A recent report from a UK-based recruitment firm found that a majority of employees think companies should have to provide career transition services to workers who lose their jobs. The report is based on a survey of more than 1,000 HR professionals, managers, and employees.

While 82.2 percent of employees think companies should have to provide laid-off workers with outplacement help, 73 percent said they did not receive this type of help when they lost their own jobs, which could be a result of employers not wanting to pay for the services.

The report found that nearly two-thirds of employers would provide outplacement assistance to their laid-off workers if the government was willing to provide funding for the help. Employers cited a lack of internal resources and a declining view of importance as the top reasons for not providing outplacement help.

It’s unlikely that the government will be providing funding for employers to offer outplacement services any time soon, but there are still affordable options out there, one of which is Outplacing.com.

As an employer, it’s important to remember that the difference between providing help to laid-off workers and leaving displaced employees to fend for themselves can make all the difference when it comes to your company maintaining a good reputation.

Employees who are affected by layoffs and receive the help they need will be more likely to give your company a good name, but those who don’t receive any assistance may end up feeling slighted and underappreciated.

Have you heard about the HIRE Act? On March 18, 2010 President Obama signed the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE). The idea is to offer small business tax breaks and incentives for hiring employees who have been unemployed for at least 60 days prior to being hired.

There are some great tax incentives for businesses and here are some of just the basics for businesses to hire unemployed workers: 1. a payroll tax exemption of the employer’s share of Social Security taxes on wages paid to these workers after March 18, 2010. 2. An employer tax credit of up to $1,000 per worker.

In order to receive these benefits you must hire new employees that meet the following criteria: 1. an employee can be hired between Feb 3, 2010 & Jan 1, 2011 2. The newly-hired employee must have been unemployed during the 60 days prior to starting work, or worked fewer than 40 hours for someone else during the 60 day period.

The HIRE Act is aimed at providing hiring incentives to restore some of the jobs lost in the latest economic recession. The goal is to help put Americans back to work as soon as possible. Companies that hire qualifying workers sooner rather than later will get the most out of the tax credits, as the tax credits will decrease over time, and be completely gone by January 1, 2011.

The big question is how are you going to take advantage of these benefits?  Where are all of these unemployed workers at?  They are everywhere, which to me makes the idea of trying to recruit them seem overwhelming.  So how do you find the needle in the haystack?  Have you ever thought about adding outplacement firms as one of your recruiting sources? They are working directly with a large pool of transitioning employees that are skilled and ready to work, some of which have been unemployed for at least 60 days.

Now would be a great time to connect with various outplacement firms and your local workforce offices to maximize your exposure to this fantastic population of highly skilled employees!

The blogger received a great comment, well question really about giving an example of what this might look like.   Well here is what I think…I think the point is that the master resume is all the work you have ever done and is available for you to select the relevant information needed for the specific positions you are applying for.  I think you should put everything down that you did for each position.  Create statements and paragraphs describing your role and include accomplishments as well as bullet points of your skills needed for the position.  You don’t have to worry about space because this won’t be a resume you actually submit to a job posting, rather a place you will go to gather the appropriate data needed to create a resume specific to the job posting.

Here’s an example of what I think a master resume might be:

ABC COMPANY, Phoenix, AZ                                                  June 2000 – January 2009
Human Resource Specialist
Responsible for recruiting, interviewing and hiring all positions for customer service operations.  (Roughly 850 employee’s total).  Develop recruiting sources though various communities based organizations, job fairs and advertising. Work directly with Senior HR Manager, HR Manager, HR Staff and operations management on special projects including PR & Marketing (Radio, TV and Print), Employee Relations, Benefit Eligibility Tracking, New Hire Orientation and perception of HR department “Customer Service”.    With current marketing strategy that was implemented in 2008 we have successfully increased applicant traffic and interviewed over 1400 potential applicants.   We were able to hire and train 40% of the applicants since April. Other special projects include Onsite Job Fair Coordination, assisted in Employee Benefit Fair coordination, Employee Appreciation Events and Company Sponsored Charity Events including Team Captain for annual American Cancer Society fundraiser, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.

o    ADP Software
o    Benefit Administration
o    Advertising
o    Contract Negotiation
o    Training
o    Training/Development
o    Detail Oriented
o    Auditing Employee Files
o    Labor Relations
o    SHRM Member

Technology has changed the way you apply for positions and with technology also comes the idea that the rules we once knew 10 years ago when creating a resume no longer exist.  Let’s face it, there are no rules to resumes and if you ask 5 HR people what they like you will get five different answers!

