1993 that "more employees than ever before are being covered by outplacement.'' 12 In fact, it is reported that the outplacement industry has grown 20-30 percent per year. According to Steve Worth, executive director of AOCFI, the use of outplacement doubled between 1990, when 669,000 were served, and 1993, when that number jumped to 1 4 million.13 As businesses downsize and employees move in and out of organizations, the outplacement process will continue to play an active role in the lives of the individuals and the organizations that employ them (see Table 17.1). AT&T at one time kept no fewer than 19 outplacement firms on retainer, and many other companies have had two or three on tap for departing managers. WestTable 17.2 Types of Outplacement Assistance: A Five-Year Trend 19921993

19911992

19901991

19891990

19881989

Outplacement Assistance

78.3%

77.1%

65.3%

52.2%

63.9%

Extended Severence Pay

44.4%

45.1%

41.0%

37.2%

40.1%

Extended Health Benefits

41.5%

36.9%

36.0%

27.1%

38.7%

Job Retraining

10.6%

17.7%

12.1%

12.9%

NA

Source: Data from 1993 AM A survey on downsizing in "Workplace Rainmakers: The Outplacement industry Comes to Town," Benefits and Compensation Solutions, March 1994, p. 250. Reprinted with permission.

Figure 17.1 How the Outplacement Market Is Divided

Source: An Analysis of the Outplacement Consulting Business in North America, copyright © 1990 by Kennedy Publications, Fitzwilliam, NH. Reprinted with permission.

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inghouse has made it a policy since 1982 to offer outplacement help to every employee "involuntarily made available"—that is, outplaced.14 The continuing stream of excessed employees now know about outplacement service and are encouraged to take advantage of it. Outplaced workers hear about it from neighbors and friends who have gone before them and they read about it in any of the growing number of self-help employment books such as that written by Jeffrey G. Allen, who said in his book The Perfect Follow-Up Method to Get t Job: "If outplacement help is offered when you get caught in a downsize, shakeup, reduction in force (RIF) or any such corporate euphemism for "earthquake," take advantage of it!"15 The AMA study presented statistics to demonstrate that 78.3 percent of employers offer outplacement service to their terminated employees, while only 44.4 percent provide extended severance pay, 41.5 percent offer extended health benefits, and only 10.6 percent provide job training (see Table 17.2).16 As smaller companies downsize, a whole new market is opening up for the outplacement industry. According to the American Management Association survey, more than 39 percent of small companies (less than 100 employees) surveyed cut their staff in the 1991 92 period.17 It is little wonder that U.S. News and World Report listed outplacement s among the top 20 growth fields.18 The outplacement industry is reported to be a $700 million business with 80 percent of the business handled by Association of Outplacement Consulting Finns International members—up from $35 million in 1980! Among the AOCFI members, two giant firms account for 28 percent of the business, with the top 13 firms accounting for more than half (55 percent) of the sales19 (see Figure 17.1). PRICE CUTTING IN TODAYS OTR One of the features on the new face of the OTR industry is its new pricing systems. As with the industries that OTR has served, the OTR industry itself has experienced a price squeeze. With a market that has cut its spending and new OTR firms increasing the competition, the industry has had to cut its prices. The charge for OTR services was once typically 15-18 percent of the outplaced executive's salary. Now one can find a wide range of packages and prices. As Saul Gruner put it when he spoke to the International Association of Outplacement Professions, "nearly every fee quoted is negotiable." He declared that all outplacement firms were price-cutting, though no one wanted to admit it.20 One way to reduce the cost has been to unbundle the service and sell only what the buyer needs or can afford. It is not uncommon now to find a menu of options, including Red Carpet Service, which usually means all services and accoutrements described in Chapter 6, centering around a private office dedicated to the candidate for an unlimited time; Full Service, which is usually the same service only with general office space; Time-Limited Service, which usually means all of the same services for a specific length of time such as three months or six months;

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and a Service-Limited package, which excludes certain elements, such as the use of the office, support services, and extras, like health club membership. Some firms also offer a "super bundle" known as an Umbrella Policy. This package entitles outplaced executives to return as often as they must for a lifetime. Another cost-saving measure is to make better use of group training. In contrast to the early days of the OTR industry when services were routinely individually delivered to key executives, today's firms have learned that a judicious blend of group and one-to-one counseling can not only save costs but also provide appropriate teaching and support. For example, outplaced employees benefit by hearing a certain amount of information about the resume, interviewing, and networking in groups. Assessment, on the other hand, needs to be individualized, and one-toone meetings are important to provide personalized feedback on the development of the resume, weaknesses in interview skills, evaluation of a job fit, or when the individual is stuck and needs personal support and encouragement.21 NICHE MARKETING IN TODAYS OTR As competition has increased within the OTR industry, a new feature can be found. The various firms and professionals in the field have been making efforts to differentiate themselves from one another. This feature has been particularly true for the smaller, independent one- or two-person firms that cannot be all things to all people. Some firms have become known to have materials especially well-written for production workers or clerical employees. Others have psychologists and counselors who can be helpful when an outplaced employee needs to address a personal or interpersonal problem or needs psychological testing. Still other OTRs are establishing their identities by offering services for particular segments of the population like youth, underemployed, ex-prisoners, handicapped, or retirees. Focus on Particular Industries Some OTRs focus on particular professions or industries that require specific job-search strategies. The process for a lawyer derailed from partnership, for example, will be different from someone moving from staff position to staff position. Mengel & McDonald of Chicago operate an outplacement program that services only the advertising industry. By knowing the players in the field and the advertising contracts for which ad agencies have bid, the firm is often aware of business likely to come to an agency and its need for creative people. Or it can direct a terminated employee to an agency that writes advertising for the market or product with which that employee has worked. Specialization enables the firm to help candidates slant their resumes and letters appropriately and, in the case of advertising, prepare a portfolio in addition to a traditional resume.22 Lee Hecht Harrison, building on its considerable experience with outplaced bankers, published "Bankers in Transition Data and Trends" to demonstrate its

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knowledge of the banking industry and its ability to serve the needs of bankers in transition.23 Specialized Service for Key Executives Right Associates has developed a nationwide Key Executive Service for outplaced executives with salaries of $150,000 and over. Internal research, which prompted the development, revealed that 98 percent of key executive candidates with Right Associates have landed jobs through the networking process, as opposed to search firms, which have traditionally been viewed as the source of executive placement. The research also showed that most candidates used the services of more than one Right Associates office. They usually needed to relocate and learn particulars about potential employers in other areas. As a result, part of the Key Executive Service has involved a nationwide two-day Key Executive Conference, bringing together all key executive candidates working with Right Associates firms around the country. At the first such conference in April 1993, 71 candidates gathered for dinner and presentations and the opportunity to network with like-minded executives who might have information and contacts to share. To set it apart from its other services, coordinator Nancy Geffner stresses that it is not an "outplacement service," but a "consultative service." This niche service has involved devoting separate space to key executive candidate offices, assigning complicated key executive cases to specialists with lower case loads, and providing these candidates with dedicated secretarial services. Also available to this special population has been membership in the National Association of Corporate Directors, where key executives can find information about membership on corporate boards. Because the key executive is so visible, once a job has been landed, the Key Executive Service also receives an extension of service for three months to assist the candidate in making a rapid adjustment in order to avoid public mistakes.24 INCREASED FEMALE INVOLVEMENT IN OTR Another characteristic of today's OTR industry, in contrast to that of two decades ago, is the increased female involvement. As terminations have affected employees further down the organizational hierarchy, increasing numbers of women have been outplaced and have utilized OTR services.25 The number of women has also increased among those who have entered the OTR profession, not only as counselors but also as leaders and business owners. Winifred Downs, of Lee Hecht Harrison in Stamford, Connecticut, is regarded as a leader in the field, having been a key figure in the founding of the International Association of Outplacement Professionals. Pat Windelspecht of Albany, New York, Linda Davidson of Irving, Texas, and Leslie McDonald of Liverpool, New York are illustrative of women who have founded their own companies and ferreted through the maze of ownership paperwork, filing requirements, real estate

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deals, and the hiring and firing of their own staff. Nancy Geffner, head of New York City's Right Associates office, and Patti Dowel 1, head of Drake Beam Morin' Rochester office, are examples of women who are in responsible positions in large OTR firms. In Executive Female Kathryn and Ross Petras described the process by which Claire Stoddard, vice president of marketing at Drake Beam Morin, Inc., and Sharon Gadberry, head of Transitions Management/Outplacement International, successfully negotiated positions in the outplacement industry. Both had carefully assessed themselves and what they wanted in a job and demonstrated in the interview process that they had the skill and know-how to contribute effectively.26 In addition to their business acumen, there are three other ways in which the addition of women has enriched the industry. First, they bring a particular dedication to the grieving and venting that needs to be done while also looking for ways to streamline the process and focus on job placement. Second, they bring a particular sensitivity to and awareness of the need to address spousal and family issues. Though many OTR programs purport to involve spouses, few have been successful. The book by Jill Jukes and Ruthan Rosenberg, Surviving Your Partner s Jo Loss, is a major contribution to the field by two women who know the OTR process well.27 And third, women are able to relate in a unique way to both male and female candidates. Many female counselors perceive that female candidates are often more comfortable talking to a woman. They also report that, although male candidates may be comfortable with male counselors, they are often able to more freely vent their anger or anxiety with the female counselor whom they feel is less likely to judge them negatively if they react emotionally to the termination event. IN-HOUSE OUTPLACEMENT In-house OTR services have been around for over a decade, but today such an arrangement provides a new wrinkle for the OTR industry as a cost-saving measure. It is likely that such arrangements will increase as employers attempt to hold down costs and as they understand more fully what goes into offering OTR se-vices in-house. For companies planning to outplace a large number of employees over a long period, Robert Fish, co-founder of Right Associates, advised companies to buy the guidance of an outplacement firm to set up their own in-house career transition center. On the other hand, according to Sally Lillienthat of Lee Hecht Harrison, if fewer than 50 people are to be laid off, setting up an in-house center would not be cost-effective.28 One corporation that did set up an in-house center was Westinghouse, which developed its own program in 1982 when it began layoffs in large numbers. The company offers multimedia workshops with various scripts adapted to audiences ranging from Ph.D. scientists to illiterate hourly workers. Optional videotaping of interviewing and cassette tape series on financial planning are available, as is a data base that contains the resumes, accessible by text, of all terminated em-

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ployees. This data base provides the basis for a directory of available talent that is mailed monthly to 2,000 employers and quarterly to search firms and employment agencies.29 Westinghouse claims that by setting up Job Centers with fax machines and printers and hiring its own counselors, it was able to provide job-search assistance to more than 10,000 outplaced employees over a ten-year period for about one-fifth the cost of using an outside service.30 Some in-house OTR programs work alongside or in partnership with external OTR providers. For example, Sandra Bandler at Chase Bank heads up an in-house service that provides service to 95 percent of its employees, while sending 5 percent (the senior executives) to external OTR professionals.31 Sandy Bowers, vice president and head of Citibank's Internal Career Services Unit, directs a full-service OTR program, offering one-to-one counseling and group workshops. Her service operates as a business within the bank, "selling" its services to divisions within the bank on an internal allocation charge-back system. Since division managers are free to use external providers if they choose, her operation actually competes with external providers and must demonstrate credibility as well as lower costs. While "competing" with external providers, she also works in partnership with them, since she is the person who contracts with them when divisions, especially in outlying areas, choose to use external professionals.32 In 1985, when Pacific Bell announced it would reduce managers by 11,000 over the next decade, Judy H. Benedict, as director of Human Resources, Career Transition and Temporary Services, became actively involved in planning internal outplacement services for Pacific Bell. While she utilized external outplacement consultants for some services, she points out that an in-house program was more effective. Internal staff knew the business and the industry culture, including Pacific Bell's policy that has implied a commitment to long-term employment. Since many of the terminated employees began with Pacific Bell upon high school graduation and felt there was no life after Pacific Bell, termination was seen as a threat, not an opportunity. It was therefore important that internal personnel who understood this mind-set play a major role in helping outplaced employees to understand the changes in the business and marketplace, identify and define their individual skills, and locate new career opportunities. Even when Pacific Bell utilized the services of an outside financial planner, internal people played a major role in the planning, because they knew the Pacific Bell policies related to retirement and medical benefits and stock options.33 In-house transition programs are most successful when they partner with existing external resources. Martin Marietta is one corporation that has committed itself to such a partnership. In some cases external service providers have been housed right in the center. For example, at the Martin Marietta Employment Transition Center in Syracuse, New York, the local Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) maintains a classroom and instructor in the center; the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) places a staff person on-site to provide publicly funded information and service; and the local Regional Learning Service (RLS) provides a computerized assessment tool known as S1GI Plus (System of Interac-

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tive Guidance Information) for exploring occupations based on work values, skills, and interests. The entire range of services is illustrated by the "circle of services" (see Figure 17.2). Many outplacement firms are known to work with corporations that want to enlist the OTR firm's assistance in developing an in-house program. Their professionals augment or complement the internal staff. Often the internal employees provide the group training sessions and look to the external outplacement professionals to supplement their service by working one-on-one with selected employees. Leslie McDonald of Pathfinders, Inc. worked with Niagara Mohawk Figure 17.2 Circle of Services

Source: Reprinted by permission from Mark Streifer, Director of Staffing and Outplacement Programs, Martin Marietta, Utica, NY. Reprinted with permission.

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Power Corporation when they outplaced employees. She became part of their team and was available when certain employees felt more comfortable talking to a noncorporate staff person. She also brought to the internal staff an external perspective and the professional identity and standards that were important to the corporation in bringing credibility to the process.34 Another variation combining external OTR with in-house services is the practice of the Lee Hecht Harrison firm, which frequently sets up staff and a Career Resource Center on the premises of the corporation. This eliminates the cost of office space and provides transition services in familiar surroundings.35 NON-OUTPLACEMENT FIRMS OFFERING OTR Traditional strict definitions of outplacement service have limited the use of the term "outplacement" to mean those firms that contract only with corporate buyers. As the reader has noted, however, our view of the process is based on a broader definition that takes in "retail" outplacement offered to individuals who pay the bill themselves and to the various organizations that do not call themselves outplacement firms but offer at least some elements of the OTR process. Just as nonbank banks are offering financial services, so it can be said that non-outplacement firms are offering OTR services. With an expanded understanding of what used to be regarded as a mysterious process, many organizations are getting into the act—sometimes as extensions of a related business, sometimes as community services. Community Groups Offer Job-Search Assistance One can open an issue of the National Business Employment Weekly on any giv week and find listings of groups all over the country that provide advice and/or support for job seekers and that charge little or no fee. While these groups do not offer individual counseling and do not lead candidates through a systematic process, they do expose them to the knowledge and skills that are required of that process. They enable self-motivated individuals to be quite successful on their own. Typically the meetings are led by a volunteer who lines up speakers from area OTR firms and career counseling agencies. They present information on one or another of the elements in the OTR process. Such groups provide support and education that can assist those who have no access to a full OTR service. They can also serve as a worthwhile supplement for individuals who are involved in a systematic OTR process. The listings include groups in four regions of the country such as Businesspersons Between Jobs in St. Louis, MO, and The Job Network in Sandy Springs, GA.36 An example of those listed is one sponsored by the Morristown, New Jersey, Chamber of Commerce, which offers a 12-week cycle open to the public. Each cycle offers a "how to do it" presentation for unemployed individuals and time to share and support one another. Not far away in Somerset Hills the YMCA offers a

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Tuesday night support group to which a different professional resource person is invited each week to share experience and expertise.37 The presentations at most of these groups are by OTR professionals who agree to do a certain amount of pro bono work. They are people highly committed to OTR and who regard their presence as good exposure for their firms. Two such people are John Sobecki and Peter McNally, who offer a little-known program called WINGS once a month for no charge. People lucky enough to hear about it by word of mouth receive two days of professional training in New York City.38 Churches Offer Support Churches are among those organizations that have moved into the field to offer support. Some open their doors to the community and provide an agenda similar to that of any secular organization. St. John's Church in Montclair, New Jersey, for example offers a program called Job Seekers of Montclair. Although it is officially part of the ministry of St. John's, Job Seekers operates independently under the leadership and direction of a number of dedicated individuals, some of whom have experienced outplacement themselves. One of the founders was Bill Nikel, an outplacement counselor who runs his own management consulting firm. In 1988 when he and Patrick Close, the rector of St. John's Church, saw the need and the opportunity for the church to help, they structured a program involving cycles of ten-week sessions that cover the basic elements of the OTR process. Each session is organized around a two-hour program, the first hour of which is devoted to what they call "bubble up," when people introduce themselves and say something about where they are in their job search. This facilitates networking during the break, when participants are encouraged to pass on helpful information. The second hour, after the break, is devoted to content, with a different topic each week, such as "Beginning Your Job Search," "Recognizing Your Accomplishments," "Developing Your Resume," and "Making Networking Work for You."39 Unlike St. John's Church, some churches offering OTR support intentionally imbed the process in the church's religious teachings. The manual from the Job Seekers of The Chapel of Akron, in Akron, Ohio, for example, outlined a module of its program entitled "Discerning God's Will," which helps participants include consideration of God's will in their assessment process.40 Self-Help Groups Fill an Important Role Besides OTR firms and community support groups, self-help is available through professional associations. Many have placement bureaus like the confidential Job Connection sponsored by the Society for Human Resource Managers. As part of its service to members, it circulates a mailing to CEOs in the chapter's region, advising them of members' resumes on file. College placement services and alumni associations also frequently offer self-help workshops in resume writing or networking.

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The "Job Club" is another model, developed in 1975 by Dr. Nathan Azrin, a behavioral psychologist, to provide positive reinforcement and success experiences for job seekers. Participants are trained to keep careful records of their phone calls, applications, and interviews and post them for other members of the club to see. At the meeting, "Job Club" counselors spend a short time with each participant, praising whatever the participant has done properly. The intent of the process is to enable unemployed persons, however discouraged, to finish the day by saying, "At last, I'm doing things right."41 Employment and Related Agencies Each community has a variety of employment agencies and services, which have traditionally provided only information about existing jobs and a brokerage to connect jobs and people. They include Executive Recruiters, where employers pay the agency to locate candidates; employment agencies, which help match job opening and job applicant, usually in clerical, administrative, semiskilled, and entry-level positions; and temporary employment agencies, which now match temporary job openings and job applicants in a range of positions including clerical positions as well as writers, marketers, and computer programmers. Today, as a result of keen competition for jobs and widespread knowledge of strategies that can improve one's chances in locating a job, many of these agencies offer elements of the OTR process. In Syracuse, New York, a unique organization was developed in 1984 funded by grants, fees, and public dollars. Known as the Regional Learning Service (RLS) Career Center, it provides one-stop shopping for individuals of all ages who need to assess where they should go next to prepare for a job or find one. Some 25 parttime professionals with backgrounds in vocational rehabilitation, social work, adult education, human resources, career counseling, and a wide variety of job fields, have completed RLS's extensive training to learn its process of individual career and/or educational assessment and how to use the data base it has developed of regional credit and noncredit education providers. Because of RLS's staff's extensive experience with adults in transition, the organization has, in some cases, provided the complete range of outplacement service as is available at any socalled outplacement firm.42 Preestablishment Considerations Whether the organization is a corporation, church, community group, or professional outplacement firm, there are a number of questions that must be answered prior to offering OTR service. They include the following: 1. What is the profile of the individuals who are most likely to be using the service? 2. How many terminated employees will be served?

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3. What will be the range of services offered? 4. What will be the cost of the services/ What can the organization expect its customers to spend? 5. How much time is available to structure the OTR services before they are expected to be utilized? 6. What kind of financial and human resources are available from the corporation laying off the employees, from the community, and/or from the government? 7. Who will provide the service? Are fully trained professionals available, or will training be needed? 8. Where will the OTR service be provided? 9. What type of communication must he done within downsizing corporations prior to launching the service, including communication to individuals about to be excessed, union leaders, and those who will survive the downsizing? 10. What type of notice must be provided in the community—for governments, area business leaders, and the media?

GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED OTR SERVICES Some state employment services today also offer elements of the OTR process, especially for support and production employment candidates. "The Job Seeker's Guide," provided by New York's Department of Labor, states that the department offers tip sheets, workshops and seminars, resume preparation, interviewing and marketing techniques, professional image development, and job-search strategies.43 Since it is not widely known that these services are available, however, most job seekers purchase OTR services from OTR professionals or seek assistance from community self-help groups. Governmental funding of job assistance can be seen as a blessing or a curse, depending on one's perspective. To those who benefit, either as receivers or service providers under contract with the government, the government's presence is seen as a positive force. To outplacement firms who feel undercut by public-sector competition, it is a threat. Congress enacted legislation intended to help dislocated workers move into new jobs and new careers, including the Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), which provides help to employers of businesses with 100 or more full-time workers when there is a plant closure or major layoff; and the Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act (EDWAAA), which challenges state and local government, business, and labor to form partnerships. Together, these programs have provided a range of training, assessment, counseling, job placement, and support services to help individuals transition more quickly into new work—sometimes through the states and sometimes through large-scale grants to employers. As of July 1, 1994, the funding more than doubled from $517 million to $1.2 billion.. Victor Colon-Rivera, who is the founder and president of VCR Career Group, Inc., operating in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, has been a service provider. Me

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said: "Formerly a skeptic of any kind of government involvement, my experience as a service provider with this program has helped change that negative opinion. The reason is that it is administratively efficient, coordinated effectively and great care is given to the welfare of the dislocated worker" 44 When the U.S. Defense Department established the Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) to help soldiers who were being "transitioned" into civilian life, Right Associates assisted by setting up 62 Job Assistance Centers around the world, each equipped with an extensive job data bank, computer room, typing workstations, classrooms, and a library. One-on-one counseling and workshops were provided while soldiers were in the Army awaiting their separation and for an additional 180 days after separation.45 Defense downsizing has resulted in an expansion in the use of the OTR process. The Pentagon, for example, established a Priority Placement Program, which searches a data base for comparable work for civilian workers slated to be laid off. President Clinton's Secretary of Labor Robert Reich went on record at the beginning of the Clinton administration as wanting to devote more federal dollars to develop career centers for streamlining access to job and training information 46 (see Appendix D).The AOCFI has regarded this proposal as aimed to create a competitive system providing to all Americans what the outplacement industry has developed and provided for over two decades. In the words of Steven Worth, AOCFI's executive director, "By offering free services to employers, the government will effectively kill the outplacement industry." Julia Landau, director of government services for Lee Hecht Harrison, predicted that over 50 percent of group outplacement would be government funded as a result of the Clinton administration's actions. Her firm, together with the International Management and Development Group, Ltd., established a service to assist companies in obtaining grants from the Department of Labor. AOCFI, in order to preserve itself, has been working with the Department of Labor to encourage a genuine partnership between the outplacement industry and government. 47 Understanding and appreciating the value of OTR services, some government agencies have been funding such services along with training. The State University of New York, for example, provides assistance in collaboration with the Department of Social Services for families on public assistance. It helps individuals "not only with access and training, but job placement, support, and follow-up for the program s targeted students."48 Elizabeth Branstead an outplacement professional, reported in the December 1993 issue of The IAOP Networks that five federally funded Private Industry Councils had begun piloting One Stop Career Centers to serve managers, professionals, and staff. It was anticipated that the federal government would increase its funding of employment services and Private Industry Councils from $1.6 billion to an anticipated $4 billion to assist companies and individuals involved in plant closures and major downsizing. In European countries one often finds termination packages that include government-mandated and -assisted standardized severance pay and OTR services.

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Gilles Laurin of TSC (Technical Service Council) in Montreal looks to the European system as a model for a cooperative approach to OTR, with government, education, and private OTR providers working together.49 Murray Axmith, former president of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms, points out that AOCFI has expressed interest in partnering with the government. His organization defines that, however, to mean that the private sector should provide job search service and the public sector take responsibility for training.50 LOW-COST GROUP OTR SERVICE Another new feature of the OTR industry is the effort to make low-cost service a viable business. Just as entrepreneurs were attracted to set up business to provide fairly expensive OTR services to corporations, so one creative business-minded person has found a way to offer the service to individuals. That person is Kate Wendleton, who created The Five O'clock Club. Through it she provides elements of the process to professionals at a price individuals can afford. Combining her business sense, commitment to research, and experience with the job-search process, she has developed a well-structured program. In contrast to the ad hoc offerings that many community groups provide, her organization presents a strategic job-search process. It is outlined in her book, Through the Bric Wall.51 Job seekers who enroll in The Five O'Clock Club attend sessions where they engage in networking and a small group strategy session. They also hear a group presentation on any of 15 topics, including "Developing New Targets for Your Search," "Getting the Most Out of Your Contacts," and "Turning Job Interviews into Offers." Wendleton maintains that following a well-researched methodology from experts and learning "vicariously" from other job seekers cuts weeks from the search. When the average job search for a managerial position was estimated at 8.1 months, she claimed that, by the tenth session, the average Five O'Clock Club member had either found a job or was in the negotiating stage. Since participants in The Five O'Clock Club are asked to read the methodology at home and come to the meetings with their job targets decided, the program can move people efficiently through the process. They learn rules of thumb and share common jargon. For example, they hear such things as "Make sure you have six to ten things in the works all the time," or "Be ready with your two-minute pitch." Those who need individual help determining their career targets or framing their resumes are referred to private career counselors. Group time focuses on methodology and encouraging candidates to think about what prospective employers need, how they can serve those needs, and how they can convince decision makers that they should be hired. Having spent since 1978 developing the model, Wendleton is now rolling it out to affiliates across the country and piloting a model in Manhattan's Harlem district, which she also plans to roll out. As a supplement to a full OTR service, or as a substitute for those who may not be able to afford or have access to such service,

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The Five O'Clock Club offers an efficient cost-effective source of high quality assistance.52 OTR PROFESSIONALS HAVE DEVELOPED AFFILIATIONS Another feature of the OTR industry is the relatively recent progress toward affiliation. As the OTR industry has grown, firms have discovered that in spite of their competition, they have much to gain by working together. Many firms seek an ability to serve mobile candidates who may wish to link up with an OTR professional in another part of the country or world. The multinational firms, like DBM and Right Associates, market the fact that they have offices all over the globe. DBM, for example, claims 113 offices, while Right Associates claims over 105.53 They have achieved this kind of coverage by hiring personnel and establishing new offices or buying existing "boutique" operations. In some cases, where neither action is appropriate, they subcontract with a local OTR professional to offer services to fulfill a specific corporate contract. To compete on a multinational scale while maintaining regional commitment, many small and mid-sized firms have formed a partnership known as Outplacement International. Formed in 1987 and headquartered in Chicago, it is a privately held, fully incorporated company owned by 110 regional firms that market themselves as "offices" of Outplacement International, a national company providing a full range of OTR services. According to John Guthery, a founding member of Outplacement International, it ranks second in size, after DBM, based on the firm's combined sales.54 Many firms have formed looser networks of OTR offices. Some, like the Ayers Group, have reached out to establish friendly agreements with firms in other cities to assist each other's candidates when they want to relocate to a different geographic area.55 Anthony Troisi of Lee Hecht Harrison in Boston said that his membership in the AOCFI has afforded him the opportunity to make informal contacts with OTR professionals in other parts of the world. He can call upon them when his candidates want to relocate overseas.56 In addition to providing contacts with other OTR firms in order to expand their services, OTR firm principals found that other common interests would be served by organizing. Thus, in 1982, the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms (AOCF, now AOCFI) was founded to address issues of importance to the industry. This group then, in 1989, gave birth to the International Association of Outplacement Professionals, which encompasses a growing number of professionals from all size firms and in-house OTR services. Together they have dealt with such issues as standards, professional competencies, governmental involvement in job search services, taxation and regulation of OTR services, and ethical practices.57 We will discuss some of those issues in Chapter 18. Some firms within the OTR industry have changed the way they deliver their services, as have organizations in other industries. As businesses are downsized they are often "outsourcing" some of the work they formerly did in-house. OTR

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firms, which also need to be lean and efficient, are doing the same through their affiliations. One example is in the teaming of Joe and Linda Davidson of Crossroads Transition Management Services, Inc., in Irving, Texas, with Career Management Resources, known for its dual-career assistance programs. They refer to it as an "interlocking" relationship, enabling them to share office space and professional expertise and be more responsive to their customers without investing in more space or expertise than either needs.58 It is likely that OTR organizations will increasingly link up with professional associations, university career centers, public-sector employment agencies, and organizations' in-house OTR operations. They will offer parts of their services— such as assessment, use of data bank, or training—and leave other OTR services to their partners. NEW PRODUCTS, NEW DIRECTIONS One feature of the new face of today's OTR industry is the expansion of services beyond the OTR process. This has occurred for three reasons. First, OTR firms have gained knowledge of corporate cultures and individual employee needs and see a demand for new services. Second, OTR professionals have expertise in training and counseling and therefore are well suited to provide new services. And third, as the OTR industry has become more competitive, some firms have redefmed their mission to include a broader range of services or address a new market niche. Extending OTR Service Just as OTR firms provide training "up front" to assist those involved in the notification of termination (see Chapter 5), so are some firms beginning to offer assistance at the other end of the process—after the downsizing is completed. Many firms have recognized the need for intervention to help managers and employees understand and adjust to the dynamics of their new organization. As Peter Abeson said, many of those surviving the cuts say, "Empty Desk—Who's Next?" fearful of their own future as they also experience a sense of loss and sometimes guilt.59 Right Associates, for one, now offers a "revitalization plan" for the organization in transition. Such a plan deals exclusively with the "survivors" who remain after the cuts, addressing their needs in three major areas: empowerment, team building, and assessment. Denise Higgins, with the Parsippany office of Right Associates, designed for Nabisco a customized two-day workshop followed by individual meetings with the group leaders. Her objectives were to help employees • understand and accept change as a fact of life. • surface, recognize, and accept their feelings and stress related to the recent changes and see ways to manage change positively.

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• accept responsibility for their own feelings and behavior regarding future career decisions. • see how to take control of their job and career. • to the degree possible, to let go of their feelings associated with what they cannot control and turn their attention to the future where they have some control. • restore motivation, productivity levels, and a sense of direction to employees and the organization they serve.60 Sometimes called "Damage Control," this sort of training is increasingly offered to organizations undergoing downsizing and restructuring. Some trainers are quite creative and involve the survivors in somewhat therapeutic right-brain activities. For example, at G.E. in Tiagoa, Ohio, Joseph McLennan led a workshop where he put a blank flip chart on the wall for employees to write their feelings about the downsizing of their plant. He helped them plan a celebration, including the symbolic releasing of air from balloons. In another place where suivivors were taking on new roles, he had employees symbolically bring their nameplates and place them, in ritual fashion, on the new computer terminals they would be using.61 Survivors, it has been learned, will resist the new order, either emotionally or in their behavior, unless they can deal with the loss they have experienced. They need help in discovering a new value and a new sense of identity. This new service addresses that need.

Helping with the "New" Organization OTR professionals are increasingly positioning themselves to help candidates adjust to two of the major phenomena in today's world of work, which we discussed in Chapter 15: the movement of the locus of power to the individual, and the move toward working as partners with superiors and subordinates. Some firms are addressing this need through training and consultation, outside the OTR process. This training is particularly requested by organizations undergoing restructuring. When the downsizing results in a flatter organization, there is need to learn how to operate in the new corporate culture. "One obvious result of flattening the corporate organization," according to William Davidow and Michael Malone, "is that remaining managers will be forced to assume a much greater span of control," and need to learn how to define their job differently and find new methods of motivating their people. 62 King, Chapman, Broussard & Gallagher, Inc. has an organization within its firm known simply as King, Chapman, & Broussard, Inc., which is actively involved in management consulting. The firm was organized when the principals, who were employed by DBM, wanted to expand into management consulting at a time when DBM chose to limit its services to career transition management. It offers training and consultation in such areas as organizational redesign, strategy implementation, executive development, leadership training, sociotechnical systems

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design, self-management, work team formulation, and union/management transformation.63 DBM, for another, also offers a wide range of services related to workforce makeup and performance, including everything from selection of employees to management revitalization training.64 As we noted in the introduction, one feature of the OTR industry is the shift from OTR counseling to another "c" word, consulting—OTR consulting. When focusing on the employer, OTR serves to represent outplacement, transition,and restructuring consulting. Human Resources Training and Consultation The Business Planning Committee of Outplacement International undertook a comprehensive survey of over 200 human resource leaders to understand the issues they face and how Outplacement International could provide support. Figure 17.3, which graphs the results, shows that human resource departments have great concerns about managing and developing employees—a demand that some OTR firms are attempting to address. An increasing number of OTR firms are offering training and consulting services in such areas as preretirement consultation, team building, interpersonal and organizational communication, hiring, retention, and the human relations components needed to build a "Total Quality Management"-oriented organization. Helping with Inplacement When it became increasingly apparent that restructuring and the resultant dislocation of workers was becoming the norm, OTR professionals began offering their expertise for "inplacement" services. That is, they work with organizations who want to retain good employees but eliminate the employee's position. As ConsultAmerica observed in its 1989 study of outplacement consulting, "companies are reevaluating the investment they already have in their employees."65 Utilizing its expertise in assessment, OTR professionals help employers determine how well employees are suited for other positions within the organization and/or what kinds of retraining would be necessary to keep employees.66 Some are called upon by corporations to assess valued employees and provide confidential feedback to the employees in an effort to help them with the personal development within the organization. Joan Learn of the Greenwich Group, for example, has a consultant on staff working with clients on "life issue" needs. The consultant helps employees learn about themselves and plan their careers within the company with feedback from their supervisor, peers, and direct reports.67 Troy Associates of Boston has a threelevel program known as "Vision," which focuses on long-service executives, managers, or specialists whose productivity is in question. By assessing the employees'

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Figure 17.3 Outplacement/Career Transition Activities

Source: At Work, a publication of Outplacement International, Vol. 6, No. 2 (n.d.). Reprinted with permission.

aptitudes and strengths it facilitates solving conflicts and reassignment necessary for improved productivity.68 Right Associates also has positioned itself to help organizations retain good people. They offer help in "Career Charting," a process that "places the focus of control where it belongs—with the individual employee," and "Effective Coaching," for employees who experience problems or developmental needs, assistance with "Internal Reassignment" and "Assessment Potential"69

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Career Management and the "All-Terrain Vehicle" One of the most profound changes in the OTR process is the new emphasis on career management. Dr. Charles Cates, of EnterChange in Atlanta, outlined the history of outplacement up to this point. He titled Stage I (1960-78) "Outplacement for Executives," Stage II (1969-92) "Career Transition for Large Scale Reductions in Force," and Stage III (1990 2000) "Career Management as the Heart of Organizational Renewal." 70 In his reference to "career management" he was referring to what Richard Knowdell called the shift to the "all-terrain vehicle" (see Chapter 1)—the career vehicle that puts the employee "in the driver's seat." A quarter of a century ago the corporation managed its employees' careers. It was not uncommon for young people to join a large corporation upon graduation from high school with the expectation that the corporation would give them the training they needed to move up the ranks. Large corporations mapped out plans for employees that involved their participating in specified training programs. The direction of the employees' development was determined by the corporation. Training was financed by the corporation. The employees' careers were managed by the corporation. Now we are seeing increasing emphasis on employees managing their own careers. Corporations and consultants provide employees with the means to assess their values, preferences, skills, and personal styles. Employees are encouraged to determine a career goal and develop a plan to achieve that goal, perhaps through further training or mentoring. Employees are encouraged to think about future career moves while they are working, not when the industry shrinks or the company downsizes. What, asked Guy Simpler, does a person with a master's degree in geology do to advance his career when companies are laying off geologists? Why, he further asked, does the geologist have to wait until he is outplaced to prepare for a career change? 71 Niagara Mohawk Corporation received the 1993 Exemplary Organization Award from the Central New York Coalition for Adult and Continuing Education (CACE). The award recognized the corporation's commitment to employee development and career management. Through its new career development program, the corporation offers workshops in which a process for managing one's own career is presented. It involves self-assessment, investigation of opportunities within the corporation, matching of personal career profiles with corporate human resource needs, and creating career plans. In addition, career development advisement is offered one-on-one or via E-mail, In the assessment process employees are able to complete 12 self-assessment tools including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Figler's Most Important Values and Needs. 72 OTR firms, with expertise in assessment and planning, are developing materials and programs to help people manage their careers. They market them directly to individuals and to corporations that, like Niagara Mohawk, want to teach their employees how to manage their own careers. The skills they will need are the same

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as those taught to outplaced individuals, except that to self-manage one's career one must learn how to keep one's networking current, maintain an updated resume, and constantly "be ready" not "get ready" for termination or opportunity. Lee Hecht Harrison is among those firms already actively marketing themselves as career management experts. The firm offers seminars to employees dealing with the changing nature of work, financial planning, personal career pathing, internal positioning, writing resumes for internal use, and the art of internal interviewing.73 Ron Arkle, of the outplacement industry in the United Kingdom, has taken this notion to the parents of university students, who are eager to see that their offspring are not caught unaware as many of them were. He markets a program known as ''Managing Your Career." It is expensive but, as Arkle puts it, it is valuable to parents who hope their children will be better prepared than they were for the turbulent world of work. /4

SUMMARY Defining "outplacement" services broadly, as we have done, makes the exact size of the OTR industry difficult to measure and sometimes difficult to describe. Not all OTR professionals are affiliated with outplacement and career development professional groups. And membership numbers can be deceiving measures of growth in the field, since smaller independent outplacement firms have over the years become field offices for larger regional and national organizations that count as "one" on the rolls of such organizations as the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International. Nevertheless, growth in the number of offices and in the number of professionals in the field are indicators that outplacement has been recognized as an industry and a profession with a process that is relevant in today's world of work. Its staying power is related to the fact that it has changed in the quarter century of its existence, adding and modifying features, adapting to customer needs. Today, the face of the OTR industry differs from that of the first professionals who quietly offered one-on-one service to outplaced executives. The fact that the industry, as it has matured, has addressed ethical and competency issues (see Chapter 18) further identifies it as an industry that has become a permanent part of the economic landscape. NOTES 1. Videotape, "Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms (AOCF) Founders' Reunion' (Parsippany, NJ: Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms, 1990). 2. John Lucht, Rites of Passage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1988), p. 289. 3. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1993), p. 315.

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4. Cited in Jeremy Main, "Look Who Needs Outplacement," Fortune, October 9, 1989, p. 85. 5. "Carrie R. Leana and Daniel C. Feldman, Coping with Loss((New York: Lexington Books, 1992). 6. "Many Companies Using Outplacement Services, According to AMA Survey on Downsizing," AOCF Wire, Winter 1993, Vol. 6, Issue 1. 7. "Workplace Rainmakers: The Outplacement Industry Comes to Town," Benefits and Compensation Solutions, March 1994, p. 23. 8. Cited in "Business: The Stubborn Slump," Time,oOctober 14, 1991, p. 43. 9. Louise Continelli, "The New Sweatshops," Buffalo News, September 26, 1993, p. E-l. 10. Joyce Lain Kennedy, "In Early Retirement, First Offer Often Best," Buffalo News, September 25, 1993, p. B-20. 11. Cited in "Many Companies Using Outplacement Services." 12. Jane Pickard, "Outplacement and the Run-up to Redundancy," Personnel Management, April 1993. 13. "Workplace Rainmakers " pp. 23 and 75. 14. Main, "Look Who Needs Outplacement," p. 85. 15. Jeffrey G. Allen, The Perfect Follow-Up Method to Get the Job (New York: John Wiley, 1992). 16. "Workplace Rainmakers," p. 25. 17. "Many Companies Using Outplacement Services." 18. "Hot Tracks in 20 Professions," U.S. News and World Report. October 26, 1992. 19. An Analysis of the Outplacement Consulting Business in North America (Fitzwilliam, NH: Kennedy Publications, 1990). 20. "Gruner Brings Profession to Its Knees, Audience to Its Feet," The Directory of Out placement Firms, 1993-94 (Fitzwilliam, NH: Kennedy Publications, 1992), p. 89. 21. Interview with Murray Axmith, Chairman, Murray Axmith & Associates, Ltd., Toronto, Ontario. 22. "Four Insiders Assess the Job Market," The Colgate Scene (Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, May 1993); and interview with Nancy Mengel McDonald, Chicago. 23. "Bankers in Transition Data and Trends," booklet published by Lee Hecht Harrison. 24. Interview with Nancy Geffner, Managing Principal, Right Associates. 25. Stanlee Phelps, "When Women Are Fired," Personnel Journal, August 1991. 26. Kathryn and Ross Petras, "How to Turn a Job Offer into a Plum Deal," Executive Fe male, September/October 1993, pp. 31-35. 27. Jill Jukes and Ruthan Rosenberg, Surviving Your Partners Job Loss; The Complet Guide to Rescuing Your Marriage and Family from Todays Economy (Washington, DC National Press Books, 1993). 28. Cited in Bob Filipczak, "Group Outplacement: More Than 'How to Write a Resume,'" Training, June 1992, pp. 45-51. 29. Clark Hamilton, "In-House Outplacement Programs" Workshop at the Association of Outplacement Consulting Finns Conference, October 21-23, 1990. Audiocassette available from Teach'em, 160 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 30. Dyan Machan, "Meet the Undertakers," Forbes, November 11, 1991. 31. Interview with Sandra Bandler, New York.

