An Executive Coach Tells All on Hiring, Outplacement and Virtual Interviews

A couple weeks ago, I promised my LinkedIn followers I would start to do some Q&As with marketing pros and other business leaders.

It’s a promise I intend to keep. But it’s hard to do those right now. Marketing leaders are way too busy adjusting to the new reality of quarantining and trying to adjust their plans. Plus, asking questions about marketing trends seems kind of pointless as we ride this rough patch out. What’s the biggest trend in marketing this year? Coronavirus, that’s what!

But as we live through this radical shift in our lives, there’s just too many perspectives to lean on to get lazy with my LinkedIn content. This epidemic has obviously caused significant disruption to the labor market. It therefore feels fitting that my first Q&A is with Jim Wolf, President of Human Resource Management Corporation (HRMC), an HR consulting company based in St. Louis.

Obviously, we’re going through a period of job cuts/furloughs, and if you do get laid off, hopefully you'll receive some sort of severance. Many 'downsized' employees fixate on receiving a cash payout or an extension of payroll for several weeks, or even several months (if super lucky/long tenured).

And yes, that’s very important, however, there are other parts of the package to keep an eye on. Continuation of health care, vesting of stock options, plus many severance packages include career transition services to help you find your next adventure.

That’s where a firm like HRMC comes into play – outplacement is one of the core services Jim’s company offers. I caught up with Jim about the current economy, the value of outplacement and adjusting to a virtual recruiting process.

Here’s our conversation:

I’ve heard that under challenging economic conditions, some companies have considered reducing funds for career transition/outplacement services.

Since all company decisions should be fiscally responsible, the entire severance policy should be reviewed to ensure exit-benefits are properly balanced, such as the formula used to calculate the length of payroll continuation, and healthcare coverage.

After-all, the original purpose of severance was to support an employee with a payment bridge between the old and new job, while it also protects employer interests by reducing potential legal risks. And yes, the depth and/or duration of job search support may also need adjustment but eliminating outplacement altogether could be disastrous. Not only could this increase legal risks, and certainly bode poorly for the terminated individuals, there is an indirect, yet very real impact on remaining employees.

How people are treated upon departure says a lot about a company and what it values. This is true in any circumstance, but especially true if people’s roles are impacted for economic reasons beyond anyone’s control.

If someone is offered outplacement, why should they take advantage? How should someone best approach outplacement?

It's surprising how many people that are offered this service don’t take advantage of these benefits. There are several reasons for this: some people may have anticipated the change and landed a job very quickly or they have very promising prospects and feel it's not needed.

Others may not want to seek a traditional job but rather start/or buy into a business. But unless one has no intention of working again, in any capacity, there are extensive resources available to them regardless of their career path; entrepreneurial guidance (properly creating an LLC, developing a business plan, etc.). And for those that had a jump-start in their search, we have stepped in at the final stage with sound salary negotiations advice.

For those who do want to enter a traditional job search, why wouldn’t you ask for help or get help from experts? Let me offer an analogy: You're lost in the woods, deep within a national forest and there's a forest ranger passing by. Wouldn’t you ask for some guidance? It boggles my mind that people don’t take advantage of it. There is proof that going through a methodological process, like at a place like HRMC, is very beneficial.

And let’s say you’ve landed a job very quickly. You should still reach out for advice on negotiation. There are so many aspects of a job search where people could gain advantages by utilizing outplacement.

If an individual loses their job and wants to start the business they've always wanted to, can outplacement help with that? 

Well, not every firm offers these types of services but HRMC has always provided guidance to pursue alternative career paths, and we've seen an increase in this area over the past several years. Our resources include personal help to properly establish an LLC, build a business plan, or guidance in buying a business through a franchise and/or private owner.

Outplacement helps people at all stages of their career, but those who take advantage of these unique resources are oftentimes well into their careers. And those who are considering what we describe as active-retirement, our services can specifically help them market their skills/talents to serve on boards (paid and/or volunteer) and for other consulting opportunities. After all, most people don’t necessarily want to turn off the engine and retire completely. Most people want to remain active, and we help people do so.

What about the perceived conflict of interest that the company who laid them off is actually the one paying for your services?

This is a very common reaction, one which is very understandable. It's critical for us to gain their trust, and the best ways is sharing our success stories, and maybe even offer introductions to those we've helped in the past. Oftentimes our reputation precedes a formal introduction where they've already heard about the HRMC experience from colleagues or friends. We pride ourselves on maintaining their confidentiality and ensuring that our focus is on their success. The only thing we share with the employer is that they are utilizing our service. That’s it!

If you’ve been granted our services and are on the fence, start by sending us your resume. We'll provide you honest feedback with no commitment; you can then evaluate our value, as well as our sincerity and decide if your wish to start a relationship with HRMC. 

You’ve worked with thousands of people over the years. What are the personal characteristics or factors that you believe have the most impact on the length of time it takes a client to land a new job?

You’re correct that it isn’t generally just one factor – but the those which are most impactful include an individual’s resilience [how they adapt to change and challenges], how they’ve kept themselves up-to-date technologically, and remaining current within their area of expertise. Another critical factor is how well people have maintained their network of people that can help with industry insights and connections. 

Some people are concerned about factors such as age. Can that be a factor? Possibly, but attitude, energy and personal confidence can easily trump that. It’s really about how people present themselves and what they bring to the table from a capability perspective.

If you’re amid a job search right now, how would your advice differ from the advice you would have given, say, a month ago?

Your patience will be further challenged during this pandemic, employers may postpone recruitment for some positions and for those roles that remain active, the overall process will certainly be delayed. To improve your candidacy value, you should ensure that your ability to work virtually and/or manage teams on a virtual basis is clearly demonstrated on your resume, LI profile, and in all your discussions/interviews.

That is going to be the biggest challenge for managers. Without direct, regular connection face-to-face, some managers will struggle with leading their teams to achieve satisfactory performance levels, even considering the circumstances.

Otherwise, keep focused and active in your job search, and don’t fall prey to waiting until this all blows over!

A lot of companies are moving toward virtual interviews. Any advice on how to proceed on these?

First you must prepare and make sure your equipment is up-and-running by testing your video/sound quality and internet speed. Identify an area in your home to conduct interviews and arrange it like your own studio (limited clutter, proper lighting, no distracting backgrounds or noise, etc. Conduct a dry-run interview so you can get comfortable with the exchange in conversation as there may some delay, perhaps video stuttering, and other nuances such as muting and unmuting.

However, answering of the questions is pretty much the same. It’s really the side distractions that make the difference. If you've never conducted a web-based interview, you don’t want to be fumbling with the technology, you must be focused on the job and clearly conveying your available skills. This is even more true now since managing teams or working remotely may become an increased way of business operations, well after the resolution of this pandemic.

Have any advice on how to take advantage of outplacement services? Please comment below. And if you like what you read, please check out some of my other articles:

The Art of a Layoff Memo

My Favorite Lessons From Jack Welch

Business School: Is It Worth It?