Today the most important thing you can do is 1. Understand there are no hard rules with regards to resumes and 2. Know your work history and adapt your resume and information to reflect the position you are applying for.

As you can see from the example I gave above you might not put all of that information in your resume but having it all down on paper in one place, you can pull the information needed to create a resume for the position you are applying for.

Here are some ideas I think are good to consider when creating a resume from your master resume:

• If a job posting has lots of bullet points then maybe the person writing the job description is looking for direct and to the point resumes.  Consider using bullet points in your resume.
• If job posting is built around paragraphs then its possible your resume might be better suited in a paragraph format.

Another thing to consider when applying for a position is consider looking at the way you apply to the position as you how you would act or function in the position itself.  If you are an admin applying to a position that is looking for someone who is detail oriented you will for sure want to have read ALL of the instructions in the job posting and follow them as wells as make sure you are not applying with a resume that has typos.  Along the same lines if you are applying to a Sales position and you never follow up with the company or you don’t send a thank you note after your interview, what does that say about your sales skills?  Is the employer going to think you will treat their customers the same way?

•    Respond to community and industry impacts as they happen. If your competitors have announced a layoff, your employees are likely to be wondering if they are next.  Be forthright and quick with a message that tells your employees the truth.  Even if you don’t know if or when layoffs will take place, you can fend off rumors and build goodwill by addressing those nagging questions before they become outright fears.  Remember, what you don’t say will be interpreted by your employees as much as what you do say!

•    Tell employees about changes before the outside world knows.  Finding out about layoffs or restructuring in the newspaper or via scuttlebutt is not good for morale, trust, or the future of the organization.  Tell employees what the plans are early and well before anyone else catches wind.

•    Deliver the news face to face when at all possible.  We’ve heard horrendous stories about companies notifying employees about a layoff via email.  Talk about cold!!  These are sensitive messages that should be delivered with respect and compassion.  Don’t let your fear about the emotions you might receive get in the way of doing the right thing.

•    Conduct weekly CEO webcasts. If your organization is large and face to face meetings with top executives is not logistically possible, use the technology available to you to get the word out.  The organizational leader needs to be seen and heard and should be sharing his/her thoughts and plans as often as possible.  The longer the leader remains silent and faceless, the greater the resentment employees will have.

•    Publish daily or weekly intranet updates under a heading designated for the change. One organization facing mass layoffs developed an intranet website titled, Straight Talk.  This site included the most current information about the budget, layoff policies, plans, and outplacement resources.  Even if the employee couldn’t find a manager to speak with, they could count on this site for the most up to date information.  Granted, it doesn’t replace the need for face to face conversation, but it is a tool that can help you put out a consistent message.

•    Hold CEO Town Halls. Like the weekly CEO webcasts, it’s important that the top brass be visible. One of the most effective ways for the leader to get his/her message out is to hold meetings with employees on a regular basis.  When they are held consistently over time, employees know that they can count on an opportunity to hear the latest developments related to the change and they have an opportunity to be heard themselves.

•    Conduct training for supervisors. While the top executive has an important role to play in communicating a consistent message about the layoff, the first line supervisor is the person who is likely to see and hear the employee’s emotions and reactions the most.  Provide skill-based training for supervisors on how to respond to employee reactions, emotions, and behaviors during this difficult time.

Periods of layoff and/or restructuring are never easy.  How the organization manages the messages about the process will determine how employees and the public respond to the organization in the future.

About the Author:
Marnie E. Green
Marnie Green’s goal, via her Management Education Group, Inc. is to build confident leaders who produce extraordinary results. To accomplish this objective, her firm provides valuable step-by-step programs and facilitation services that create more effective leaders and team members. As a veteran human resource developer, she promises that participants will walk away from the programs she presents with practical ideas and skills.

