Most people think of Career Transition services as a glorified resume-writing seminar slapped on at the end of a termination. If you have a great transition plan and team in place, it’s about much more than that!
It’s true that reviewing and updating the resume is an important part of the Career Transition process, but don’t forget about the human element of transition. Job loss can be an incredibly negative and even traumatizing experience if improperly handled. Different people will react differently, but it’s certain to be a major source of stress in the lives of those affected. Terminated employees can go through the same stages as people going through grief – shock, denial, fear, and anger – which can quickly drain the energy they need to move forward. Some people even experience depression, which can make the challenge of moving forward insurmountable without quality care.
Great career transition pros know how to meet people at their level. Having an experienced career transition professional on site from the very beginning of termination allows them to provide support and minimize the shock of job loss and help people start planning for the future instead of fixating on the present right away.
Yes, that means finding new employment as quickly as possible, which means resume writing, interview prep, and job search aid. But it also means getting the terminated employees in the right “head space” so they can adopt a healthy, positive perspective and move forward in an emotionally healthy manner that benefits everyone involved — the terminated employee AND the terminating employer.
It can seem daunting, but we have shown time and again that we are more than capable of providing quality career transition services. Please contact our HR Advisory department right away if you would like to begin putting a career transition plan in place for your company!