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32. Sandy Bowers, "In-House Outplacement Programs" Workshop at the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms, October 2 1 - 2 3 , 1990. Audiocassette available from Teach'em, 160 East Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 33. Judy H. Benedict, "In-House Outplacement Programs for the 1990s and Beyond," Career Planning and Adult Development Journal, Fall 1991. 34. Interview with Leslie McDonald, Pathfinders, Inc., Liverpool, NY. 35. Interview with Steve Harrison, Lee Hecht Harrison, New York. 36. National Business Employment Weekly (published by Dow Jones & Company, Inc.), March 19-25, 1993, pp. 44-53." 37. Interview with Patricia Crane, Madison, NJ. 38. John Sobecki, Comwell Corp., Flanders, NJ; and Peter McNally, Chatham, NJ. 39. Lucinda Smith, "Job Seekers Find Work—With Each Other, The Montclair Times, April 4, 1991. 40. Job Seekers Manual, Chapel of Akron, Akron, OH. 41. Cited in Robert Wegmann, Robert Chapman, and Miriam Johnson, Work in the New Economy: Careers and Job Seeking into the 21st Century (Indianapolis: JIST Works, 1989). 42. Interview with Jerridith Wilson, Executive Director, RLS Career Center, Syracuse, NY. 43. "The Job Seeker's Guide to Department of Labor Community Services," form CSC 205 (06-92), New York Department of Labor. 44. Victor R. Colon-Rivera, "Government and Outplacement," Career Planning and Adult Development Journal, Fall 1991. 45. Bob Filipczak, "Group Outplacement: More Than 'How to Write a Resume,"' Training, June, 1992, pp. 45-51. 46. Wall Street Journal, February 9, 1993. 47. "Workplace Rainmakers," p. 26. 48. State University of New York Chancellor's Newsletter, November 1992, p. 6. 49. Interview with Gilles Laurin, EXEC, Montreal. 50. Interview with Murray Axmith. 51. Kate Wendleton, Through the Brick Wall: How to Job-Hunt in a Tight Market (New York: Villard Books, 1992). 52. Interview with Kate Wendleton and review of various brochures from The Five O'Clock Club, 1675 York Avenue, 17D, New York, NY 10128, (212) 289-1674. 53. Directory of Outplacement Firms, 1993-94; and interview with Richard Chagnon, Vice President of Quality, Right Associates, Philadelphia, PA. 54. Interview with John Guthery, President of Seagate Associates, Inc. 55. Interview with Peter Abeson, Vice President of Marketing for the Ayers Group and past-president of the New York Chapter of the International Association of Outplacement Professionals. 56. Interview with Anthony Troisi, Lee Hecht Harrison, Inc., Boston. 57. Interview with Jeanne O'Donnell, Executive Director of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms, Parsippany, NJ. 58. Crossroads Communique,J,anuary/February 1993, newsletter published by Crosssoroads Transition Management Services, Inc., 222 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Ste. 2113, Irving, TX 75039, (214) 869-2622. 59. Interview with Peter Abeson, New York. 60. Right Associates, Lessons Learned: Dispelling the Myths of DownsizingG(Philadelphia: Right Associates, Inc., 1992), p. 56.

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61. Joseph McLennan, "Damage Control: Limiting the Negative Impact of a Corporate Downsizing" Workshop at the Ass'ociaiion of Outplacement Consulting Firms Conference, October 12-15, 1991. Available on audiocassette from Teach'em, Inc., 160 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 62. William H. Davidow and Michael S. Malone, The Virtual Corporation: Structuring and Revitalizing the Corporation for the 21st Century (New York: HarperCollins, 1992), p. 169. 63. Interview with Mike King of King, Chapman & Broussard; and company brochure. 64. "DBM, Consultants in Career Management. An Overview of Services and Products," DBM, New York, 1991. 65. Consult America, Inc., "Outplacement Consulting in the United States in 1989. Issues, Marketing and Trends," (Concord, MA: ConsultAmerica Inc., August 1989). 66. Laurence M. Brammer and Frank E. Humberger, Outplacement and Inplacement Counseling (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1984). 67. Interview with Joan Learn, Greenwich Group, Greenwich, CT. 68. ConsultAmerica, Inc., "Outplacement Consulting in the United States in 1989." 69. "Right Associates, Your Partner in Management Change," booklet published by Right Associates, Philadelphia, n.d. 70. Dr. Charles Cates, "Street to Suite: New Avenues for Outplacement Professionals" workshop at the International Association of Outplacement Professionals Conference, May 14, 1993. Available on audiocassette from Teach'em, Inc., 160 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611,(800)225-3775. 71. Interview with Guy Simpler. 72. A CACE Report, Vol. 4. No. 1 (August 1993): 3; CD Career Development: Niagara Mohawk Human Resources, July 1993; and interview with Tom Phelan and Colleen Keane. 73. "Presentation of Programs," brochure from Lee Hecht Harrison Group Services, Stamford, CT. 74. Interview and personal correspondence with Ron Arkle, The PRD Partnership, Bristol, Wales.

18

Challenges and Responses: Issues and Ethics

It's not in the calm of stability but in the turbulence of change that institutions, industries, people, and practices are challenged. Carolyn C. Shadle

FROM PRACTICE TO PROFESSION Early practitioners in the OTR field were called upon to address the very practical problem of finding jobs for terminated employees. Some drew upon various ideas of Bernard Haldane. Others drew upon other career development or job placement strategies and experience.1 Each OTR firm worked in relative isolation, creating processes that worked, until, gradually, what has emerged is what we have described in Part II as the OTR process. As the OTR industry matures, it is moving from a practice to a profession, marked by characteristics such as consistency, stability, commitment to task and staff, continuing professional development, and confidentiality.2

CHALLENGES TO THE INDUSTRY The OTR industry has paid increasing attention to these elements as a result of various challenges to the industry. During the 1980s, with more terminated employees using OTR services, more corporations and individuals devoting large sums of money to the service, and more providers entering the market, it was in-

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evitable that weaknesses, and even abuses, would develop. Criticism arose, and industry leaders have responded.

Forbes Magazine One of the challenges came from Forbessmagazine careers editor, Dyann Machan. In a 1991 article he cited and documented inadequacies and abuses. Mentioned were: • $600 million revenues: "Most of the money . . . wasted" • ''executives herded through" • "good intentions misplaced" • "stretched so thin that what's promised often isn't delivered" • 'Tittle accountability . . . because the buyer is not the user" • "horror stories" • "increasing dissatisfaction" • "not easy to find firees who feel they have gained much."3

Middlebury College Another challenge came from Middlebury College in Vermont when the employees and alumni of the college criticized the work of the Challenger, Gray & Christmas Outplacement Firm hired to assist with the college's downsizing. Workers, it was reported, were dismissed without notice and taken on the same day to a building on the edge of campus, where they were told to clean out their desks after hours, by appointment. The tactics triggered a storm of protest, including a march on the campus, petitions, and numerous letters toMMiddlebury Magazinee,Comments circulated such as "the whole operation stinks"; "Myy agony continues as I try to comprehend why it was necessary to dismiss persons in such a frightful manner"; 'Total insensitivity on the basis of lame-brained advice from an outplacement firm"; ' T h e use of an obfuscatory word like 'outplacement' to conceal and sanitize cruel and arbitrary treatment of long-term employees . . . is shocking."4

DBM Survey Adding to these discouraging challenges was a Drake Beam Morin (DBM) survey of 659 outplacement customers, which found that only 15 percent perceived improvement in the quality of services. It also found that while consultants were viewed as sensitive to candidates' needs, they were lacking in "get-me-a-job" technical and industry expertise.5

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UNIQUE FEATURES INVITE CHALLENGE Corporate OTR Firms In the case of the corporate OTR firm the purchaser of the service is not the user. "Let the buyer beware" is a popular adage, but this assumes that the buyer has access to adequate information and is an informed consumer. Information about OTR Is Hardfor Purchasers to Get During the 1980s, as OTR services grew, OTR firms expended great effort in educating their corporate customers. Besides information that specific firms wanted the customer to have, it was difficult to get information about the industry as a whole. Lacking time to do research, corporations simply contracted with the firms whose sales pitches they trusted the most. As outplacement service has become more widespread, many firms have shifted the control of outplacement purchasing down the hierarchy to human resource personnel who lack both time and skill to do research and who view outplacement as a commodity, concerned only with price.6 Feedback to Purchasers Is Limited Keeping corporate customers informed about the delivery of service once the contract is signed has always been a problem. The most reputable firms provide regular feedback to the corporation on the progress of individual candidates. And some, such as Right Associates, have face-to-face interviews with representatives of the corporate customers each year.7 Three problems limit this communication, however. One is the issue of confidentiality. What the OTR firm has learned about individual candidates is information that is the privy of the OTR professional but not the corporation. The second relates to the reception of the information. The corporation, in general, has "washed its hands" of its terminated employees and lacks the time and interest to follow the progress of the outplaced employees. The corporation has, in fact, purchased the OTR service so that it would not have to further be concerned with the employees' welfare. Therefore, while it may request feedback from the corporation, it is often truly not concerned if the feedback is late, little, or lacking. Third, honest information is hard to get. It is not in the interest of the OTR firm to report problems to the corporate buyer. Candidates are often too angry or preoccupied with their job searches to take time to communicate with their former employers about the OTR search. And, since they did not negotiate the contract with the OTR firm, they are often unaware of what service was promised. Unless they have read this book, they lack the perspective necessary to ask questions or expect certain services. Furthermore, not wanting to "bite the hand that feeds them" they are often reluctant to complain about the OTR service they are receiving, at no cost to them. Without adequate communication, the corporate buyer is

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often not aware if the OTR firm has delivered what it promised. This lack of feedback sometimes makes firms ripe for abuse. Retail OTR Firms Some believe that abuse is more likely among the retail firms. Says Jim Kennedy, editor and publisher of the Directory of Outplacement Firms, "It's so di ficult to differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate retail outplacement finns that I would avoid them all."8 The financial pressure on these firms has led, at times, to a compromise on quality or promised services. Since the individual is paying, the firm often camiot command as high a fee per candidate as can the corporate OTR firm. Further, while the cost of delivering retail service may be comparable with that of the corporate firm, marketing costs are higher. Each sales call results in only one candidate. The difficulty of collecting fees from individuals also makes profit margins tighter for retail firms. Retail Firms Cut Costs In order to achieve a decent profit margin, the OTR firm must cut costs and does so often by unbundling the services (see Chapter 15). This may result in candidates not receiving all of the help they actually need. If unsuccessful in their job search, they may then blame the OTR process and industry. In some instances, to cut costs, firms have cut corners, either rushing the candidate through an element in the process or dropping a particular service, such as an important aspect of assessment. The result has been consumer complaints. Misleading Advertising When businesses are under pressure they are tempted to promise more than they can deliver in order to bring in customers. Outplaced individuals, grieving the loss of their jobs, are often vulnerable to believing promises that firms cannot meet. In spite of the fact that the OTR process is designed to help people learn how to find job openings and land the job, some firms mislead their customers to think that the firm will find the candidate a job. Too often prone to misleading advertising, retail firms have been barred from entry into the Association of Outplacement Consulting Finns International (AOCFI) and are not allowed to advertise in Washington, DC.9 In defense of the retail OTR industry, it must be said that in spite of abuses that have tainted the reputation of retail firms, most operate reputable and worthwhile businesses. The testimony of one satisfied retail client, Philip L. Holt, a New Jersey utilities executive, serves as an example. He paid $5,300 for retail services and landed a new position four months later that brought him a salary nearly $10,000 more per year than the job he left. "The counseling more than paid for itself," he said.10 Larry Finkelstein of Minsuk, Macklin, Stein & Associates (Princeton Junction, New Jersey) defends his retail service as worthwhile and reputable. He claims to

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offer a complete and honest service, even more than that offered by most corporate OTR firms. Beyond helping individuals learn job search strategies, his firm agrees to serve its clients for five years after they have completed the program, to advise on salary reviews, performance appraisals, and future job offers. Tony Lee, senior editor of the National Business Employment Weekly, wrote t retail firms "know that job hunting has become more competitive, and they offer to handle the dirty work of letter writing and resume updating while helping candidates define career goals and target potential employees." For example, the staff counselors at David Werner International Corporation in New York City create the candidates' resumes and write networking letters and follow-up mailings. They even write third-party letters contacting executives worldwide to recommend candidates who would be qualified for senior-level positions.11 CHALLENGES FROM GOVERNMENT As with most private businesses, OTR firms have found governmental intervention to be a challenge to its industry. Taxation The OTR industry received a "wake up" call in the spring of 1988 when Revenue Canada issued a bulletin stating that the values of OTR services in Canada were a "taxable benefit." The tax issue emerged shortly thereafter in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. The result, as the reader will learn, was a cooperative effort among OTR firms to define the industry and to combine resources to resist government challenges.12 Governmental Intrusion into OTR OTR firms have also been challenged by the intrusion of the public sector into outplacement work. Many were not pleased when it was reported that the University of Houston was doing outplacement work with federal Private Industry Council (PIC) funds and that the State of Texas Displaced Worker program offered elements of the OTR process. Some outplacement principals feel the need to demonstrate that outplacement work more properly belongs in the private sector and that private OTR firms can provide quality service more effectively than can government agencies.13 (See Chapter 17 for further discussion.) Regulation Governmental activity has also affected the OTR industry with regard to the issue of licensing and regulation. Complaints from customers related to disappointments with various job-search services has caused a number of states, including Illinois, to entertain bills to regulate organizations doing career planning.

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Some, such as New Jersey, now require employment agencies to be licensed. 14 This has added impetus to the AOCFI's effort to define the corporate OTR industry and to develop standards of performance and a code of ethics. The OTR industry has been eager to differentiate outplacement firms from employment or other helping agencies. In contrast to employment agencies or executive search firms, for example, it is pointed out that OTR firms help candidates plan a job-search campaign but do not list job openings, do not do job searches for candidates, and do not place employees. Also, in contrast to other helping agencies, many of which must be licensed, OTR firms, as business consultants, do not offer psychological therapy, marriage counseling, or substance abuse counseling, although they do make referrals to outside resources when appropriate.

RESPONSES OF THE INDUSTRY OTR business leaders have not ignored the challenges facing their industry. They have used the criticisms as occasions to reexamine practices and perceptions of practice and to come together to defend and develop their services. They are responding on four levels: seeking consistency in the delivery of their services, addressing the need for professional staff development, grappling with ethical dilemmas that face counselors and firms, and rallying to defend themselves against government encroachment. Standards of Services Although OTR leaders have much in common, they are also competitors and find it difficult to share information about some elements of their services. On the one hand, they are eager for the public to understand what comprises a quality outplacement service. On the other hand, many OTR leaders are reluctant to encourage the industry as a whole to define OTR service in terms of the unique features which each incorporates into its services. The result has been a general description of OTR by the AOCFI and more specific descriptions by each firm. AOCFI's "Range of

Senices"

Members of the AOCFI have agreed to a common range of services its customers can expect. Readers will note that these are, for the most part, the services that have been described in Part II of this book. While the delivery of the service may be unique with each firm, the AOCFI has listed services from which member firms' services will "normally" be drawn. They are stated as follows: • Pretermination consultation to management. • Counsel, advice, and information to candidates relating to: —adjustment to the problems and stress of job terminations;

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—analysis of skills and achievements-including the taking and interpretation of tests; —career and job-situation choice; —development of a career and job goal; —the skills and techniques conducive to success in the job interview; —oral and written communication skills; —the skills and attributes of deportment and dress; —the development and rehearsal of an effective oral presentation of the candidates' skills, qualification and experience in anticipation of questions expected to be asked during interviews; —the development of contacts, the use and exploitation of advertisement, and communication with executive recruiters and other intermediaries; —the development, execution and control of a marketing plan, and negotiation of job offers; —post-acceptance strategy development • Support services to individual candidates including —copying, reproduction and mailing services; —secretarial, telephone and message services; —desk space; —a reference library both adequate in scope and current.15 Individual Firms' Services Murray Axmithh<£ Associates, Inc. Murray Axmith is one of the OTR leaders eager to define and describe a quality OTR process for the industry and for his own firm. As firms, such as his, have expanded, placing qualified professionals in offices scattered across the continent and around the world, they have found it important to standardize the delivery of their services. Axmith has, therefore, established steps that each consultant should follow, an estimate of the time that should be devoted to each step, and standards regarding procedures related to each step. Each consultant, for example, is expected to spend about three weeks in "up front" procedures; each consultant should have copies of reports sent periodically to the corporate customer; and each consultant should have in every candidate's file reference guidelines prepared for the candidate's former supervisor based on the candidate's new job goal. To assist his consultants in implementing the standards, Axmith has on his staff a person in charge of professional standards. Interested primarily in professional development, this staff member audits what the various consultants are doing. He flags instances where a consultant constantly goes over or under the expected time frame and then discusses such cases with the consultants. In cases where the time frame is exceeded, it may be that the candidate is having problems and could use the insight and assistance of other members of the staff. Or it may be that the con-

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sultant needs further training or coaching in how to expedite the process. In cases where a job has been landed in an unusually short time, the auditor may look to be sure the consultant is thorough enough with the process. He wants to be sure that candidates have taken the time they need to look for therightjob fit.16 Right Associates. Another example of the effort to establish consistency and quality in the range of services is the procedure developed by Right Associates. This firm has a staff member whose title is Vice President, TQM (Total Quality Management). It is his responsibility to oversee the integrity of the process, as delivered by the firms' many consultants. In 1987 the firm developed office performance standards, which are modified yearly and which provide a platform below which the consultant will not go. It is assumed that consultants will also bring creativity to the process and adjust the process to meet the needs of the individual candidate. To insure consistency, the firm has an extensive training process by which consultants are trained locally, certified centrally, and recertified regionally. The firm's UK offices are ISO-9000 certified, a procedure necessary to do business with the federal government and one that has disciplined the finn to develop standards and procedures.17 Jannotta, Bray s Quality Profile and Standards. Many reputable OTR firms publish quality standards that describe for the customer some aspects of their services. Jannotta, Bray & Associates, Inc., for example, includes the following information for its customers: • After preparation and the client's search is launched, joint face-to-face client-consultant strategy meetings are to be scheduled no less frequently than every 7 to 10 working days. • Special strategic focus groups are assembled to meet with a team of consultants and psychologists as needed to address the needs of clients experiencing particular difficulty with his/her search. • We commit to maintain the consulting relationship with the client through placement. • We assist the client with negotiating the terms of his/her next employment agreement.18

Professional Development The second way in which OTR leaders are responding to challenges to the industry is related to increased development of professional staff. When Saul Gruner, who has been involved in outplacement since 1960, spoke to his colleagues in the AOCFI, he said that the industry is staffed now by "many latecomers who have no idea of what a complete (outplacement) program is and would not know what quality counseling would look like if they fell over it."19 John Lucht pointed out that in outplacement "the range of competence is especially wide, because there are not limitations on entry. There is no college curricu-

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lum, no rigorous accreditation procedure. Anyone can become an outplacer, merely by purchasing stationery and business cards."20 Competencies To defend its status as a profession and to provide for the development of staff, the International Association of Outplacement Professionals (IAOP) was created in 1989, as a spin off of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International. In 1994 it was renamed the International Association of Career Management Consultants (IACMC). One of its first tasks was to define five areas of competencies necessary for OTR professionals. Category 1. Consulting with Corporate/Organizational Clients • managing corporate relationships • interpreting business/industry trends and issues • guiding client organizations and people through transition processes • managing career centers • reporting status and results to sponsors • negotiating reference guidelines and "reason for leaving" statements • consulting on and providing services to deal with "core workforce" issues • maintaining confidentiality within legal requirements • working within ethical standards of the profession. Category 2. Consulting with Candidates A. On an Individual Basis • managing the consultant/candidate relationship • handling special situations such as "stuck" candidates and candidate dependencies • problem solving with candidates • consulting on termination trauma/stress • motivating candidates through job transition • identifying candidate "blocks" and referring to other appropriate assistance • identifying support systems and training candidates to use them effectively • maintaining confidentiality within legal requirements • closing the job search and preparing candidates for future assignments • working within ethical standards of the profession B. On a Group Basis • organizing and administering group programs • presenting complex data to groups • maintaining appropriate authority and control • adapting individual issues and procedures (see 2A above) to groups