Considering the variety benefit packages that each organization has to offer job seekers in the market today, it has to be a factor when you are looking for a job.  When you first sign up for the great benefits, who could foresee that you wouldn’t actually use them?  It’s true.  Many great benefits that companies pay for and generously offer to employees go unused.  Here are some overlooked benefits you may be able to take advantage of today or in the future:

1. Fund Matching. Whether it is a 401K matching or charitable contribution matching, your dollars go farther when your employer matches your spending.  Make sure you aren’t overlooking this easy way to make your money do more.  If you don’t understand the program (because sometimes that can be the only thing holding a person back from reaping this great benefit), schedule some time with your benefits administrator to go over any paperwork or details.  If necessary, seek outside help to evaluate your options with your 401k.  Your finances are worth the time it takes to understand them.  Your retirement fund and the charitable organizations you contribute to will thank you.

2. Health and Wellness Plans. From losing weight, quitting smoking, all the way to individual counseling; many employers provide wellness programs that go beyond your standard “trips to the doctor”.  Seek out the help that can keep you well and out of the doctors office.

3. Outplacement Services or Employment Assistance. Many times after layoffs or closures employers will offer assistance to employees to help gain new employment.  Assistance can mean anything from re-education to help with resumes, interview coaching and help finding new, similar positions.  This is an extremely valuable service that can really get you ahead in your search (by possibly saving you a lot of time and other resources before you find your next job).  Act quickly with this benefit as sometimes there are time limits associated with this type of service.  If your former employer has offered you employment assistance – take this tool and use it to your advantage.

If you are looking for work now, consider your benefits carefully and gravitate towards the ones you will use (and make a commitment to use the ones you get).    For anyone that is currently working, maybe it is time to look at what benefits you have left on the table?  Do you have any benefits you wish you would have used at a former job?

Article Courtesy of Marnie E. Green, Principal Consultant for Management Education Group, Inc
Have you seen George Clooney’s newest movie, Up in the Air? It chronicles the life and work of Alex, a management consultant who lays people off.  The movie has many themes about life and work.  However, the one theme that stood out for me was that we all react differently when facing loss.

The loss of a job will mean different things to different people.  In fact, my colleague Richard Deems, in his book, Make Job Loss Work for You, offers an insightful model for understanding how we react.  He says that all loss is surrounded by fear, frustration, and a physical response (colds, flu, headaches, etc.)  Beyond those reactions, we tend to move between six other emotions: Shock and Disbelief, Anger & Resentment, Denial & Bargaining, Self-doubt & Put-downs, Withdrawal & Depression, and eventually Acceptance & Affirmation.  Some of us move through the stages quickly; other people may vacillate between stages or have “flashbacks” to Anger months after the loss.

If you are facing a job loss, it will be important to recognize that the reactions you are having are normal.  It’s normal to ask, “why me?” It’s normal to feel angry with management or corporate. It’s normal to feel less than adequate.  Feel it, recognize it, allow yourself a little time in each emotion, and then move on.  Ask yourself, “how is this emotion helping me?”  Once the emotion gets in the way of you moving on to a more productive place, it’s time to get going.

The people who were laid off in the movie Up in the Air are said to be actual victims of layoff. No wonder the acting was so good.

About the Author:
Marnie E. Green
Marnie Green’s goal, via her Management Education Group, Inc. is to build confident leaders who produce extraordinary results. To accomplish this objective, her firm provides valuable step-by-step programs and facilitation services that create more effective leaders and team members. As a veteran human resource developer, she promises that participants will walk away from the programs she presents with practical ideas and skills.

When a company is going through a layoff they have a lot of options as to how they are going “execute” their layoff strategy and when it comes to granting outplacement services timing is everything.  Outplacement services are benefits offered to an employee who is being laid off. These services are delivered by a specialized firm that the company laying off hires on behalf of their soon to be or laid off employees.  Outplacement services can range from employee counseling and career guidance to resume writing, job placement help, job fair events and more.

It’s important to remember that what a company and its employees will get from an outplacement company is only going to equal the effort they put into the process. That means the services available and the ability to use them will only be perceived as good as the method and time in which they are presented to employees in a transition. Remember…It’s all in the execution!

That being said, the execution of the services is the most important aspect of any company’s outplacement efforts. This is because employees need to have ample time to adjust to the idea of losing their jobs and using the help available to them.

