What Is Outplacement?

YES, OUTPLACEMENT SERVICES ARE FULLY PAID FOR BY THE EMPLOYER, NOT YOU

This service is completely free to the participant and funded by the company. Employers sponsor these services to help their exiting employees during their job search journey. These services may be provided as individual one-to-one career support or, on some occasions, outplacement may be delivered via group workshops.

Our outplacement programs are fully customisable and designed around you.

Within the available hours sponsored by your employer, you get to choose the type of assistance you’d like. This may help with writing your resume or LinkedIn profile, exploring a new career pathway or business idea, preparing for interviews, refining your brand, or building your job search strategy. Whatever area or job search skills you need support in, our coaches and writers are here to assist. We’ll provide you with the support you need to find a new job.

No. All participant information is absolutely confidential and WILL NOT be shared with your employer.

During your outplacement program any information you share with your outplacement coach will be completely confidential. Personal information you share will not be shared with your former employer. The only exception would be if we needed to act out of a duty of care for your safety as required by law. We may let the organisation know when their departing employees start their program for billing purposes and provide a very generic high-level update at the end that simply advises whether you obtained a “positive outcome”, but everything you speak about stays between us.

Yes. In our one-to-one programs, you decide how and where to spend your time. When you start, we spend time getting to know you so we can understand your priorities, and together we will customise your program to align with your career priorities.

Not at all. Everyone navigates redundancy differently. Some people are ready to dive straight into job search activities, while others need time to regroup, and that’s completely okay.

To make sure you don’t miss out on the outplacement support that’s been arranged for you, just get in touch and let us know. We’ll make a note and hold your place so your outplacement program is ready when you are. It’s all about working at a pace that feels right for you.

For a business, providing former employees with support makes good business sense. The benefits of outplacement services may include:

• Improved company image. In today’s competitive talent market, a strong employer brand reputation is crucial. By providing career transition services to exiting employees, a company shows they care for their workforce, and can retain its company reputation as an employer-of-choice. This provided outplacement support ensures former employees are cared for and treated with dignity when difficult business decisions impact the organisation’s workforce.
• Better outcomes for transitioning employees and organisations. Qualified career transition support is more likely to help transitioning employees find the right opportunities faster. This is not just good for the individual, but it can also help remaining employees dealing with survivor’s guilt to see their former colleagues resettled and moving on positively.
• Alleviates stress. Effective outplacement support can ensure those affected by redundancy have the care they need to take the next step in their career and help everyone move forward into a positive future. Professional advice and support during the planning phase can also help alleviate the stress for HR professionals and the senior executive team when trying to deliver redundancies with compassion and compliance.

Career transition coaching can also assist organisations with internal mobility, redeployment, executive coaching and employee career development.

Outplacement services and career coaches are different from recruiters. Recruiters are engaged by a business to find a person for a specific role. Their focus is on delivering a positive result for their client organisation. They generally look for market-ready candidates who suit their specific needs for that role.

Our focus is you. Our goal is to partner with you to help you identify the right opportunities and present competitively. This includes support across every aspect of the career transition process, including resume preparation, career-related psychological support, career exploration and planning, interview preparation and job search. We also work to help safeguard you during the vulnerable parts of the job search process.

Whilst we don’t place candidates in roles or find vacancies, we will pass on leads or opportunities we hear about or find on job boards if they are suitable. We are not affiliated with any ONE recruitment agency, but instead work with you to find the best recruiters to meet your needs.

Absolutely. AI tools are becoming a common part of today’s job search, from writing resumes and LinkedIn profiles to preparing for interviews, researching the job market, and even managing networking and outreach.

Used well, they can save time and boost your confidence. But they’re not without risks, like inaccurate advice, privacy concerns, or content that doesn’t reflect your unique voice or experience. That’s where we come in.

At OPA, we’re here to guide you through the smart and ethical use of tools like Generative AI. Our coaches will work with you to help you understand where they can add value, and where the human touch still matters most.