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• presenting programs on specific subjects related to OP, i.e. pre-retirement, core workforce issues, career transitions, self-employment Category 3. Assessment • intake procedures and effectiveness • analysis/assessment of candidate experiences • interpreting and/or reporting and applying results of standardized measurements • identifying critical skills and accomplishments • identifying values that apply to work Category 4. Job Search Training • strategy and planning job campaign • research methods • networking and other search techniques • developing resumes and other campaign tools • developing interviewing skills and protocols • teaching salary negotiation • evaluating'negotiating job offers • understanding business/economic trends • developing job opportunities • utilizing other resources for support/assistance • job market data interpretation • developing/utilizing specific employer data Category 5. Career Consulting • developing individual specific career plans with defined goals • life/work planning • career change/options consulting • career decision making • identifying personal/environmental issues that impact career decisions • identifying/exploring self-employment options • master/use of career resource information • interpreting corporate cultures and structures • developing educational plans to support career goals21 Through its publication, Highlighter,,the chapter meetings, and annual confer-ences, members of the 1ACMC discuss and promote the competencies. For example, to amplify the issues related to Category 1, Michael King of King Chapman Broussard & Gallagher, Inc., wrote an article on "The Roles of a Corporate Consultant." He described seven distinct variations on the consultant's continuum of

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authority: expert, facilitator, sounding board, advisor/coach, mediator, assistant, and implemented22 Utilizing the five Professional Competencies as a framework, many local chapters of IACMC have formed study programs and regional study days for its members. After many years of study and the development of the competencies and various professional development strategies, the IACMC, in January 1994, launched The Outplacement Institute as a vehicle to enable practitioners to earn certification in outplacement. The Institute was developed by the Professional Development Committee of the IACMC and was steered by a group of Charter Fellows who served as exemplary "advocates of excellence," sponsors for colleagues who applied for Institute membership and the initial group of evaluators of applications for credentials from the Institute. The program is voluntary but the IACMC feels it will have increasing value for outplacement practitioners who are IACMC members and who want to validate their competencies and gain recognition as professionals.23 Training Though the competencies are helpful to the industry, this list does not in and of itself create trained and competent professionals. Each firm must commit itself to hiring and training such professionals. In Gruner's "knockout" address before the AOCFI, he said that there was a "terrible shortage of qualified people entering outplacement." This has resulted in firms raiding each other for competent people. "It 'stinks," said Gruner, noting that such a practice has raised the cost of doing business just at a time when fees are being pushed down. He went on to say that some professionals are complaining of stress and burnout because of heavy workloads and lack of opportunity for training and development. What frightened him most, he said, was the use of ill-qualified stringers, "usually friends or relatives of outplacement managers."24 "Stringers" is an industry term for people who are "on call," available to work on short notice when a large assignment requires extra staff. One of the issues all OTR firms face is how to balance the demands of the customers with the ability of the staff to deliver. If the firm wishes to maintain a fixed ratio of candidates to consultants, what happens when a corporation contracts with the firm to send 50 outplaced individuals? How does the OTR firm accommodate the corporate customer? Unlike a tailor or remodeling contractor, the firm cannot put the customer at the end of the queue and force the customer to wait. The corporation that has a termination date is more likely to go to a finn that can promise to deliver, often without much lead time. Several alternatives are open to the OTR firms: give each consultant a heavier case load; bring consultants in from the firm's other offices, if such exist; hire new consultants and quickly provide training in the OTR process and/or introduction to the firm's procedures; utilize stringers. As one might suppose, these various measures may result in the firm assembling a highly qualified and competent team, or there may be some consultants in the group who are less than highly qualified or committed.

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Ethical Standards The third response of the OTR industry to challenges that have come its way has been the development of ethical standards. All industries must face ethical issues, and the OTR industry is no exception. Because of the dual relationship corporate OTR consultants have with the corporate client who is the buyer and the candidate who receives the service, corporate OTR consultants are particularly confounded by potentially conflicting interests. AOCFI Code of Ethics To assist its professionals and to improve its credibility with consumers and regulators, the AOCFI developed a Professional Code of Ethics. Some of the provisions apply uniquely to corporate OTR professionals. Others are relevant to both corporate and retail firms, though AOCFI has only corporate firms in its membership. Excerpts follow: • A member firm and its employees commit to respect the confidential nature of information communicated by both the corporate client and the individual candidate. "Privileged information" should not be passed to a third party, utilized for personal gain or passed to another person for his or her personal gain. • Although a member firm may assist a corporate client with pretermination planning, or other corporate consulting services, the member firm under no circumstance participates in any way in the separation decision, which is the exclusive responsibility of the corporate client. • A member firm will accept only those assignments it is qualified to undertake on the basis of full knowledge of the client situation and the professional competence and capability of the consultants involved. • A member firm accepts only assignments that can be undertaken immediately or explains clearly when such new work can be begun. • A member firm clearly designates which consultant will have primary responsibility for coordinating the services provided any particular individual or group of individuals. • A member firm commits to keeping the corporate client informed on a regular basis regarding progress of assignments currently being handled. • A member firm commits to develop an understanding of each candidate's individual needs and to adapt/arrange the basic elements of the outplacement service(s) to meet those particular needs. • Member firms must engage in firm promotion, public relations, and business activities in a manner that involves no representations, expressed or implied, that are false, deceptive, unsubstantiated, or that otherwise have a capacity to mislead.25 AOCFI Casebook To help its members grapple with the issues addressed by the Code of Ethics, AOCFI has developed cases that represent actual experiences in five areas. 1. Confidentiality. A progress-reporting case relating to this issue describes a candidate who is receiving severance pay and who, upon landing a job, does not

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want the outplacement firm to report this fact to his employer. He knows, of course, that the severance pay will be discontinued. In each case the casebook suggests a code of conduct. For this situation it recommends that the outplacement consultant inform the candidate at the outset and that when a new position is secured, that fact will be immediately reported to the corporate client.26 Another case involves appropriate conduct when a candidate's behavior suggests potentia I for suicide or harm to a third party. When such a situation arises, it suggests that the OTR professional seek input from a psychologist to assess the threat. If it is concluded that the threat is genuine, the consultant should notify relevant parties, such as the threatened individual, or people who might be in a position to intervene, such as the family physician or a clergyperson. OTR consultants are also advised to document all activities.27 2. Litigation. In the event that the candidate initiates litigation against the corporate client, a number of potentially controversial issues are likely to arise. Cases in the AOCFI casebook describe them. Regarding fair settlement, for example, if the candidate should ask the OTR consultant whether the corporate client's settlement offer (i.e., severance pay, outplacement package, etc.) is fair, the outplacement consultant needs to know how to respond. According to the casebook, the OTR professional should keep in mind the dual relationship the finn has with both the candidate and the corporate client. Response to such questions might be perceived to be representing a conflict of interest. Advice, according to the casebook, would be more appropriate coming from the candidate's legal counsel. 28 Another case with a suggested code of conduct involves situations in which the candidate is intent on suing the corporate client. The question for the OTR professional is, should he or she attempt to talk the candidate out of doing so? The casebook warns that consultants who attempt to pressure their candidates to create litigation may be perceived as engaging in manipulative, unprofessional behavior. Furthermore, such activity may be perceived to put the OTR professional in a conflict-of-interest position. The OTR profession is advised, however, that, given the knowledge and experience of the consultant, it is legitimate, and even responsible, to help candidates to understand the impact of bringing legal action.29 3. Shopping. Many employers retain a number of OTR firms and rotate usage or select certain firms to fit the needs of particular outplaced employees. In some instances when employees are terminated, they are offered a list of several OTR firms from which to make a selection. This practice, referred to as "shopping," is quite controversial. Some employers and discharged employees feel strongly that the employee should have the right to choose the appropriate OTR service. They feel that the employee must feel comfortable with the OTR counselor. Furthermore, since the range of services differs among OTR firms, the employee ought to know best what services will be most appropriate. The AOCFI, on the other hand, takes the position that most individuals seldom have enough knowledge of OTR standards and are not able to compare the merits of various outplacement firms against such standards. They point out, also, that the shopper is often grieving over

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the recent notification of job loss, making him or her quite vulnerable to ambiguous or misleading sales techniques.30 The AOCFI Code of Ethics warns members to be alert to the temptation of fraud when visited by a shopper. A number of unacceptable scenarios are presented to illustrate the temptation: Kickback: An outplacement firm representative might indicate to the shopping candidate that selection of her firm will enable the candidate to take advantage of a "competitive feature" of the firm's service: the provision of an expense budget for the candidate to use as he sees fit. This feature, for example, might assure the candidate of a $2,000-$3,000 check that he can utilize to pick up lunch or dinner costs while working his contact network—or to pocket. This amount will come out of the fee paid for by the corporate client.31 "Bait and switch ": In another case, the prospective candidate is told, during a exploratory meeting, that a particular person in the firm will work with the candidate "personally." This is likely to be a highly experienced outplacement consultant or a principal in the firm. In practice, however, that consultant might see the candidate for the first one or two sessions and then pass the candidate off to other staff members to work with him or her throughout the balance of the contract.32 False promises: The OTR counselor might, during the exploratory meeting, give the prospective candidate an average relocation time and state that it may be even less for somebody with the candidate's track record. In reality, accurate figures are very hard to come by, since record keeping is done differently by each firm, and so many variables come into play. Further, the consultant, at the time of the exploratory meeting, does not yet know enough about the candidate's background to accurately speculate about the job-search duration.33 Discriminatory practice: In another case, member firms are warned to avoid the temptation to suggest to candidates that, because they are special, they will get something that other candidates do not get, such as exclusive use of a private office. If such an accoutrement has not been provided in the program for which the corporate client has agreed to pay, the consultant has engaged in a discriminatory practice in order to lure the candidate into selecting that firm.34 4. Overlapping ownership. Potential problems that might arise as the result o overlapping ownership of both an OTR firm and an executive recruitment firm are detailed in the casebook. A special-consideration problem might occur when an OTR firm is receiving a fee to assist the candidate in the job search and its executive recruitment firm receives a fee for placing the individual. The two organizations could be perceived as being less than objective. The casebook suggests that candidates should be placed strictly on the merits of their qualifications and that the recruitment firm must clearly state to its recruitment client the relationship between the recruitment firm and the firm from which the candidate is receiving OTR service.35 An inside-information problem might arise if a corporate client of the executiv recruitment firm wants to consider hiring a candidate in the affiliated OTR firm. In some cases the client might expect to have, in addition to its own research, ac-

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cess to all information and knowledge the OTR counselor has regarding the candidate. In fact, as the casebook points out, information gained by the outplacement counselor in the process of working with the candidate should be held in confidence.36 5. Career Counseling. Knowing that an OTR firm has people on its staff who can assess and coach employees relating to a variety of career counseling issues, a corporation might engage an OTR firm to provide counseling to an employee whose career is stagnant, where the job fit is problematic, or where an internal reassignment is being considered. Two types of ethical issues might arise: Since it is possible that the employee in question might either leave the organization or be terminated, it might be perceived by either the corporate client or the employee that the OTR firm has "a stake " in the outcome of the assignment. The suggested code of conduct is to address the potential conflict with both parties at the outset. Sometimes a corporation engages a career counselor to counsel-out a troublesome employee even though, unbeknown to the employee, it has already predetermined to terminate the employee. The casebook suggests that the OTR firm should refuse a career counseling assignment when such a condition exists. It reasons that participation in a process that misleads the employee and is manipulative in its intent will ultimately erode confidence in the outplacement firm.37 IACMC Standards for Ethical Practice In 1993 the International Association of Career Management Professionals (then known as IAOP) also published Standards for Ethical Practice. Focusing on the behavior of the counselor, more than the position of the firm, the standards address the following four areas: 1. Consulting Relationship with Corporations • A consultant must establish understanding and agreement with the corporate client for the problem definition, goals, and results. • Consultants should not knowingly accept a corporation consulting assignment where it is impossible or unlikely that they can make a positive impact. • Consultants shall have formal and effective means for ensuring professional quality and integrity of services they provide. These means may include, but need not be confined to, internal review by supervisors or peers, and surveys of candidate satisfaction during and after the provision of outplacement consulting. 2. Consulting Relationship with Candidates • In situations where a computer is used for test administration and scoring, the consultant is responsible for ensuring that the administration and scoring program functions properly to provide accurate test results.

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• The examinee's welfare and prior explicit understanding must be a criterion for determining the recipients of the test results. The consultant must see that a specific interpretation accompanies any release of individual or group test data. The interpretation of test data must be related to the examinee's particular concerns. • Consultants must recognize when test results have become obsolete. The consultant will avoid and prevent the misuse of obsolete test results. 3. Conduct of Outplacement Professional Practices • Consultants must present their affiliation with any organization accurately in terms of sponsorships or certification by that organization. • A consultant has an obligation to withdraw from a consulting relationship if it is believed that the relationship will result in violation of the ethical standards. • An outplacement consultant shall not invest in or utilize business ideas or plans developed by candidates. • Outplacement consultants will not accept outplacement and search or placement fees for the same candidate. 4. Business Development Practices • An outplacement professional will not agree to pay employees of sponsoring organizations for referrals, or offer rebates, allowance, or gifts to sponsored candidates. • In marketing or advertising outplacement services, an outplacement professional shall not speak or write derogatory comments about other outplacement professionals and/or finns.38 IACMC Ethics Committee In developing its standards of ethical practice, the IACMC also developed an Ethics Committee to function in each IACMC region. The function of the various committees is to conduct inquiries and hear ethical cases within the region. If a conflict of interest or a cross-regional complaint occurs, the regional Ethics Committee will refer the complaint to the IACMC Ethics Committee. The Standards outline the purpose of the Ethics Committee, guiding principles for handling complaints, complaint procedures, and progressive disciplinary actions. This is all intended to enable the IACMC to maintain control over the internal affairs of its professionals.39 Ethical Dilemmas The development of IACMC's standards has led to discussion in various arenas of potential dilemmas. Some examples follow. Counselor/candidate relationships. What should be the expected code of conduct between a counselor and candidate? If it were known that the pair were engaging in a private, perhaps intimate, relationship outside the OTR process, what should be the position of the OTR firm? 40

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Choice of OTR consultant.t. [Supposejyour firm has recently hired its fourth consultant, an African American, John Doe. In the course of discussing a downsizing effort for which your firm has been engaged, the Human Resources Director of the client company asks who your workshop leaders will be. You mention John Doe's name and are informed that "off the record, that will never fly around here. Our workforce isn't ready to accept career advice from a black man."41

What is the proper response? Should the customer be able to dictate which professionals are used or not used? Candidate references.SSuppose a potential employer called the OTR counsel and asked the counselor if he or she would provide a reference for the candidate. What should the candidate do? Is the knowledge of the counselor confidential? Should the counselor be frank about what is known about the candidate, after perhaps weeks of assessment and interviewing? Should the counselor give a brief reference, avoiding disclosure of what has been learned through the OTR process? Or should the counselor give pros and cons about the candidate?42 Dealing with threats. Suppose a terminated man is prone to temper tantrums and, when approached by the OTR counselor after being notified of his termination he shouts, "I could shoot them!" slams his door in the face of the OTR counselor and locks the counselor out. What should the counselor do? Should the counselor persist in tiying to get in to see him? Should he report the conduct to the Human Resources Manager or to the employee's supervisor? Is the man's conduct a crime that should be reported to authorities?43 Knowledge ofproblem positionsSSuSuppose the candidate is offered a position which she would work with a man who has been accused of quid pro quo sexual harassment (sex for promotion). What should the counselor say to the candidate?44 Nonmembers'Es'thicalcalStandardsrds

It should be noted that there are many reputable OTR firms that choose not to be members of the AOCFI or IACMC. Reasons vary: some feel that the smaller firms are squeezed out by the larger multilocation firms; some feel that the needs of the larger firms do not represent those of the smaller firms; many feel that shopping is a legitimate practice. Others feel that combining OTR with executive search or placement is not inherently unethical. Instead, the combination of such services provides efficient one-stop shopping for job seekers and employers. In defense of the argument that such overlap tempts professionals to prematurely place an ill-fitting candidate, these professionals point out that doing so would jeopardize their relationship with both candidates and employers. To maintain their credibility they would place only those candidates who fit the job openings.45 Overlapping OTR and placement presents for them no conflict. Some do not accept fees for candidates who are receiving their OTR service. Others see no conflict, because they believe their mission is

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to provide a service to both employers and outplacement employees. Both are happy when their needs are met. Resisting Taxation, Intrusion, and Regulation A fourth challenge that required a cooperative effort among OTR firms and served to rally the industry was government intrusion into the OTR business through its intention to declare the value of outplacement services to be a "taxable benefit," as well as government-provided OTR service and interest in regulating the industry. The Outplacement Industry Tax Coalition Beginning in 1988 the threat to tax the value of OTR services emerged in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and France. AOCFI provided the leadership.46 In addition to responding with standards of service, commitment to staff training and development, and ethical standards, AOCFI formed the Outplacement industry Tax Coalition (OITC), which made presentations to politicians and government officials. Working on the tax issue enabled the AOCFI to become truly a worldwide industry and association. Precedents set in one country had a major impact in other parts of the world. Steve Harrison, chairman of the OITC said "effort in confronting the tax issue in Canada had a strategic impact on how the AOCFI addressed the issue in the United States. Likewise, U.S. efforts were studied and borrowed from by both the French and United Kingdom outplacement industries when fighting similar tax situations."47 Lobbying efforts and activity costing $418,000 in legal fees48 were successful. In 1992 the IRS ruled that, in most cases, OTR benefits are not taxable income for individuals. Revenue Ruling 92-69 stated that outplacement benefits are taxable only when an employer offers a choice between OTR service and a cash payment . .. and even then they are deductible beyond 2% of gross income."49 It should be noted that the basis of AOCFI's argument was that the OTR service is not so much a gift to individuals as a business benefit to employers that offer the service. Benefits provided to employers include better morale, avoidance of wrongful termination suits, and the creation of a positive corporate image.50 This argument is made by both retail OTR firms and corporate OTR firms. It explains, however, why the AOCFI jealously guards the definition of OTR as a service for employers and prohibits its members from offering retail service.51 Lobbying to Prevent Governmental Intrusion into OTR Members of the AOCFI also have wanted to jealously guard their right to be the providers of OTR service, in lieu of any such service provided by governmental agencies. As was noted in Chapter 17, government funding has enabled some jobless individuals to receive aspects of the OTR process, sometimes through contacts with private OTR finns, and sometimes as a direct service of a governmental en-

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tity. As part of its lobbying effort, AOCFI members have interacted with congresspersons to protect the business domain of the outplacement industry.52 The Outplacement Industry Coalition Opposing Regulation By defining itself as a service for employers and using the term "firm," as opposed to "agency," the OTR industry has been able to differentiate itself from job placement agencies and, thus far, avoid regulation. With the battle against taxation behind it, the OITC was renamed the Outplacement Industry Coalition (OIC) to provide legislative and regulatory oversight in Washington, DC. 53 The group is attentive to governmental funding for OTR services and governmental interest in regulation. The best response to regulatory interests is, according to Murray Axmith, to "pay close attention, not only to what government officials and politicians are doing, but also to practices within the industry itself (which, if not dealt with effectively by the industry, create conditions that spawn potential government intervention and regulation)." Furthermore, in the words of Axmith, the industry needs to move toward a form of self-regulation. Internal threats beget external threats. Continued efforts and momentum in promoting more professional and ethical conduct in the outplacement industry are absolutely essential to creating a healthy environment within the industry itself. This will provide critical support of our efforts to create a healthy (external) regulatory environment for the industry.54 SUMMARY Though Murray Axmith has worked primarily within the AOCFI to improve the OTR industry, he recognizes "the important need to work cooperatively with the balance of the industry (non-AOCFI members) on the common issues in which we all have a critical stake."55 The challenges to the industry face all firms in the industry, corporate and retail alike. The responses, likewise, embrace all firms in the industry. Clearly, the industry is actively pursuing clearly defined standards of service, increased professional staff training and development, high ethical standards, and recognition of governmental regulatory interests. Rising above competitive tensions, the industry is moving from a practice to a profession. NOTES 1. Interview with Saul Gruner. 2. Interview with Jim Gallagher. 3. Dyan Machan, "Meet the Undertakers," Forbes, November 11, 1991. 4. "Challenger Challenged in Muddle at Middlebury," Executive Recruiter News, Nvember 1991, p. 3. 5. David A. Lord, "Outplacement's Agony: Just Growing Pains?" Executive RecruiteNews, November 1991, p. 2.

