Fred Harteis News Articles - Like bankruptcy lawyers and repo agencies, outplacement firms thrive when the rest of the economy is sliding into the tank. Called in to help companies lay people off, and to offer career guidance aimed at easing the newly unemployed into their next jobs elsewhere, outplacement firms are pretty busy these days, especially in the financial services industry.
One of the biggest, DBM (www.dbm.com), has 200 offices in 85 countries and, at one time or another, has done outplacement and executive coaching for about 70% of the Fortune 500. Pedro Garcia, a coach at DBM's, came on board shortly before the 2001 recession and estimates that he has since counseled more than 1,000 of the laid off, restructured, and involuntarily retired. Here are his answers on some touch questions regarding outplacement counseling.
Q. What kind of background does one need in order to become an outplacement counselor?
A. People come to it from different backgrounds -- corporate, nonprofits, human resources.... I was at a nonprofit before this, and what brought me here was the chance to work with people at turning points, formative points, in their lives. The first step is meeting one-on-one with the [laid-off] person and listening to their goals. There is an art to this work. You have to be a really good listener.
Q. Do you encounter much hostility? Do people "shoot the messenger" and blame their job loss on you?
A. Yes, sometimes they do. The hostility is an initial reaction to the stress and fear of losing a job, and sometimes people will say, "Oh, you work for them..." -- meaning you are the agent of the company that has fired them.
But it doesn't usually last. Someone may need to sit and vent and cry for 15 minutes or so and then usually they pull themselves together and say, "Okay, I feel better now, I can concentrate on what you're saying." DBM offers a variety of coaching services that can really help someone find his or her next job, so once people start to focus on what is available to them, they start looking forward rather than back.
Q. What is the hardest part of being an outplacement counselor?
A. The hardest part is not having a magic wand that can instantly create the ideal job for each person. So I'm always trying to find ways to add value to their job search -- translating resumes from Spanish into English or vice versa, which here in Miami I often do, or just listening a little longer and making a few more suggestions, or giving someone a job lead, or talking with the spouse...
Q. Talking with the person's spouse is part of the process?
A. It can be, yes. When they understand that we are going to try to help them get their next job, employees' reaction is very often, "Wow, I didn't know this was available to me." The wife or husband or significant other often also needs to be educated about what we're doing, and it gives them a chance to share their worries.
Source; Aol.com
About Fred Harteis: Fred Harteis leads Harteis International. Fred Harteis has a background in agriculture and has created many successful business ventures.