The complexities of executive outplacement

We have been helping people, of all levels, for over 25 years take the next step in their career. One thing we’ve learnt along the way is that it really isn’t a case of one size fits all when it comes to outplacement, this is especially true when helping those at the most senior level transition into a new role.

Making a career transition is never easy, but it can be more of a challenge for those at the top of their fields.  For starters as you progress through your career and move up the ladder, the pool of available roles becomes smaller, the skills and experience needed for them become more specific and to make it even more complex, these roles are often not advertised in the traditional fashion.

All these factors mean that executive outplacement programmes need to be highly tailored to the individual and use the expertise of those that are specialised and well experienced in helping the most senior workers take the next step in their career. And perhaps most importantly, not be rushed.

The process takes longer, while there are perhaps fewer roles, there is more to consider.  As roles are not often advertised networking is key to securing a new role.  Before that can even begin, the type of role, the sector, industry, a short list of companies and/or individuals to approach, needs to be considered, discussed, honed and finalised so that any networking or speculative approaches are targeted, precise and as impactful as possible.

If you then add in relocation, whether nationally or internationally, the possibility of starting their own business, or of becoming a NED or perhaps wishing to retire. These are all scenarios that need to be explored and require specific help and support from career coaches with expertise, knowledge and experience in these areas. These challenges require a very different and more complex approach that covers more than creating a CV and focussing on interview skills.  However, that being said, these fundamentals can’t be ignored.  Although some senior leaders get to the top by regularly moving roles and companies, many have worked their way up in the same organisation. Meaning that their job searching skills are often extremely out of date. The pace of technological advancements and the impact it has had on everything, including job searching, has meant that even those that moved jobs just 5 years ago can already be out of touch.  For example, as the most senior roles are not advertised, ensuring that LinkedIn profiles are strong and fully optimised for job searching is a must in order to get noticed.

It may seem like an impossible task, helping people find new roles when there are few to choose from, they require specific skills and aren’t advertised. Yet, with the right help and support that is exactly what a good executive outplacement programme will facilitate. This is why it’s highly important that if you’re looking for yourself or for a senior employee you’re letting go, that you thoroughly research potential executive outplacement providers to ensure they can offer the right mix of time, expertise and resources for a successful executive career move.

If you’re looking for executive outplacement support for yourself or for a senior member of your team please do get in touch and see how our executive outplacement could be of service.