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6. "Gruner Brings Profession to Its Knees, Audience to Its Feet," Directory of Outplacement Firms, 1993-94 (Fitzwilliam, NH: Kennedy Publications, 1992). 7. Interview with Richard Chagnon. 8. Cited in Tony Lee, "When It Makes Sense to Pay for Job Search Help,"Nationanal Business Employment Weekly, October 2, 1988. 9. Interview with Murray Axmith. 10. Cited in Lee, "When It Makes Sense." 11. Ibid. 12. Murray Axmith, "AOCF: At a Critical Crossroads on Its 10th Anniversary'," Directory of Outplacement Firms, 1993-944(Fitzwilliam, NH: Kennedy Publications, 1992), p. 57. 13. Randolph Louchheim, "Issue: Government Funding of Outplacement" Workshop at Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms Conference, October 21-23, 1990. Available on audiocassette from TeacfTEm, 160 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 14 Ray Harrison, "Ethics for Outplacement Firms" Workshop at Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International Conference, October 12-15, 1991. Available on audiocassette from Teach'Em, 160 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 15. Standards of Professional Practice, Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms, June 1990. 16. Interview with Murray Axmith. 17. Interview with Richard Chagnon. 18. Quality Profile and Standards, Jannotta, Bray & Associates, Inc., n.d. 19. "Gruner Brings Profession to Its Knees " p. 89. 20. John Lucht, The New Rites of Passage at $10(1000+, p. 316. 21. "The 1AOP Competency Standards for Outplacement Professionals," Highlighter,,AA publication of the International Association of Outplacement Professionals, Vol. 2, No. 2 (February 1903): 1. 22. Michael P. King, "The Roles of a Corporate Consultant," The 1AOP Networks, March 1993, p 4. 23. International Association of Outplacement Professionals, "The Certificate in Outplacement: A Professional Development Program for Outplacement Practitioners Conducted by The Outplacement InstiUite " January 1994. 24. "Gruner Brings Profession to Its Knees " p. 89. 25. "Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms. Inc., Professional Code of Ethics, Casebook on Ethics and Standards for the Practice of Corporate Outplacementnt(Parsippany, NJ: AOCF, October 1991), p. 2. 26. Ibid, p. 4. 27. "Ethical Dilemmas in Outplacement: What Would you Do?" Executive Recruiter News, November 1991. 28. Casebook on Ethics and Standards, p. 8. 29. Ibid., p. 9. 30. Murray Axmith, "The Ethics of Outplacement," Transitions, Vol. 4, No. 2 (n.d.). 31. Casebook on Ethics and Standards, p. 17. 32. Ibid., p. 18. 33. Ibid., p. 19. 34. Ibid., p. 20. 35. Ibid., p. 12.

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36. Ibid., p. 13. 37. Ibid., pp. 15 and 16. 38. International Association of Outplacement Professionals Standards for Ethical Practice, adopted February 6, 1993. 39. Ibid. 40. Kate Nelson, Joan Strewler, and Sheryl S. Spanier, "Ethics in Outplacement Counseling: Serving Three Masters" Workshop, International Association of Outplacement Professionals Conference, May 1903. Available on audiocassette from Teach'Em, 160 E. Illinois, Chicago, IL 60611, (800) 225-3775. 41. Handout "Outplacement—Minorities" from ibid. 42. Ethics in Outplacement Counseling Workshop. 43. Ibid. 44. Ibid. 45. Steven M. Darter, President, People Management Northeast, Simsbury, CT, "How We Handle 'Conflict': Two Firms Defend Search/Outplacement Combination," Executive Recruiter News, March 1991. 46. Axmith, "AOCF: At a Critical Crossroads." 47. "Coalition Refocuses on Broader Legislative and Regulatory Issues," AOCF Wire, Vol. 6., Issue 1 (Winter 1993): 4. 48. "Outplacement Industry Hails IRS Ruling," Executive Recruiter News, September 1992, p. 1. 49. Ibid. See also Dean R. Chmiel, The Tax Adviser, Vol. 23, No. 12 (December 1992): 805; Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal, Vol. 20, No. 10 (October 2, 1992): 225-226. 50. Robert J. Werner, The Journal of Taxation, Vol. 77, No. 6 (December 1992): 350. 51. Interview with Murray Axmith. 52. Ibid. 53. "Coalition Refocuses on Broader Legislative and Regulatory Issues," p. 4. 54. Axmith, "AOCF: At a Critical Crossroads." 55. Ibid.

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Choosing Wisely: How to Select the Right OTR Service The shoe that fits one person pinches another. Carl G. Jung, Modern Man in Search of a Soul

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING College graduates often say that after a marriage partner, the most important decision they made was the college they chose. Choosing the right college is an important decision for several reasons. First, it is an expensive investment, and students (or their parents) want to be sure that the investment is worth the money. Second, it will require the commitment of a lot of time, energy, and emotion, so students want to be sure it is the right place to be before registering and getting deeply involved. And third, students need to be sure that the education provided by the college will launch them in the directions they want to go. How do these reasons relate to the selection of an OTR service? In this chapter we will examine the issues involved in selecting an OTR firm for its traditional outplacement, transition,andrelocation services (as opposed to its newerrestructuring services). Is OTR Service Worth the Cost? Whether the purchaser is the employer or the employee, the question is the same: Is the OTR service worth the cost? Whether the OTR firm is charging a flat fee of $7,000 for a full service or 15 percent of the outplaced discharged em-

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ployee's compensation (which might compute to be $ 15,000 or more), the cost of outplacement services is no small investment. Is it worth all that money? Many outplacement consultants will answer that question by asking others. To the corporate decision maker, the consultant will ask "How much does unemployment compensation cost you? What kind of costs must you bear if an unhappy employee sues you'/" To the outplaced employee, the consultant might ask, "If by using an OTR service you could relocate into a job that pays you even $1,000/year more than you'd earn without the outplacement service, how much would the service be worth to you?" There are costs associated with firing and, depending on what those are, a corporation that provides the service as part of a termination package may find outplacement to be easily cost effective. As for individuals who bear the financial burden, there is, unfortunately, no research that can assure candidates that they will land a higher paying job with the help of the outplacement firm than otherwise. In fact, given the tight job market, candidates are often told that they must be prepared to take a reduction in pay in order to be employed at all. Those who track such things draw mixed conclusions. For example, Manchester Inc., which publishes job search statistics each year, found in 1993 that 25 percent of its 467 candidates who landed a job located jobs that paid more than they had earned prior to their outplacement, 16 percent located jobs that paid less, and 59 percent found that their salaries remained the same.1 Outplaced employees who have had prior transition experience and who understand the high cost of OTR services sometimes ask their employer for a lump sum of cash in lieu of the outplacement service. If using one's own money, job searchers often choose to put their job-search dollars toward travel, telephone expenses, printing, and mailing instead of the services of an OTR counselor. In general, however, this tends to be shortsighted and results from a lack of appreciation for the complexity of the self-assessment and job-search process. It should be a viable option only for those who know themselves well and who understand the OTR process well enough to know what they would be missing. Can Candidates Commit the Time and Emotional Energy Required? There is nothing magical in either a college education or an OTR process. Both require the commitment of the individual hoping to benefit. A Time Commitment While most college students follow a prescribed, time-bound, program, the time required of outplaced employees varies depending on the individual, the type ofjob sought, and the economy. A common rule of thumb used to be "one month of job search for every $10,000 of salary sought." Too many variables are at play today, however, to find such a rule reliable. Some, with the right credentials and contacts, land jobs right away. On the other hand, outplacement professionals will admit that

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it is not uncommon to have a hard-to-place candidate actively seeking employment for 24 months. Whether it is 3 months or 24, the outplaced employee, like the college student, must trust the process and commit time, emotion, and energy to it. Time is required every day to make the transition. It is a full-time job just looking for a job. Richard Bolles said "the average job hunter sees six employers a month and spends five hours or less a week on the job hunt. That's ridiculous. People ought to be contacting at least two employers a day. You have to be out there much more, talking to people, visiting people, knocking on doors, because a position may have just opened, and if you walk into a place where there is an opening you'll be the prime candidate."2 An Emotional Commitment More than time, however, is required. Just as the college student may have to be willing to leave hometown friends and family and make the emotional adjustment to a new environment with new expectations, so the outplaced employee must be prepared to adjust to a new process, leading, maybe, to a new lifestyle. Emotional energy will be required. Outplaced employees have to come to terms with a major loss. While it is difficult to grieve openly and discuss one's life history and goals with another person, that may be necessary in order for the outplacement professional to help. Trust in the integrity and quality of the outplacement firm's process and staff is an important factor in selecting an OTR sendee, just as confidence and appreciation for the institution and the professors will greatly affect the ability of a college student to learn. Will the Process Be Appropriate to the Candidate's Needs? What does it benefit a student to appreciate the professor or be glad for the college experience if the result is an education that brings the student neither life satisfaction nor a job? Likewise, what does it profit an outplaced employee to enjoy meetings with the OTR professional and the increased self-knowledge that may result, if the outplaced employee's goal to locate a job is not realized? Those investigating outplacement will want to be sure the OTR firm has a wellthought-out process for its candidates to follow and that the firm's staff members are equally skilled in the job campaign and in the venting and assessment steps in the process. They will want to know that the firm has a good track record in helping candidates make the necessary transitions. So much is at stake—money, personal investment, and the fulfillment of future goals. So much is at stake that it is important that the same kind of attention and research go into choosing an OTR service as one might put into selecting a college. The Importance of Research "Taking time to research the firm or finns with which your company can establish a relationship becomes crucial."* Those are words of advice to human re-

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source professionals who represent the corporate consumer. Joyce Lain Kennedy offered similar advice for individuals who are considering using an outplacement service: "Pick up a book on working with outplacement firms," she said, "so you'll know what to expect and require."4 (We trust this book will do!) The earlier the research is done the better. Waiting until the service is needed to consider what aspects of the service are most important often results in the purchaser making a decision under pressure with no time tor "comparison shopping" and no time to ask hard questions. Outplaced employees who are provided an OTR service as part of their severance package are fortunate, if their employer has already compared OTR firms and asked appropriate questions. When employers have selected the service provider, it is not uncommon to find them reluctant—or even unwilling—to let outplaced employees select their own service providers. If they have done their homework, the employers know what the options are and which of the OTR services will be most able to meet their employees' needs. Occasionally, however, an employee has reason to believe that he or she should make that determination. Some have been outplaced more than once or have talked to friends and colleagues who have used an outplacement service. They have opinions based on experience and deem themselves able to make sound judgments about the firm that would best serve their needs. Though the employer is in a good position to become familiar with the various service providers, the employer may not be able to know well enough the outplaced employees' needs, especially in the case of a large downsizing. For example, for some, an office away from home is important or essential. For others, more counselor contact time would fill the greater need. For some, a counselor sensitive to family dynamics will be important. For others, a professional who knows a certain occupational field would be preferred. For employees paying the bill, the task of shopping and comparing is all theirs. And since they usually are doing their research after they have been terminated and are at their most vulnerable, it is important that they get input from as many objective sources as possible. (Review the pitfalls of "shopping" discussed in Chapter 18.) By talking to colleagues, reading, and asking questions of OTR providers, a candidate can gain a lot of relevant information and have considerable confidence in making the final decision. All those paying for the service—whether with money, time and commitment, or expectations—have considerable ownership and deserve to know that their investment is a wise one. DIMENSIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING AN OTR SERVICE When researching OTR firms there are five dimensions to examine: the facility with its resources and other accoutrements, the staff, the program, the firm and its management, and the cost.

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The Facilities Often the first consideration of a prospective college student is the location of the college and the appearance of the facilities. A modem gym, attractive cafeteria, and well-equipped labs have sold many a college prospect. Likewise, when researching an OTR firm, it may be easiest to begin with the most tangible aspects: the location and appearance of the facility where the outplacement candidate will spend a great deal of time and the resources and other accoutrements found there. Private Offices One of the most talked about provisions of outplacement service is the private office offered some candidates. Especially when working with outplaced key executives, it is commonly believed that privacy is needed in order for the outplaced employee to be able to grieve and reflect anonymously, and, later, to place phone calls from a quiet, private place. The availability of some kind of office space has become important, at least on a limited basis, for a great many outplacement candidates. Some providers, however, omit private offices, either as a cost-saving measure or in the belief that interaction with people is the best approach to healing and gaining information or encouragement. Whether or not space is available and under what conditions is an important issue. Office Style A related factor is the style or image conveyed by the space. Many larger outplacement services, like Manchester, Inc. in Boston, provide elegant offices with lots of polished wood and chrome, suggesting success and upward mobility. These offices meet the needs of those who will work better in tasteful surroundings and be more able to accept "getting a job" as their new job, because their new work setting is comfortable and familiar. Other OTR services shun the "success" image. RLS Career Center, for example, is located in a former church that houses a variety of nonprofit groups. By devoting its resources to the counseling staff—not to real estate—RLS conveys an image of warmth and acceptance. The facility is one of the most expensive elements of the OTR service. If the OTR firm is organized to serve highly paid employees, it usually believes that the facility must be in a high-rent district and provide only first-class quarters. The customer, of course, must judge whether "Cadillac" facilities are necessary or whether a clean, efficient "Ford" (or Model-T) would be more appropriate or costeffective. Proponents of office space for outplaced employees maintain that it is a necessary part of the service. As we reviewed in Chapter 6, they say that employees feel better about themselves when they are in a comfortable, professional environment. Coming "to the office" provides structure in their lives, and they are able to take advantage of various secretarial services and resources that are there. To support this position, a representative of Right Associates reported that, although his service urges organizations to purchase office facilities as a part of the

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outplacement package, occasionally the corporation tries to save money and omits that aspect of the service. He cited an instance in which a company had purchased a plan that allowed for six months of unlimited counseling with no use of office space. Seeing the space as a valuable element in his transition process, one of the candidates asked his former employer if the company would renegotiate the package and purchase for him three months of counseling instead of six with added use of office space. He was unable to concentrate on the work of transition by working at home. 5 Critiques of office space and its costs maintain that such facilities allow outplaced workers to avoid facing the reality that they have, indeed, been fired. They do not have a job. They do not have an office, and it is time to get on to the work of making the transition. These critics maintain that outplaced employees often "play office" and postpone the inevitable. In fact, one outplacement counselor who provides such service described a candidate who came into the office at 10:00, read the paper, clipped an ad, and left at 2:00. That, he said, is not outplacement. It is an example of a person who, in his words, had become a "nester."6 Proponents of services without private office facilities maintain that the candidates are encouraged to find a corner in the library or in a friend's house, if necessary. Those providing space, on the other hand, argue that their candidates benefit from the use of the facilities and don't become nesters, because outplacement counselors are trained to motivate, encourage, admonish, and inform candidates in order to get them on to their job of getting a job. If office space is included in the service package, some details are worth exploring: • Is the facility convenient to the home of the excessed employee? • Is parking available? • Is the facility handicapped-accessible? • Is the facility attractive and well-lighted? • Will the facility convey to candidates that they are welcome, that they are important people who can expect soon to be rehired? • Does the facility have serviceable spaces—including training rooms, private conference rooms, individual offices, a lunch room on site or facilities for a coffee break? • What hours are the offices open? • How does the facility reflect the philosophy of the outplacement service? • Is each candidate assigned an office, or is the office available on a first-come-first served or appointment basis? For how long? • Does each person have a locked storage space? • How are the offices equipped? Resources Most prospective college students do not inquire as to the number of books in the library, but rating services and accreditation boards find that figure to be a fac-

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tor in helping them determine the value of the college for the money. Unfortunately, no one has rated outplacement firms, but the principle is the same. The consumer needs to find out what resources are available to the OTR candidates at the facility. The OTR process is a learning process and resources are important to enable and to enrich the journey. For candidates seeking self-awareness and needing to spend time assessing their strengths and developing their self-esteem, resources that provide insight and motivation will be important. For candidates considering changing careers or retraining, resources related to occupations and educational opportunities will be imperative. For those likely to find work in their field a data base of job leads in banking, manufacturing, computers, or whatever the field will be useful. As we noted in Chapter 15, firms are providing increased resources, including job developers, data bases, and on-site researchers to help candidates use the resources. Shoppers should ask about them. Some questions about the resources include: • • • • •

Is there an up-to-date library of career and occupational transition resources? What newspapers does the firm subscribe to? Are there self-help video- or audiotapes for the candidates' use? Is there a computerized data base of job leads available to the candidates? Are their staff people dedicated to assisting with research and use of the resources? Other Accoutrements

Just as a dorm room with a phone and an accessible computer has appeal to the college prospect, so the consumer of outplacement services must look for the availability of certain accoutrements such as phone, fax, duplicating machine, and computer, as well as support personnel to use them. To excessed employees who do not possess these items or the skills to use them, these accoutrements may be important. When a corporation is purchasing the service, however, it is important to remember that some candidates may prefer to work at home, do their own typing and printing, and come into the OTR office only when it is time to work with the professional or for special prearranged classes or networking opportunities. As important as the availability of equipment and support personnel is the quality of the service. Some of the biggest complaints from past users relate to inadequate services. One disgruntled candidate found that lines for incoming calls were often busy or answered by an answering machine that asked the callers to hold for the next available operator. Another reported that his phone system was down for several days—not the kind of situation that encourages individuals already under stress.7 Some outplaced employees tell horror stories about the long periods of time they had to wait to have a letter sent out to follow up a phone conversation or an interview. Others complain of the typos or the poor quality of printouts or copies. One outplaced employee believes he may have lost a superb job possibility due to a lost phone message.

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Some questions to ask in order to avoid surprises are as follows: • What kind of telephone coverage is provided? • Who answers the phone and what kind of training is provided for this person? • How are messages relayed to candidates? • Is there a limit to local or long-distance phoning? • What can the candidate expect tor uu n-around time when letters must be typed or retyped? • Is typesetting and printing of resume provided along with stationery and business cards? • Is there a limitation on mailings, resumes, or stationery? • What kinds of type fonts or printers are used? • How frequently are letters mailed? • Are they mailed by the OTR firm or by the candidate?