Example: Company A, let its employees know that their jobs would be eliminated about 45 days in advance.  That’s great! (given the circumstances) However, outplacement services or any other services or resources, weren’t offered to the company’s employees until their final days before their jobs were to be cut.

That sort of lack of communication left the employees feeling bitter and jaded. At this point, employees reluctantly take advantage of the services they’re offered, but don’t use them to their full advantage, instead of having the opportunity to be completely open to them.

“Why couldn’t we have been given this information a month ago when we found out we were losing out jobs?” asked one employee from Company A. “Maybe then I would have been closer to finding a job before this one was eliminated.”

What could we learn from this?  If you are giving your exiting
employees access to any type of resources, including outplacement services, let them know right away. Even if the employees aren’t scheduled to leave the company for a month or two, they will be more likely to work harder at their jobs and become engaged in the process if you make the services and resources available to them up front.  Some people argue that could be distracting for the employees; however I would argue that it is more distracting to have your employees worrying about how they are going to find their next job all by themselves.  Of course, some companies have no choice but to wait until the last minute to notify employees they will lose their jobs. In that case, you should still give them any outplacement information you have available as soon as possible.

Make sure your employee has access to the contact information for the outplacement company or have a representative who will be available for the employees to talk to.  Sometimes your employees will feel better just by having a 3^rd party to talk to.

Finally, make sure the company providing you with the outplacement services has the contact information for each employee being affected by the layoff, that way they can be sure to follow up with the displaced employees and make sure their transition is going smoothly.

If you are having to layoff and lose some of your most valued employees remember that the most important thing to think about is your plan and how you are going execute….not the employees, but the exit strategy.

About 20 years ago, I was hired by an organization, only to be put in a gut-wrenching situation. Within three months of my arrival, the company experienced a major period of cutbacks. Jobs were being lost and my position was on the list to be eliminated. Because I was the most junior person in the office, this meant that I was a prime target for layoff.

After a long, three-month process, it was determined that my job was safe. During those three months, I was on pins and needles. But looking back, I am grateful that my boss kept me informed and provided me with options as early as he could so that I could prepare for the potential loss. His honest approach to delivering tough messages taught me how to be a better business person.

Today, organizations and employees are facing similar cutbacks and turbulence. If they aren’t laying people off, they’re cutting budgets big time. As entrepreneurs, we know that a slumping economy translates into difficult decisions for the workplace, and how these decisions are carried out impact how employees feel about their organization

While these tough times are forcing business owners to deliver bad news, it doesn’t have to lead to decreased employee motivation or commitment. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned regarding how to effectively communicate with staff during difficult times:

1. Tell them all you know. Hiding details or facts from employees rarely benefits anyone, and employees eventually find out the full truth anyway. If you haven’t been 100 percent upfront with the details from the beginning, your lack of transparency will be held against you in the future.

2. Tell them when you will know more. Sometimes you don’t know all of the facts or possible outcomes. The best thing you can do is to admit what you don’t know and let them know when you expect to have more information. Of course, you’ll want to deliver on your promise to follow up.

3. Provide options. In uncertain times, everyone wants to know that they have viable options. In the case of layoffs or budget cuts, you may not have a choice when it comes to making tough decisions. However, you can offer options to employees about how the changes will affect them. For example, one struggling organization I know is offering employees the option to take a lower paying job or a severance package. At the very least, the choice left the employees in control of their own destiny.

4. Show your pain. These are painful times when people are losing the status quo. It is completely appropriate, and often times welcomed, for the person delivering bad news to show that it’s a tough and painful decision. I still remember a former boss of mine who said, “This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.” I believed him.

5. Don’t sugarcoat or minimize the message. You may want to deliver the bad news in a way that makes it seem “not so bad.” You may even sprinkle in a few “look on the bright sides.” While a certain amount of optimism may seem appropriate, be careful not to overdo it. What may seem like “no big deal” to you may be a huge deal to the employee who is hearing about it for the first time.

Giving tough messages during tough times can be difficult, but I’ve learned that by being honest and forthcoming with your concerns, you’ll set yourself and your staff up for future success.