Trained Professional Staff Colleges proudly announce the number of Ph.D.s they have on their faculty as evidence, they believe, of the quality of their teaching staff. It is commonly believed that students (or their parents who are paying the bill) want a school with highly competent instructors. Those selecting an OTR firm also find the caliber of staff to be an important criteria. According to an AMA questionnaire with a 10item checklist (including such criteria as staff, various aspects of the program, cost, space, accoutrements, and service), respondents place a far higher premium on the quality of the staff and program than on cost. Of the 10 checklist items, the highest average rating went to "caliber of counselors" (4.63 out of 5). 8 Many would say that the quality of the OTR staff is the key to a successful outplacement experience. How does one measure the quality of OTR professionals? What skills and knowledge should one expect from OTR professionals? As the IAOP's list of competencies (see Chapter 18) indicate, there are many. Competencies Although there is no prescribed curriculum to prepare OTR counselors and consultants for the process, an OTR shopper can look for competence in three areas: content, technique, and process. Or, put another way, the researcher should find out what the professionals know, what they do, and what sort of people they are. Preparation for this kind of competency requires formal education and training as well as experience, on-going curiosity, and a nurturing personality style. Training Training in the OTR process and the specific procedures of the individual firm are handled differently from firm to firm. One small outplacement firm we visited

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hired only professionals educated with advanced degrees and experience in counseling, most of whom were part-time people and able to add to their case load but survive financially if it were cut. They were retired people, parents wanting to work part-time, teachers or professors with flexible primary work schedules, or freelance counselors with a client load of their own. Upon coming into the organization they were then required to undergo 50 hours of training to learn the content of the firm's program.9 A different approach is taken by a large multinational firm that has a three-stage training. Stage One requires the trainee to spend three days working through the content and techniques of the firm's outplacement process as if he or she were a candidate. The trainee takes tests, fills out questionnaires, reads manuals, and talks to counselors. Stage Two involves going to the firm's central headquarters within 90 days of being hired for a three-day training in counseling and group process skills. Stage Three is a similar nationally based training at the end of the first year. Additionally, everyone in the organization must attend at least one training event put on by the national organization each year. In addition to regular professionals, the firm employs a number of project staff who lead workshops. Their training focuses on the content and skills of the workshops. When the candidate load expands, the firm either borrows from other offices within its national network or invites and trains someone from the project staff who understands the system and has come to be known and trusted. Maintaining a Well-Trained Staff As we outlined in Chapter 18, one of the challenges that outplacement firms face is to maintain a high level of qualified staff. When offered a large contract with a downsizing corporation, an OTR firm must expand its staff, sometimes with relatively little lead time, in order to maintain an effective ratio of candidate to consultant. WTiether the firm commits itself to a 1:10 or 1:25 ratio, its policy is challenged when offered a large contract. Professional Performance If trained professionals are the key, then their behavior—what kind of people they are—is the lock that goes with it. Attitude, commitment, personality, and ethics—are all factors that go beyond education and training, beyond content and techniques. The effective professional is often one who has a personality and style that "works"—a nebulous factor that enables a candidate to feel comfortable and progress in the job search. When such factors were not present, unhappy outplaced employees have been heard making remarks such as, "My counselor didn't even show up for our first meeting." "They just wanted me to take a job, any job, so that I would look good as a statistic." "I had a feeling I was a cake on a conveyor belt. It was moving along at a good clip and they were putting icing and decorations on me but didn't care whether I was chocolate or vanilla."10 The behavior of the professionals may be related, in part, to training, but may also be affected by the size of the case load or pressure from the management of the service, or it may simply

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be a factor of personality. Whatever it is, it is a crucial element and one that any purchaser will want to explore by talking to professionals on the staff and past users of the service. Ethics Ethical issues are also worth asking about (see Chapter 18). For example, what is the policy of the outplacement firm regarding reporting a candidate's problems or progress to his or her previous employer or family? Both the purchaser of the service and the user should know the policy and how it is practiced and be comfortable. Outplacement firms and candidates may define differently information that should be kept confidential and that which could or should be shared. Professional s Role Another issue that may affect the quality of the service is whether the professional's role is focused solely on career consulting and counseling or encompasses marketing and selling, as well. Small agencies often depend on their counselors to bring in contacts and contracts. Large agencies may divide the work in order to draw into their staff professionals with specific counseling or marketing skills. Some maintain that all counselors should engage in marketing in order to stay in tune with the needs of the workplace. According to outplacement consultant James Challenger, "this practice shortchanges job seekers who are looking for counseling."11 But shoppers should ask and make their own judgment. A Good Match As with facilities and accoutrements, so much of the success of the outplacement process depends on the ability to match the OTR services to the unique needs of the candidates. Some candidates will need someone strong in personal counseling skills to help them deal with their loss, anger, humiliation, and confusion. Some, ready for the transition, will be best served by working with a professional who is highly skilled in career assessment. Other candidates will primarily want a consultant who can provide expert coaching in the mechanics of resume writing, interviewing, and networking. Though outplacement professionals keep abreast of the changing world of work, it is unrealistic to expect all counselors in any outplacement firm to be equally knowledgeable about the future trends or job prospects in every industry or occupation. It is an added bonus, however, if the outplacement firm has individuals on its staff who know an area well—either locally or nationally. A shopper of outplacement services should ask. Armed with knowledge about the OTR process, the competencies necessary to deliver the service and the types of education and experience that prepare OTR professionals, those looking for an effective outplacement firm will want to ask a number of questions:

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• What are the biographic profiles of the principals and counselors/consultants? • What training does the firm require beyond the education described on their vita? • How does the firm maintain a level of professional quality? • What is the ratio of candidates to professionals? Since new starts require more time up front, how many of these is the firm handling? • How does the firm secure qualified staff when it has to expand? • What assurance does a candidate have that he or she will be working with a well-trained counselor or consultant? • What control does the candidate have over the assignment of particular counselors to particular candidates? • Is it possible to meet the counselor before contracting for service from the firm? • What do past users have to say about particular staff members? • Who handles testing and what is that person's expertise? • Are the consultants full-time or part-time? • What is the ratio of consultants to candidates? • Do the consultants and counselors also do marketing or training? • Are counselors paid commission (emphasizing sales) or salary (emphasizing service)? • Is each candidate assigned his or her own counselor? What provision is there to change counselors if it proves to be an uncomfortable match? • What is the firm's policy regarding confidentiality and how it is implemented?

The Program The purpose of Part II of this book was to outline the essential elements a purchaser of OTR services might expect from an outplacement process. The details may differ, but the steps are the same in a comprehensive service. With this information as background, purchasers can learn the basis of each firm's approach— psychological or pragmatic—and ask questions about the specifics of the firms process. Other useful questions include: • Is an outplacement manual provided? • How does the firm's program compare to the generic process outlined in this book? • What ranges of services are available? • Where does the firm put its emphasis? • How easily can the firm individualize its program? • Is it possible through the program to explore changing careers, working overseas, or buying a business? • How many counseling sessions are included over what period of time? • What training opportunities are available? Is this training offered privately or in groups? • What opportunities for group support are available?

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• What tests and instruments does the firm use? Who selects, administers, and interprets them? • What resume style does the firm advocate? • Does the firm provide videotaping to coach interviewing? • How much interviewing practice does the firm provide? • What types and levels of contacts does the firm have at employment agencies and executive search finns? What about industry contacts? • Does the firm provide psychological counseling, financial planning, fitness facilities, or spouse support? If so, is there an extra fee? There are no right or wrong answers, and consumers may not know, up front, which answer is right. Asking questions, however, keeps the OTR service alert and allows the consumer to avoid surprises later.12 The Firm and Its Management Prospective college students seldom ask questions about the management of a college. Parents seeking a good buy, however, may be savvy enough to look for schools with large endowments as indicators of successful alumni support. They will also read the history of the college to learn about the college's stability over the years and indication of changes in philosophy that may be reflected in how the college administration motivates or controls its faculty. A researcher of OTR firms needs to probe for information about the firm and how it manages its staff and the process. One factor worth exploring is the firm's longevity and stability. Purchasers of OTR need assurance that the firm will be there to see its candidates through the OTR process. They should also, according to Bill Tiffin of DBM, value firms that have established an on-going relationship with the business community.13 Queries about the firm's customers and past contracts will indicate how well it has developed its skill for certain populations, such as spouses or families, key executives, middle managers, hourly workers, bankers, engineers, steel workers, or lawyers. Where there are multiple counselors or, especially, multiple locations of the firm, the researcher will want to know how the management controls the quality and pace of its process. Size of Firm Many parents and college-bound students ask whether a college student receives a better education at a large university or a small college, at a college that is part of a large system, such as the State University of New York or the University of California systems, or at an independent school, regardless of size. The answer usually is, "it depends." So it is with outplacement firms. The OTR firms from which one can choose today have grown up from a variety of sources. Some are offshoots of placement agencies, executive search firms, or

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counseling services. Others found their beginning in consulting and training for businesses. Still others were created specifically to provide outplacement services. As the market has grown, a number of outplacement firms have established multiple offices-—in a region, across the country, or around the world. Comparing local "boutique" firms with larger national organizations is somewhat like comparing the corner automotive garage with the Ford service garage. The advantages of each are mixed. One of the advantages of working with a firm with multiple sites is the opportunity to utilize its outplacement personnel in other parts of the country in the event that a candidate should want to relocate. One national firm counselor in Pennsylvania, for example, told us about a man in the information systems field who wanted to relocate to Atlanta. The counselor was able to put him in touch with a counselor in their Atlanta office who knew that field. In addition to geographic coverage, many df the large firms have a data base of all its personnel, so it can locate counselors by location and also by expertise. In spite of their size, however, smaller independent firms are often able to provide a similar service as a result of either partnering through Outplacement International or through reciprocal agreements with other members of the AOCFI (see discussion in Chapter 17). Local, independent firms will assert that their service should be preferred to that of the large national agencies because they are staffed by local people with roots in the area, who know the area and will not be leaving. Upon closer examination, however, the shopper may find that the staff people of the national firm are also local people, and the prelocation research and investment of the national firm suggests that they, too, plan to stay for a good long time. Many local offices of the national firms are either subcontracted services, which maintain both individual and national identity, or offices that had their beginning as a local independent service prior to being bought out by or becoming a franchisee of the national firm. There are several things the large national firms have that the local firms seldom have, which result from their economies of scale. They do not, however, constitute the major percentage of the cost of the service, and their value must be weighed against total price and other features. One is research capability. The large firm can track trends in the workplace and results of its services. It can also develop and test new training modules and videos or counseling workbooks. Whether or not this research results in more effective service may depend on other factors described above. Something else the national firms do well is to organize and offer professional staff training. Because of the numbers of staff people they have to draw upon, there is always the critical mass necessary to offer a certain aspect of training. This does not mean, however, that the staff in the local firms are less qualified. Again, the shopper needs to explore the qualifications and experience in each case. Local firms draw highly qualified professionals in many cases and find ways to maintain their expertise.

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An argument can be made that there is a correlation between quality' of service and size of staff. With a larger staff individuals can be excused more readily for training or training can be held in-house. Larger staffs also offer the firm the opportunity to hire professionals with diverse strengths. They can be assigned candidates according to their area of expertise or can work as a team to advise one another, guaranteeing that the assessment of a job seeker is not just one counselor's opinion. One large firm explained that when it has a large enough group of executives, it brings them together where a group of counselors can do an alternate review of their career potential, providing validation, new ideas, and useful contacts. u Though a larger staff or candidate load may provide certain advantages, the small firm will assert that its personal touch and ability to focus on a few individuals outweighs the advantages of large-scale operations. Stressing the notion that the "heart of outplacement is the counseling relationship," Pisarra, Gaughran, and Chapman wrote: The small firm provides an ideal setting for the professional counselor to establish and maintain the personal rapport required for an effective transition. Without the pressures to maintain volume, each counselor's case load is lower than at larger finns. A more personal, in-depth knowledge of each candidate is possible. Tailor-made programs are feasible. Within the small firm there is direct accountability. Assessment, evaluation, process and follow-through are usually performed by a single counselor—not diffused among a number of specialist employees. Direct accountability insures clarity among client, counselor and candidate. The small firm is built around people rather than systems.15 In either case, it is important to remember that it is not necessarily the national firms that have the larger staffs. Some local offices of the national firms have very few staff, while some local independent firms handle large case loads and have a large staff. Managing the Business As we've documented earlier, OTR is a business—a big business in some cases. This means that someone on the staff'must have the administrative know-how to plan, organize, systematize, and delegate the tasks related to running a business, including finances and marketing. In the large national firm, systems have been put in place that enable local offices to avoid reinventing the wheel. They have the technology and resources to put in place systems that would be prohibitive for smaller firms. For example, Right Associates is developing a system that will enable counselors anywhere in the country to log onto a computer and receive a report of the status of any candidate—a service useful for candidates who are willing to explore relocation. Whether a national system is a major benefit or not, however, may depend on how much local autonomy is afforded the local office. Unless nationally designed systems can be adapted locally, they are often not of great value.

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The larger national firms have the staff and budget to launch professional marketing efforts. Carefully crafted brochures and marketing training are prepared by the national office for application across the offices. The national firms, therefore, have greater visibility and, usually, slicker marketing materials. Their research and marketing offices may combine efforts to produce documents such as Right Associates' report entitled Lessons Learned: Dispelling the Myths of Downsizing}6 This report, offered through a free public seminar as well as in booklet form, has served as a useful marketing technique for Right Associates. Local firms must market themselves by designing their own materials and accepting invitations to speak or lead seminars at various local forums such as the American Society of Trainers and Developers' chapter meetings or as pro bono speakers at chamber of commerce dinners and networking opportunities. Costs As we asked at the beginning, is it worth the cost? According to the AM A study, cost was the least important criteria of the 10 offered.17 A considerable amount of money, however, is at stake and should be spent wisely. There are no rules about where to find the best prices. It is important to compare. One might think that a national firm's prices will be higher. After all, the purchaser is paying for marketing, research, and organizational layers not present in the local firm. The large firms, however, do things on such large scale that the price of these services, per office or per candidate, can be competitive. There are quality OTR services offered from kitchen tables or by United Way or volunteer agencies where the cost is low, presumably because one is paying for little overhead few accoutrements, and no frills. In the end, it is the marketplace that determines the price, and the purchaser must determine the value of each aspect of the service. Package Prices Whether large or small, commercial or nonprofit, firms usually begin price negotiation with a series of package prices, perhaps defined in terms of cost and service or designed and marketed for specific personnel such as executives, middle employees, or support or production staff. Wrhen the firm is under pressure to lower its costs, it has two variables that can be modified: time and service. It is important to ask about variations. If business is competitive, both small and larger firms will be more willing to "unbundle" their packages and design specific contracts with specific prices for each purchaser (see Chapter 15 for discussion of unbundling). When a corporation is purchasing services for a large number of employees, the purchaser can also expect the price per employee to go down. Caveats Stuart Alan Rado is an independent consumer advocate and "watchdog" for the outplacement consumer and writes frequently of scams and shoddy deals.

262

The Changing Outplacement Process

One of his warnings is to beware of any firm that requires payment in full up front, rather than payment on a graduated basis as the candidate progresses through the program. 18 Unfortunately, hidden among the reputable firms offering honest and reliable service are fraudulent firms that leave a trail oi victims with nothing more than sloppily done resumes and outdated lists of corporate contacts—usually drawn from newspaper ads or readily available directories of corporations. Lawenforcement authorities find it difficult to pursue these firms since they often close down after a few months and reopen in another state. Only ten states expressly ban consulting companies from seeking advance fees. In such states disreputable firms use disclaimers like "Not an employment agency" and instead refer to themselves as "career consulting" firms. Elsewhere, according to Florida Assistant Attorney General Mark Barnett, "these companies operate unchecked in a regulatory vacuum."19 Rado warns consumers of a number of unscrupulous practices. He advises people to beware if any of the following statements is made by an outplacement firm: • We are highly selective in accepting our clients. • Our "success rate" is 95 percent. • We have access to the "hidden/unpublished" job market. • Our clients average a 20 percent increase in starting salaries. • Our methods often result in a new job in ten to twelve weeks.20 Consumers are also advised, before a contract is signed, to ask for the firm's policy toward the candidate terminating the process before completion, relocating to another city before completion, or taking a temporary position before completion.

References Regardless of price or payment plan, it is important to research thoroughly and avoid disappointment. No research would be thorough without checking references. Just as college students get information from peers or alumni, the thorough researcher should canvass users and former users. This, according to John Lucht, is the best safeguard. He said, regarding referencing an outplacement firm: Don't be content with the names the firm gives you. And don't just find out whether the counselee liked the firm or happened to get work quickly. What did the firm actually do! . . . When outplacement firms are volunteered by your personnel department, ask for a list of the people they've sent to each firm, and call several from each. And when you visit a firm where you don't have access to an independent list of outplacees, try to shake hands with people who are using the facilities on the day of your visit. Remember their names and telephone later to ask your questions, when the privacy of a phone call will encourage

How to Select the Right OTR Service

263

them to speak more frankly than they would in front of the counselor who's showing you around.21 SUMMARY Like prospective college students, ready to invest money and time and hopes and dreams, the OTR consumers should research the facilities and accoutrements, the staff, the program, and the management. They will find, as did the authors, that outplacement offers to corporations an opportunity to reduce ill will and litigation costs and to terminated employees an opportunity to assess their careers and options. By shopping with as much rigor as they invest in the purchase of any major resource, they will locate the most appropriate OTR service—outplacement, transition, and relocation—a civilized way to help employers and unemployed workers navigate the turbulent world of work. NOTES 1. "Manchester Executive Report: 1993 Job Search Statistics." (King of Prussia, PA: Manchester, Inc.), p. 28. 2. Cited in New Woman, December 1992, p. 44. 3. Peter Cowden, "Outplacement Services Assessment," HR Magazine, September 1992, p. 69. 4. Joyce Lain Kennedy, "Outplacement Aid Can Be Valuable If You Know What to Expect" Buffalo News, April 25, 1992. 5. Interview with Dr. Charles Cooley, Right Associates. 6. Interview with Robert Caldwell, RW Caldwell Outplacement Consultants. 7. Charles F. Harding, "Value for Your Outplacement Dollars," HR Magazine, January 1992, p. 96. 8. Cowden, "Outplacement Services Assessment," p. 68. 9. Interview with Jerridith Wilson, RLS Career Center, Syracuse, NY. 10. Harding, "Value for Your Outplacement Dollars." 11. James E. Challenger, "When Outplacement Is a Sham," Personnel Journal, Vol. 68, No. 2 (February 1989). 12. Many of the questions in this chapter were adapted from two articles: Bert I. Mastrove, "How to Choose an Outplacement Firm," and Donald Sweet, "Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Own Outplacement Firm," both from National Business Employmen ekly,1992, reprinted inThe Directory of Outplacement Firms, 1993-94(Fitzwilliammm, NH: Kennedy Publications, 1992), pp. 42-43. 13. Cited in Mark Sattfield "Evaluating Outplacement Firms" The Atlantic Journal, March 14, 1993. 14. Interview with Charles Cooley 15. Robert F. Pisaara, Kathleen Gaughran, and George Chapman, "The Case for Using a Small Outplacement Firm," EXEC Transition Consulting, n.d. 16. Right Associates, Lessons Learned. Dispelling the Myths of Downsizing (Philadelphia: Right Associates, Inc., 1992).

264

The Changing Outplacement Process

17. Cowden, "Outplacement Services Assessment," p. 68. 18. For a listing of outplacement firms to use or avoid, send a SASE to Stuart Alan Rado, 1500 West 23rd St., Sunset Island #3, Miami Beach, FL 33140. 19. Cited in Larry Reibstein and David L. Gonzalez, "Employment-Agency Scams," Newsweek, February 20, 1989, p. 40. 20. Correspondence from Stuart Alan Rado. no date. 21. John Lucht, Rites ofPassage at $100,000+ (New York: Viceroy Press, 1988), p. 311

Appendix A

H istorica I Perspective

An analogue to our history of outplacement in North America can be found in the description of the British outplacement history, as discussed in Personnel Management, April 1988. 1. Their history, as ours, is difficult to date. British "outplacement" can be traced back to the beginning of the century—the need then being to find new employment for expatriates on their return from the colonies. Courts Career Consultants Ltd., Craig Court House, 25 Whitehall, London, advertised that he had been "helping people make career moves for 80 years, and pioneered the concept of outplacement in Britain."1 2. Theirs, as ours, came alive after the 1960s. "The [British] market really began to take off during the late 1970's."2 3. Theirs, as ours, has resisted the term "outplacement" even though the term has survived, predominantly. "There is a general dissatisfaction within the field with the title 'outplacement; Many consultancies have tried to call it something else, with the alternatives including redundancy counseling, career continuation and career transition. To add to the confusion, a number of other similar services may be offered in tandem."3 4. Theirs, as ours, became an industry with a literature, when firms organized into associations. "The first European Outplacement Forum, organized towards the end of 1987 by Consultex SA in Geneva, produced some definitions."4 5. Theirs, as ours, has struggled to establish standards and ethics for the profession. "With the rapid growth of the market, a number of 'cowboys' have entered the field and given it a bad name. Employers need to be vigilant against those in the business simply to make a fast buck."5 6. Lastly, the British outplacement history is similar to our North American outplacement history in the tendency of individuals and individual firms to claim that they were the first. "A suspiciously large number of consultancies claim to have been 'one of the first.'"6

266

Appendix A

Arguments, or debates, over who really was the founder of "American outplacement" may be impossible to resolve. Two factors make it difficult or nearly impossible. One is the lack of a clear consensus among outplacement professionals. The other is equivocation over a definition of outplacement. That is, if every time a debater establishes a moment of inception for the outplacement practice, another claims that "that was not'outplacements by my definition," then any agreement regresses into a debate over the definition of terms. Angelo Troisi, chairman of the Founder's Council of the Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International, has searched for the moment of inception and concluded the following: "I wish I could write that we have found the definitive founder of the outplacement industry; but 1 cannot. To ascribe to one person that distinction would be unfair"7 Does that mean that writing a history of the North American outplacement profession is futile? We believe not. We believe a thorough historical documentation should be accomplished, despite all contradictory claims and counterclaims, before a history is lost. Toward that end, Appendix B contains a brief chronology of the outplacement profession. The reader will note that an attempt was made, wherever possible, to "footnote" or "document" a printed source for future reference. NOTES 1. "Outplacement," compiled by Clare Hogg, Personnel Management,April 1988, p. 2. 2. Ibid. 3. Ibid. 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. Angelo Troisi, "The Founding of American Outplacement," The AOCF Wire, a newsletter of the AOCF, Vol. 6, Issue I (Winter 1993).

Appendix B

Date

Chronology of the Outplacement Profession Claim

Source

Bernard Haldane formed Bernard Haldane Associates and then sold franchises of his company, which may have been the precursors of outplacement firms. Haldane did reemployment work with terminated employees nearly a decade before the mid-1970s.

See Angelo Troisi's article "The Founding of American Outplacement" in The AOCF WireVol. 6, Issue 1 (Winter 1993).

1961

Saul Gruner explains that "outplacement started with the Humble Oil Co. (Bayonne, NJ) project and his Executive Job Counselors, a N.Y. City franchise of Bernard Haldane.

Video tape "A.O.C.F. Founders' Reunion" ©1990, AOCF.

1965

By James Challenger's account he gave birth to the outplacement industry in 1965. Claiming to be the industry's founder, his Chicago firm (Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.) "is certainly the oldest specializing in outplacement."

Nation's Business, July 1992.

After WWII (I960)?

See Richard L. Knowdell et al. Outplacement Counseling.

268 Date

Appendix B Claim

Source

1967

Psychologist John Drake and Jerry Beam launched Drake Beam and Associates at 277 Park Avenue, NY, NY.

25 Years of Excellence: A History1 of Drake Beam Morin, Inc., 1992.

1968

Drake Beam and Associates hired James Cabrera from the American Management Association to head up the Executive Search Division.

25 Years of Excellence: A History of Drake Beam Morin, Inc., 1992.

1969

Thomas Hubbartt founder of the New York based "ITline.," was counseling terminated executives as early as 1969.

Richard L. Knowdell et al., OutplacementTCCounseling, p. 3.

1969

Drake Beam and Associates did its first group outplacement.

Bill Morin, as quoted in Training, June 1992, p. 46.

1974

Drake Beam and Associates was purchased by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

25 Years of Excellence: A History of Drake Beam Morin, Inc., 1992.

1975

Murray Axmith founded the first outplacement firm in Canada to provide career transition services on behalf of corporate clients.

25 Years of Excellence: A History of Drake Beam Morin, Inc., 1992.

1979

The Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms was established. ITenth Anniversary celebrated in Chicago on October 16, 1989. Name changed to Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International in 1994.]

Video tape "A.O.C.F Founders' Reunion" ©1990 by AOCF.

1979

Bill Morin was named CEO, James Cabrera COO, and the firm's name was changed to Drake Beam Morin, Inc Executive Search was phased out. The focus shifted to outplacement counseling.

25 Years of Excellence: A History of Drake Beam Morin, Inc., 1992.

1980

Right Associates was established by Frank P. Louchheim, who had previously been affiliated with Bernard Haldane in Philadelphia and New York,

Memo from Right Associates, Philadelphia, with commentary from Frank P. Louchheim.

Appendix B Date

Claim

269 Source

Larry A. Evans, Robert Fish, and C. Boardman Thompson. Initials from their names formed the acronym LEFT. "Right," however seemed better than "Left"—hence the name "Right Associates." 1980

James H. Kennedy published the first Directory of Outplacement Firms.

1986

Right Associates went on NASDAQ stock exchange.

1987

Outplacement International (01) was officially created September 1987 in New York City. Nine finns formed the group.

1989

Lincolnshire Outplacement group was founded at Chicago's Lincolnshire Hotel while attending the AOCF Tenth Anniversary gathering.

Kennedy Publications, Fitzwilliam, NH.

Letter from Paul B. Sniff in, Executive VP, October 4, 1993.

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Appendix C

Career Transition Resources

American Association for Counseling and Development 5999 Stevenson Alexandria, VA 22304 (703)823-9800 American Society for Training & Development 1640 King Street P.O. Box 1443 Alexandria, VA 22313-2043 (703)683-8174 Association of Outplacement Consulting Firms International, Inc. 1101 Connecticut Avenue, N.W, Suite 700 Washington, DC. 20036 (202)857-1100 Career Planning and Adult Development Network 4965 Sierra Road San Jose, CA 95132 (800) 888-4845 Career Research and Testing, Inc 2005 Hamilton Avenue Suite 250 San Jose, CA 95125 (800) 888-4845

272

Appendix C

Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc. 3803 East Bayshore Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 (800)624-1765 Educational and Industrial Testing Services (EdlTS) P.O. Box 7234 San Diego, CA 92167 (619)222-1666 Figler, Howard 2701 Cottage Way Suite 17 Sacramento, CA 95835 (916)488-9810 Institute for Life Coping Skills, Inc. Teachers College Columbia University 525 West 120th Street Box 138 New York, NY 10027 (212)678-3181 International Association of Counseling Services, Inc. 101 S. Whiting Street, Suite 211 Alexandria, VA 22304 (703) 823-9840 International Association of Career Management Consultants (IACMC) [formerly International Association of Outplacement Professionals (IAOP)] Winnifred S. Downes, President Two Stamford Landing Stamford, CT 06902 (203) 975-9400 The International Employment Gazette 1525 Wade Hampton Blvd. Greenville, SC 29609 (803) 235-4444 International Personnel Management Association 1617 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703)549-7100 Job Bank USA 1420 Spring Hill Road

Appendix C Suite 480 McLean, VA 22102 (800) 296-1 US A Kennedy Publications Templeton Road Fitzwilliam, NH 03447 (603) 585-6544 National Association of Career Development Consultants 1730 N. Lynn Street, Suite 502 Arlington, VA 22209 (703)525-1191 National Computer Systems 11000 Prairie Lakes Drive Minneapolis, MN 55440 (617)829-3000 National Employment Lawyers Association 535 Pacific Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133 (415)397-6335 People Trends Digest 290 Beckley Lane Dublin, OH 43017-1346 (614)761-0967 Professional Association of Resume Writers 3637 Fourth Street, North Suite 330 St. Petersburg, FL 33704 (813)821-2274 Psychological Assessment Resources P.O. Box 98 Odessa, FL 33556 (813)968-3003 Publications Plus, Inc. 801 Skokie Blvd. Suite 221 Northbrook, IL 60062-4027 (708)498-1981 Rado, Smart Alan Consumer Advocate

273

274

Appendix C

1500 West 23rd Street Sunset Island #3 Miami Beach, FL 33140 (305) 532-2607 Regional Learning Center/RLS Career Center 3049 E. Genesee Street Syracuse, NY 13224 (315)425-5252 Society for Human Resource Management 606 North Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314-1994 (703) 548-3440 Teach'em 160 East Illinois Chicago, IL 60611 (800)225-3775 TTG Consultants 4727 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213)737-8565

Appendix D

Reem ploy ment Act of 1994

The Clinton administration proposed a sweeping reform of six of the major laid-off worker programs of the nation to establish a single, theoretically "user friendly" system, including: • Consolidating programs into a single, laid-off worker assistance system similar to the EDWAAA system. • Universal eligibility—everyone out of work to be eligible for assistance. • A sharp increase in funding, from $1.2 billion to nearly $3 billion per year over three years. • More extensive retraining help for laid-off workers for up to two years for up to $ 10,000 of training reimbursement. • Establishing (for the first time) on ongoing income support system for those being trained for up to 78 weeks (in effect, an extension of unemployment insurance through the period of retraining). • Authority to work out arrangements with the Unemployment Insurance system for workers to receive partial benefits while still employed in times of reduced work schedules that do not require major layoffs. • The establishment of "one-stop shop" centers where workers would have full and easy access to all available programs. • Allowing private organizations to bid to run the centers.

Prepared by the International Management and Development Group, Ltd. and reprinted by permission from Julie Landau, Lee Hecht Harrison.

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Brockner, Joel, Steven Grover, Thomas Reed, Rocki DeWitt, and Michael O'Malley. "Survivors' Reactions to Layoffs: We Get By with a Little Help for our Friends." Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 4 (1987): 526-554. "Business: The Stubborn Slump." Time (October 14, 1991): 43. Buss, Terry F. and F. Stevens Redburn, with Joseph Waldron. Mass Unemployment: Plant Closing and Community Mental Health. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1983. Casewit. Curtis. How to Get a Job Overseas. New York: Arco, 1984. Challenger, James. Outplacement. Chicago: Apex Publishing Company, 1993. Chmiel, Dean R. The Tax Adviser. Vol. 23, No. 12 (December 1992): 805. ConsultAmerica, Inc. "Outplacement Consulting in the United States in 1989. Issues, Marketing and Trends." Concord, MA: ConsultAmerica Inc., August 1989. Cowden, Peter. "Outplacement Services Assessment," HR Magazine (September 1992): 69. Crystal, John C. and Richard N. Bolles. Wliere Do 1 Go from Here with My Life? Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1988. Davidow, William H. and Michael S. Malone. The Virtual Corporation. Structuring and Revitalizing the Corporation for the 21st Century. New York: HarperCollins, 1992. DBM, Inc. I-Speak Your Language: A Survey of Personal Styles. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992 Donaho, Melvin W and John L. Meyer, How to Get the Job You Want: A Guide to Resumes, Interviews and Job-Hunting Strategy. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: PrenticeHall, 1976. Drake, John D. The Perfect lnten>iew: How to Get the Job You Really Want. New York: AMACOM, 1991. Figler, Howard E. The Complete Job-Search Handbook: All the Skills You Need to Get Any Job and Have a Good Time Doing It. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1979. Filipczak, Bob. "Group Outplacement: More Than 'How to Write a Resume.'" Training (June 1992): 45-51. Fromm, Erich. The Revolution of Hope. New York: Harper & Row, 1964. Gottlieb, Marvin. Interview. White Plains, NY: Longman, 1986. Granovetter, Mark S. Getting a Job. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Imiversity Press, 1974. Gwynne, S. C. "The Long Haul." Time (September 28, 1992): 36. Haldane, Bernard. Career Satisfaction and Success: How to Know and Manage Your Strengths. New York: AMACOM, 1981. Half, Robert. How to Get a Better Job in This Crazy World. New York: Plume, 1991. Harding, Charles F. "Value for Your Outplacement Dollars," HR Magazine (January 1992): 96. Holland John L. "Validating and Using the Career Beliefs Inventory." Journal of CareerDevelopment, Vol. 19, No. 4 (Summer 1993): 233. Holland John L. Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Careers. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1985. Huey, John. "Where Managers Go." Fortune (January 27, 1992): 50. Jackson, Tom, Guerrilla Tactics in the Job Market. New York: Bantam Books, 1991. Jespersen, Rebecca and Gerald Roe. Cher 40 and Looking for Work? A Guide for the Unemployed, Underemployed and Unhappily Employed. Holbrook, MA: Bob Adams, 1991.' Jukes, Jill and Ruthan Rosenberg. Surviving Your Partner s Job Loss: The Complete Guide to Rescuing Your Marriage and Family from Today's Economy. Washington, DC: National Press Books, 1993.

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279

Kape, Jerome T. and Marjorie Moran Mastie, eds. A Counselors Guide to Career Assessment Instruments. Alexandria, VA: The National Career Development Association, 1988. Kates, Nick, Barrie S. Greiff, and Duane Q. Hagen. The Psychosocial Impact of Job Loss. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, 1990. Kennedy, Paul. Preparing for the Twenty-first Century. New York: Random House, 1993. King, S. "The Role of Communication in High Technology Organizations: The Emergence of High-Speed Management." In S. King, Human Communication as a Field of Study. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1989, pp. 151 163. Knowdell, Richard L., Carl O. McDaniels, Al Hesser, and Garry R. Walz. Outplacement Counseling. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1983. Kocher, Eric. International Jobs: Where They Are and How to Get Them. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1993. Kozminsky, Andrej K. and Donald P. Cushman, eds. Organizational Communication and Management: A Global Perspective. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 1993. Krannich, Ronald L. Re-Careering in Turbulent Times: Skills and Strategies for Success in Todays Market. Manassas Park, VA: Impact Publications, 1983. Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth. On Death and Dying. New York: Macmillan, 1969. Leana, Carrie R. and Daniel C. Feldman. Coping with Loss. New York: Lexington Books, 1992. Lee, Tony. "When It Makes Sense to Pay for Job Search Help." National Business Employment Weekly (October 2, 1988). Leonard, Bill. "Resume Databases to Dominate Field." HR Magazine (April 1993): 59-60. Levin, James and James Alan Fox. Mass Murder: Americas Growing Menace. New York: Plenum Press, 1985. Liebman, Helene G. and Steve McCarthy. "Job Bridging: Downsizing Without RIFs." The Public Manager (Summer 1993). Logue, Charles H. Outplace Yourself: Secrets of an Executive OutplacementNTCounselor. Holbrook, MA: Bob Adams, Inc., 1993. Lowstuter, Clyde C. In Search of the Perfect Job: 12 Proven Steps for Getting the Job You Really Want. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1992. Lucht, John. Rites of Passage at $100,000+. New York: Viceroy Press, 1988. Lucht, John. The New Rites of Passage at $100,000+. New York: Viceroy Press, 1993. Machan, Dyan. "Meet the Undertakers." Forbes (November 11, 1991): 384. Main, Jeremy. "Look Who Needs Outplacement." Fortune (October 9, 1989): 85. Marcus, John J. Complete Job Interview Handbook. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1988. Marston, William Moulton. Emotions of Normal People. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1928. Mastrove, Bert I. "How to Choose an Outplacement Firm," National Business Employment Weekly, 1992. Meyer, John L. and Melvin W Donaho. Get the Right Person for the Job: Managing Interviews and Selecting Employees. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1979. Miller, A. F. and R. T. Mattson. The Truth About You. Old Tappen, NJ: Fleming IL Revelle Company, 1977. Molloy, John T. New Dress for Success. New York: Warner, 1988. Molloy, John T. The Woman s Dress for Success Book. Chicago: Follet, 1977.

280

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Molloy, John T. Image Impact: The Aspiring Woman s Personal Packaging Program. New York: A & W Publishers, 1981. Molloy, John L and Jacqueline Thompson, eds. Image Impact for Men, New York: A & W Publishers, 1983. Morin, William J. and James C. Cabrera. Parting Company: How to Survive the Loss of a Job and Find Another Successfully. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982. Morin, William J. and Lyle Yorks. Outplacement Techniques: A Positive Approach to Terminating Employees. New York. AMACOM, 1982. Morin, William J. and Lyle Yorks. Dismissal: There Is No Easy Way but There Is a Better Way. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990. Morrow, Lance. "The Temping of America." Time (March 29, 1993). National Business Employment Weekly. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. (March 19-25,1993). Noer, David M. Leading Downsized Organizations: Individual and Organizational Healing. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993. Nussbaum, Bruce. "The Career Survival Kit," Business Week (October 7, 1991): 104. Papalia, Anthony S. and Sheila Dai. The Role of Counselors and Counseling Agencies in the Industrial Outplacement Process. Alexandria, VA: International Association of Counseling Services, 1986. Phelps, Stanlee. "When Women Are Fired." Personnel Journal (August 1991). Pickard, Jane. "Outplacement and the Run-up to Redundancy." PersonnelLMManagement (April 1993). Pickman, Alan J. Complete Guide to OutplacementTCounselinggHillsdale, NJ: Lawrence ce Erlbaum Associates, 1994. Reed, Seth O. How to Choose the Right Person for the Job. Audiocassette. New York: American Management Association, 1988. Right Associates. Lessons Learned: Dispelling the Myths of Downsizing.GPhiladelphia:: Right Management Consultants, Inc., 1992. Robinson, Larry M. and Roy D. Adler. Marketing Megaworks: The Top 150 Books and Articles. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1987. Rogers, Everett M. and Rekha Agarwala-Rogers. Communication in Organizations. Glencoe, IL: The Free Press, 1976. Sattfield Mark. "Evaluating Outplacement Finns." The Atlantic Journal (March 14, 1993). Schein, Edgar H. Career Dynamics: Matching Individual and Organizational Needs. Reading, MA. Addison-Wesley, 1978. Sekaran, Uma. Dual Career Families. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1986. Shepard Ira Michael, Paul Heyman, and Robert L. Duston. Without Just Cause: An Employer's Practical and Legal Guide to Wrongful Discharge. Washington, DC: The Bureau of National Affairs, 1989. Stanat, Kirby W. Job Hunting Secrets and Tactics. Chicago: Follett, 1977. Stern, Linda. "How to Find a Job: New Wrays of Winning in Today's Tough Market." Modern Maturity (June-July 1993). Stewart, Charles J. and William B. Cash, Jr., Interviewing: Principles and Practices, 6th ed. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1991. Stuart, Peggy. "Murder on the Job." Personnel Journal (February 1992): 72. Swain, Madeleine N. and Robert L. Swain. Out the Organization: New Career Opportunities for the 1990s. New York: MasterMedia, 1992. Sweet, Donald. "Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Own Outplacement Firm." National Business Employment Weekly, 1992.

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Tax Management Compensation Planning Journal, Vol. 20, No. 10 (October 2, 1992): 225-226. Thompson, Jacqueline, ed. Image Impact for Men. New York: A & W Publishers, 1983. Thompson, Jacqueline, ed. Image Impact: The Aspiring Woman s Personal Packaging Program. New York: A & W Publishers, 1981. Toffler, Alvin. PowerShift: Knowledge, Wealth, and Violence at the Edge of the 21st Century. New York: Bantam Books, 1990, p. 187. Tomasko, Robert M. Downsizing: Reshaping the Corporation for the Future. New York: AMACOM. Wallach, Janet. Looks That Work. New York: Penguin Books, 1988. Wegmann, Robert, Robert Chapman, and Miriam Johnson. Work in the New Economy: Careers and Job Seeking into the 21st Century. Indianapolis: J1ST Works, 1989. Weisbord Marvin. Productive Workplaces: Organizing and Managing for Dignity, Meaning and Community. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987. Welch, Mary Scott. NetM'orking: The Great New Way for Women to Get Ahead. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. Wendleton, Kate. Job Changing Workbook. New York: Five O'Clock Club, 1991. Wendleton, Kate. Through the Brick Wall: blow to Job-Hunt in a Tight Market. New York: Villard Books, 1992. Werner, Robert J. The Journal of Taxation, Vol. 77, No. 6 (December 1992): 350. Wolfer, Karen and Richard G. Wong. The Outplacement Solution: Getting the Right Job after Mergers, Takeovers, Layoffs and Other Corporate Chaos. New York: John Wiley, 1988. Work in America. Report of a special task force to the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, n.d. Zunin, Leonard and Natalie. Contact: The First Four Minutes. New York: Ballantine Books, 1972.