About the Author:
Marnie E. Green
Marnie Green’s goal, via her Management Education Group, Inc. is to build confident leaders who produce extraordinary results. To accomplish this objective, her firm provides valuable step-by-step programs and facilitation services that create more effective leaders and team members. As a veteran human resource developer, she promises that participants will walk away from the programs she presents with practical ideas and skills.

I myself focused on something totally un-related to what I am doing today when I was first starting out and thought that I would have a great career as Broadway Star! That dream quickly faded away when I started a family. I sort of fell into something to make ends meet for a few years but when I found myself divorced and supporting two growing boys I quickly realized I had to decide what I wanted to be because now, I was grown up!

I stuck with what I knew and fortunately it lead me to where I am today. I love my job and had no idea just how much I loved to help connect people to resources and tools to help them be the most successful in their job search and careers. That’s what I have told people for the last two years since I had the opportunity to come work for Jobing.com and guess what? THAT WAS A BIG LIE and I didn’t even know it!

I was driving home from another busy day, work, pick up kids from school, run errands and grab dinner with family. I stopped to check my email before heading home knowing that I had 100 more errands to do once I got home and email would not be one of them. I received a message through Facebook from a High School Friend that recently found me on there. Here is what the message said from a man that I have not seen in at least 15 years:

“Hello Holly so nice to find you. I don’t know if you know this but you are the one of the reasons I got into makeup. You suggested it when we were at the JC. Thank you. I have been in LA for the past 13 years working as a professional makeup artist for movies, tv shows, commercials you name it. I hope you are well”

So the big lie I was telling is that I had no idea I was good at something that according to my friend Tyson helped him launch into a pretty cool career! All I thought I was doing was looking at something that seemed like a hobby to him and connect him to a class I had recently taken in our theater department at college. Needless to say I was so taken with his message and it felt so wonderful that he would include in his life path and success.

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that often times we struggle with finding out who we are or what we are good at and it just might be right there in front of us. Maybe if you are struggling with what to do you should stop and reflect on your life, connect with some old friends who knew you when and see if that doesn’t help spark some ideas. Others often see in us what we can’t see in ourselves.

The downturn in the economy has forced employers who truly care about their workers to decide whether or not they should reduce the size of their workforce, who they should keep on board and who they should let go. Those are not easy decisions for any employer.

Outplacement services have been talked about on a more regular basis due to the shift in the economy the last couple of years.  Outplacement services have proven to help soften the blow to those employees affected by layoffs and have been a crucial act for many companies.  Eventually, however, the economy will recover. Companies will be in a position to make new hires or rehire previously laid-off workers. Does that mean employers should stop using outplacement services for their workers?

The obvious answer to that question is no. While it may seem like you only need to use an outplacement firm when times are rough and you’re in danger of having to make unwanted layoffs, any company will easily be able to see how using outplacement services, regardless of the economy, can be a great benefit.  What I mean by this is considering using outplacement services for employees within your organization who just are not a good fit.  I recently had an opportunity to speak with an HR Professional and current President of the Staffing Management Association of Phoenix. Julie Armstrong.  Julie’s previous organization utilized outplacement services for that reason. I asked Julie why they chose to provide outplacement services?

“We selected outplacement services as a way to assist employees that may not have been a match in our environment but had  skills and abilities for a successful career.  We as  a corporation did not want to leave people with no options and no where to turn, we wanted to do the right thing for transitioning employees.  Through the outplacement process we actually retained 3       employees in other areas/departments of the company where their skill set was found to be more valuable and a better fit.  The  overall process enabled us to transition employees and ensure they were able to retain new employment opportunities. In most cases the transitioning employees found better opportunities that aligned with their overall career goals.  We were able to learn  from the outplacement process, improving our recruiting practices and retention tools and at the end of the day it helped with our overall image.”

Just as every successful company regards its interviewing process, hiring process and culture as part of its employment brand, outplacement can easily fit into that overall picture. For instance, just as companies don’t only use an HR team when interviewing and hiring, you shouldn‘t only use an outplacement firm when layoffs are inevitable.

There are many instances throughout a normal year when having a good relationship with an outplacement company can be extremely beneficial.   Fortunately, many companies have the ability to more easily intertwine  outplacement services with their  employment brand.