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Index Abeson, Peter, 216 Accoutrements, 63-67 passim, 251-254 "Achieving Your Career," (software), 193 Adkins Life Skills Program, 176 Adkins, Winthrop R., 176 Advertising: 120; bait and switch, 238; false, 238 AFL-CIO, 174 Alcoholics Anonymous, 181 Allen, Jeffrey G., 203 Alumni associations, 210 American Express, 5 American Management Association (AMA), 100, 145, 200, 201, 203, 261 AOCFI Casebook, 236 Arkle, Ron, 221 Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP),213 Arthur Andersen Company, 194 Assessing, 83, 84, 91, 234; interests, 87; personal style, 88; preferences, 87, 89; skills and abilities, 89; values, 83 Association of Outplacement Consulting Finns International (AOCFI), xix, 185, 186, 191, 192, 195, 201, 203, 213, 214,

215, 221, 228, 230, 232, 233, 235, 236, 237, 242, 243, 259 AT&T, 5, 100,200,201 Attitude, 53; caring, 54; at termination, 54 Auditing, 117 Autonomy, 14 Award for Excellence in Managing Corporate Change, 176 Axmith, Murray, 48, 72, 111, 186, 188, 194,211,231,243 Azrin, Nathan, 211 Bader, Julie, 207 Bait and switch, 238 "Bankers in Transition Data and Trends," 204 Barnett, Mark, 262 Bateson, Mary Catherine, 12 Beacon System, 180 Bean, L. L., 7 Benedict, Judy H., 207 Benefits package, 57, 163, 201 Best, A.M., 191 BEST Behavior Profiles, 89 Billian Publishing, 191

284

Index

Biographical worksheet, 104 Boeing, 9 Bolles, Richard N., 90, 95, 103, 188, 249 BORIS (Basic Outplacement Research Information Services), 186, 192 Boutiques, 174,259 Bowers, Sandy, 207 Bowlby, John, 21-22 Brammer, Lawrence M., 59, 60, 86 Branding, 119 Branstead Elizabeth, 213 Bridges, William, 11,21-22 Briefing, 57-58; brief method 57; as termination meeting, 57 Briggs, Katheryn, 88 Bunker, Barbara B., 38 Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8 Bureau of National Affairs (BNA), 36 Burlingame, Harold 200 Business: American, 5, 7; business trends of outplacement, 199; small, 188; transaction, 5, 52 Businesspeople: American, 7; Japanese, 7 Businesspersons Between Jobs, 209 Business Week, 127 Buss, Terry, 21 Cahill, Janet, 34 Caldwell, RW, Outplacement Consultants, 31 Campaign, 119, 122, 123 Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress, 174 Cantor, Jim, 177 Career, 95-111 passim; decision making, 95-102 passim; development, 110; fit, 111; managing your, 97, 99; opportunities, 101; pathing, 103-111 passim Career Assessment Inventory (CAI), 88 Career Charting, 219 Career counseling, 95-111 passim Career Finders, Inc., 191 Careerism, 1-2, 11 Career Management Resources, 216 Career and Occupational Preferences (COPS), 88 Career Profile Form, 90 Career Search, 191

Career Values Card Sort, 87 Carrier Corporation, 180; Career Center, 180 Case wit, Curtis, 195 Catalano, R., 38 Cates, Charles W, 142, 197, 220 Challenger, James, 29, 71, 172, 179, 187, 225, 256 Challenger, Gray and Christmas, 29 Chapel of Akron, 210 Chapman, George, 260 Chase Manhattan Bank, 207 Chronemics, 51. See also Time Chronicle of Higher Education, 191 Circle of services, 208 Citibank Internal Career Services Unit, 207 Climate, 36 Clinton administration, 191, 213 Close, Patrick, 210 Coalition for Adult and Continuing Education, 220 College placement services, 210 Colon-Rivera, Victor, 212 Commerce Register, 191 Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, 11 Communication, 33 Competencies, 233, 254 Composing a Life, 12 Complete Job Interview Handbook, 139 Computers. See Technology Conference Board The, 187 Conference wheel 57-58 Confidentiality, 236 Congruency, 127 Conrad Joseph, 19 ConsultAmerica, 218 Consulting: 46, 169; business, 46; doctorpatient model, 46; models for, 46; process model, 46; on restructuring, xvii; purchase-package, 46 Contact: The First Four Minutes, 162 Contacts and connections, 131-144 passim Contract, 45, 47 Contracting for OTR service models, 45-47; doctor-patient, 46; process, 4 6 ^ 7 ; purchase-package, 46

Index Contract work, 188 Coolidge, Calvin, 199 Coping with loss, 222 Corporations, 227 Counseling, 95-111 passim; relocation, xvii; transition, xvii Counselor, xviii, 70, 101, 169, 180-182, 254 Crossroads Transition Management Services, Inc., 216 Crystal, John C , 104 Custom data banks, 191 Databases, 179, 191, 194, 195,207 Davidow, William H., 7,217 Davidson, Linda, 172,205,216 Decision making, 41, 95-102 Deming, W Edwards, 7 Demographics, 11, 196 Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 110 Dismissal, 51-62 passim Donaho, Melvin W, 145 Dow Chemical. 195 Downsizing, 3—18 passim, 199-200 Downs, Winifred 205 Drake Beam Morin (DBM) Inc., 73, 89, 97, 179,206,215,217,226,258 Dreilinger, Craig, 200 Dreiford Group, 200 Dual career couples, 186 Duran, J. W., 7 Eastman Kodak, 5, 10 Echo (Extended Career Hotline Option), 191 Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act (EDWAAA), 212 Economy, 13 Education, 4 V; of corporations, 49; of outplacement personnel, 47 Electric Boat Company, 58 Emotional commitment, 249 Emotional support, 20, 27-31, 37, 49, 60-61,70-72, 186 Employee, 20; anger, 32; disgruntled 32; hourly, 174; morale. 32; revenge, 32; violence, 32

285

Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), 182,188 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 54 Employment, 53; at will, 53; contract, 53; system of free contract, 53 Employment agencies, 211, 264 EnterChange, 220 Entrepreneurship, 103, 189 Environment, 96; workplace, 96 Ernst and Young, 73 Ethical standards, 226, 239 241, 244, 256, 262 Evaluation, 164-165; of interviews, 164; types of, 165 Evans, Bob, 189 Evans Duff Associates, 189 Exxon,8 False promises, 238 Family, 27 31, 37, 70-72, 186; children, 30, 70-72; partners, 28, 70-72; spouses, 28, 70-72 Feelings(s), 29; anger, 32; fear, 32; feeling left out, 32; hurt, 29-32 Figler, Howard E., 87 Figler's Most Important Values and Needs (test), 220 Financial, 72-75; exigencies, 74; instability, 72 Finkelstein, Larry, 228 Fired 3 Firms, 200-202; number of, 202; OTR, 48-49 Fish, Robert, 206 Five O'Clock Club, The, 119, 214, 215 Forbes Magazine, 91, 226 Ford Henry, 12 Fortune 500, 5, 8, 100 Fortune Magazine, 100, Forty Plus Club, 142 Fox, James, 19 Freelance, 13, 188 Frost, Robert, 111 Furloughed workers, 5 Gadberry, Sharon, 206 Gale Research, 191

286

Index

Geffner, Nancy, 205, 206 General Dynamics, 58 General Electric (GL), 8, 100, 217 General Motors, 5, 6, Getting a Job, 136 Gilbert, Myran, 14, Glassboro State College, 34 Globalization, 185, 196 Gold Hill Publishing, 191 Government, 190, 207, 212. 229, Defense Department, 5. 213; intrusion, 229, 242; Labor Department, 54, 213 Granovetter, Mark S., 136-137 Greenberg, Eric, 101 Greenwich Group, The, 189, 218 Group outplacement, 175 Gruner, Saul, 131,203,232,235 Guerriero, Janice, 181, 182 Guthery, John, 181, 191, 194, 215 Haldane, Bernard 89, 90, 225 Half, Robert, 141 Harrison, Steve, 177, 242 Hayden, Herman, Smith and Associates, 178 Health problems, 21,34, 51 HEART (Human Resources Electronic Advertising and Recruiting Tool), 193 Helping Continuum, 181 HGL Associates, Inc., 190 Higgins, Denise, 216 Highlighter, 234 High Technology Careers Magazine, 193 Holland John L., 87, 110 Holt, Philip L., 228 How to Get a Better Job in Tim Crazy World, 141 How to Get a Job Overseas, 195 How to Get the Job You Want, 145 Hudson Institute, 10 Human resource managers, 47, 49, 174, 210,249-250 Humberger, Frank E., 59, 60, 86 IBM, 5, 8, 10, 195 Industries, 9 Inroad techniques, 104-111 In Search of the Perfect Job, 104

International Association of Career Management Consultants (IACMC), 185, 215,233,234,235,239-241 International Association of Outplacement Professionals (IAOP), 195, 203, 205, 254 International Employment Gazette, The, 195 International Jobs, 195 International Management and Development Group. Ltd., 213 Internet, 191, 192 Interview(s), 145-167 passim; definition, 145, 146; employment, 146; evaluation of, 165; forms, 151; in-depth, 87; information, 97; mediated 151; preparation steps in, 152-155; questions, 149-150; screening, 147-148, search committee, 150; selection, 151; stages, 156- 164; stress, 149; tandem, 151; termination, 55-59; types, 147 Interviewing, 145-167 passim; stages in employment, 155-164; teaching of, via simulation and television, 155 IQ, 89 l-Speak, 89, 117 Jannotta, Bray's Quality Profile and Standards (Test), 232 Jespersen, Rebecca, 142 Job banks, 142; in various cities, 142; USA, 180 "Job-Bridge;' 193 "Job Club;'211 Job Connection, 210 Job Network, The, 209 Job search, 234 Job Seekers of Montclair, 210 Johanson, Charles, 88 John Joseph Group, Ltd., 180 Johnson, Lyndon B., 3 Johnson, Miriam, 233 Johnstone, William, 15 Jordan, Mark, 180 Jukes, Jill, 27-30. 72, 186, 187, 206 Jung, Carl, 88, 247 Kasl, S. V, 38 Kates, Nick, 38

Index Kennedy, James, 228 Kennedy, Joyce Lain, 250 Kennedy Publications, xviii, 202 Key Executive Service, 205 Kickbacks, 238 King, Chapman & Broussard, Inc., 217 King, Chapman, Broussard and Gallagher, 217,234 King, Michael P. (Mike), 234 Knowdell, Richard L., 15, 58, 87, 88, 220 Kocher, Eric, 195 Krannich, Ronald L., 122, 140 Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth, 21 Kuder Vocational Test, 88 Labhar-Fiiedman/CSG, 191 Labor Department, 54 Labor unions, 174 Lacey. Dan, 12, 36, 101, 171, 200 Lamb, David 3 Landau, Julie, 213 L. A. Online, 191 Laurin, Gilles, 214 Learn, Dale, 189 Learn, Joan, 218 Lee Hecht Harrison, 175, 177, 179, 187, 204, 205, 206, 209, 213, 215, 221 Lee, Robert, 175 Lee, Tony, 229 Letter(s), 128-129; application, 128-129; thank you, 188 Lillienthat, Sally, 206 Linkages, 131-134 passim, 137; for networking, 134 Listen, 70 Litigation, 36^ 37, 48, 237; costs, 37; fear of, 37; for wrongful termination, 36 Livermore Achievement Motivation Process (LAMP), 90 Lord, David xviii Lowsruter, Clyde C , 104 Loyalty, 14,32,36 Lucht, John, 49, 66, 125, 128, 141, 171, 262 Machan, Dyan, 47, 226 Mac Mil Ian Job Guide, 153 Main, Jeremy, 200

287

Malonc, Michael S., 7,217 Management. 118, 260 Managers, 100; middle, 2, 100; unwanted 100 Manchester, Inc., 47 Marcus, John J., 139 Market(s), 202; niche market, 204 Marketing, 115; campaign, 41; metaphor, 115; organization, 118; standard texts for, 116 Marston, William, 88 Martin-Marietta, 207 Matching-Image Theory, 127 Mattson, R. T.,90 McDaniels, Carl, 62 McDonald Leslie, 172, 205, 208 McDonnell Douglas, 5 McKeon,Mike, 100 McLennan, Joseph, 217 McNally, Peter, 210 Meissner, Joe, 66, 115, 179 Mejias, Cristina, 175 Mengel & McDonald 204 Meyer, John 1 , 51, 63, 95, 115, 145, 281 Middlebury College, 226 Middlebury Magazine, 226 Milgram, Stanley, 135 Miller, Arthur F., 90 Minsuk, Machlin, Stein & Associates, 228 Moody s Industrial Manual, 153 Morale, 35, 48 Morin, William J., 14,70,71, 101, 172 Morristown, N.J., Chamber of Commerce, 209 Morrow, Lance, 188 Mossop, Catherine, 174 Murray Axmith & Associates, 111 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, 88, 175, 220 Myers, Isabell Briggs, 88 Nabisco, 216 National Association of Corporate Directors, 205 National Business Employment Weekly, 172,209,229 National Career Development Association (NCDA), 185

288

Index

National Computer Systems, 88 National Vocational Guidance Association (NVGA), 185 Negotiating styles, 89, 122 Networking, 121 122, 131-143 passim; ABC approach, 133; definition, 131; methods, 136, 140-142; models for, 133; techniques, 134-137, 140-142 Networking, 142 Networks, 131 143 passim Nevill, Dorothy D., 86 New Quick Job-Hunting Map, The, 90 New Rites of Passage at $100,000+. The, 125 Newsweek, 5 New York Times, The, 125 Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, 208, 220 Nikel, Bill 210 North Face, 176 Notification, notifier, 61 Nussbaum, Bruce, 127 Occupation(s), 10, Office, 63-65, 251; cost, 64, 209; location, 65; space, 64 Ontario Institute for Studies and Education, 186 "Opening New Doors" (cassette), 193 Otis Quick Score, 89 Outplacement (OTR): benefits, 41, 48; boon or bane, xii; challenges to, 225-246 passim; corporate, 227; definition, xvii, xix; democratization, 174; finns, xvii; history of, xvii, 215, 220, 225, 233, 265-266, 267-269; industry, 169, 199; issues, 225-246 passim; process, 44, 70; professionals, 232; program process, 41, 169; proliferation of services, 174; retail, 227; "rip off," 47; scam, 47 Outplacement centers, 64 Outplacement Industry Coalition (OIC), 242 Outplacement Institute, 235 Outplacement International (OI), xix. 180, 193, 195,215,218,219,259 Outplacement Solution, The, 83 Out the Organization, 140 Overseas jobs, 195

Pacific Bell, 207 Packaging, 119 Pathfinders, 208 Perfect Follow-Up Method to Get the Job, The, 203 Performax, 89 Personal Style Indicator, 89 Persuasion, 47, 49 Peterson's, 191 Pick Publications, 191 Pink slip, 56 Planning, 43, Plutarch, 83 Polk,R.L. &Co., 191 Power Search, 193 Power Marketing, 66, 115, 119, 176, 179 Pncing, 122,203,261 Private Industry Councils (PIC's), 213, 229 Private sector, 189 Process Model, 46 Procter and Gamble, 8 Product, 117-118 Productive Work})laces, 1 Productivity, 8, 35, 36 Professional Association of Resume Writers, 125 ProNet, 180 Psychiatry, 182 Psychoanalysis, 182 Psychological counseling, 180 182 Psychosocial Impact oj Job Loss, The, 38 Psychotherapy, 182 Public sector, 190, 207, 212, 213, 229 Purchase-Package Model, 46 Quality. See Total Quality Management (TQM) Questions, 97; availability, 149; evaluation (criterion), 165; field 97; job function, 97; organization, 97; probing, 149; qualifications, 149 Rado, Stuart, 261 Ranger, Jean Jacques, 104, 193 Rapport, 60 Ravlin, Michael L., 38 Re-Careering in Turbulent Times, 140

Index Redburn, Steven, 21 Reemployment Act of 1994, 275 Regional Learning Services/RLS Career Center, 207, 211,251 Reich, Robert, 5 Relocation, 169 Research, 47, 49, 185, 186, 200, 249. Also see BORIS Resources for career transition, 271-274 Restructuring, 5 Resume, 125-130 Retail, 228 Retainer, 201 Retraining, 11 Revenge, 19, 36 Richardson, Lynda, 125 Right Associates, 33, 177, 193, 194-95, 204, 205, 206, 213, 215, 216, 219, 232, 251,260,261 Ripple effect, 2, 27-39, 187 Rites ofPaggage at $100,000+, The New, 125 Roe, Gerald 142 Rollins, Anthony, 193 Roosevelt, Franklin D., 69 Rosenberg, Ruthan, 27-30, 72, 186-187, 206 SaboldLynn, 131 Salary negotiation, 160, 163-164 Sales, 89 Sara Lee, 5 Schein, Edgar H., 86 Scott, Sir Walter, 131 Seagate Associates, Inc., 153, 173, 189, 191, 192, 194 Searches, 194 Sears, 5 Security, 55 Selection interview, 146; definition, 146; stages in, 156—164; types of, 147 Self-Directed Search, The, 110 Self-employment, 100, 103, 189 Self-help, 181,210 Selling, 115, 118; contract, 47; OTR services, 47; process, 121; strategy, 118; target, 119 Severance, 48, 201

289

Shadle, Carolyn C , 185, 225, 281 Shilling, A. Gary, 5 Shopping, 237 Shtob, Erik, 174 Small world phenomenon, 135 Sobecki, John, 210 Society, 37-38 Society for Human Resource Managers, 210 Somerset Hills YMCA, 209 Spenser, Edmund, 171 Standard and Poor's Corporation Records, 153 Standards for Ethical Practice, 239 Standards of services, 230 State University of New York, 213; at Buffalo, 38 Stern, Linda, 127 Stewart, Charles J., 146 St. John's Church, Montclair, NJ, 210 Stoddard Claire, 206 Streamlining, 185 Strength of weak ties, 136 Stress, 21,29, 31,34, 37 Stringers, 235 Strong Interest Inventory, 87 Stuart. Peggy, 38 Stybel, Laurence J., 176 Stybel, Peabody & Associates, 176 Super, Donald Edwin, 86 Supervisor, 55 Support, 61; need for, 61; types of, 28 Surviving Your Partner's Job Loss, 72, 187, 206 Survivor, 31, 32, 34, 35, 48-49 Swain, Madeleine, 140 Swain, Robert, 140 System for Identifying Motivated Abilities (SIMA), 90 System for Identifying Motivated Skills (SIMS), 89 System of Interactive Guidance Information (S1GI) 207-208 Taxation, 229, 242 Teaching, 155; via simulation, 155; via television, 155 Team, 49, 116,218

290

Index

Technology, 6, 179, 185, 191, 193-194, 220 Tenneco, 5, Termination, 51, 53; briefing, 57; conference-wheel approach, 57; contract, 48; factors in, 56; interview, 52-62; meeting, 52-62; notification, 48. 61; problems process of, 56; reasons, 53-54; times and place for, 52. 58; trauma, 51; understanding, 55 Terminator, 56—57, 61 Testing, 83, 84, 89 Thomas' Register of American Manufacturers, 153 Tiffin, Bill, 258 Time, 51, 58, 89; chronemics, 51: commitment, 248; period 3; time-sensitive corporations, 7; of week, 58 Toffler, Alvin, 13 Total Quality Management (TQM), 7, 218, 232 Trade show, 121 Training, 11, 201, 235, 254-255 Transitions: for employees, xvii, 169, 188; in workplace, xvii, Transitions ManagemenL/Outplacement International, 206 Transplacement, 187 Troisi, Angelo, 215, 266 Troy Associates of Boston, 218 TRW, 5 TSC (Technical Service Council), 214 TTG Consultants, 193 Unbundling, 176 Unemployment insurance, 48 United Labor Agency, 174 United Way, 58 University of British Columbia, 186 University of Toronto, 186 U S. News & World Report, 203 VCR Career Group, 212

Videoconferencing, 194 Videotaped instruction, 193 Virtual Corporation, The, 1 VISA, 7 Vision, 218 Wall Street Journal, The, 172 Ware, Cynthia H., 174 Weak ties, strength of, 136 Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, 89 Wegmann, Robert, 185 Weisbord Marvin, 7 Welch, Mary Scott, 142 Wendleton, Kate, 119, 127, 162, 214 Werner International Corporation, 229 Westinghouse, 206-207 Westtech Expo Corp., 193 What Color Is Your Parachute?, 90, 100 Where Do I Go From Here With My Life? 104 Williams, Timothy, 177 Windelspecht, Pat, 189, 205 WINGS, 210 Wolfer, Karen, 83 Wong, Richard G., 83 Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), 212 Workers: co-workers, 31; hourly, 206; survivors, 31, 32, 34, 35, 48-49 Work in the Ne\v Economy, 186 Workplace: killings, 20; revenge, 19, 36; violence, 19, 38 Workplace Trends, 101 Wyatt Company, 34 Xerox, 5, YMCA, 209 Yorks, Lyle, 70, 71 Ziglar, Zig, 193 Zunin, Leonard, 162 Zunin, Natalie, 162

About the Authors JOHN L. MEYER is a professor of communication at the State University of New' York at Plattsburgh, where he teaches organizational communication, public speaking, and interviewing. He has worked with businesses through the Champlain Valley Management Club and as a trainer and consultant through 1CS, Inc. He has co-authored Get the Right Person for the Job and How to Get the Job You Want and has served actively in the New York State Speech Communication Association, of which he is a former president. CAROLYN C. SHADLE is on the faculty of the State University of New Yorks Empire State College, where she directs a residency-based degree program in management for adult learners. She has also been involved with businesses through her work with the State University of New York at Buffalo's Center for Management Development, Center for Industrial Effectiveness, and Institute for Work/Family Balance. She has co-authoreDBuildingGCommunicationonSkills.s. Thiough ICS, Inc., she trains and consults with businesses and organizations.