Outplacement support has never been more essential but it is clear that to offer effective and relevant support to ex-employees, simply doing more of the same at lower cost isn’t going to cut it – a new and different approach is needed.
Over half of jobseekers are facing six months or more without a job and 30 per cent have been unemployed for more than 12 months. Although all ages are being affected by unemployment, the majority of respondents are over 45 years old and 47% educated to graduate or post-graduate level, demonstrating that even qualifications and experience are no guarantee of a new job.
Our users mostly come from banking and finance, construction, IT, manufacturing or retail sectors. However, the difficult job market conditions mean that 79% have changed or considered changing their industry sector to secure work, and 84% have or are willing to apply for a more junior role.
Out of desperation more jobseekers appear to be taking up part-time or temporary work. Of those who have been fortunate enough to be offered a job, a third have accepted a part-time job offer, when only 13 per cent were in a part-time role before being made unemployed. Similarly just under half have taken an offer of temporary work when only a quarter described their previous employment as temporary.
More than a third of jobseekers have made over 100 applications, but for 48% this has translated into less than three interviews and, for a staggering 32%, none or only one job interview.
Many jobseekers are working all hours to secure a job. Monday is the most popular day to job search, but over 40% of jobseekers spend their Saturdays sending out applications and over a third continue the search on Sundays. Ten to 11am is the most popular hour to look for a job, but a fifth of respondents job seek in the evenings, even after 8pm, and 15% start the search before 8am.
The most difficult aspect of job searching in the current environment was not receiving feedback on applications, followed by failing to secure an interview, financial worries and maintaining self-confidence.
Jobseekers need comprehensive and relevant support to survive the stress of finding a new job today. With so many respondents job-hunting outside office hours, access to advice needs to be around the clock, so that they have assistance on hand whenever they need it, including evenings and weekends. Support also needs to be flexible to suit a wide range of needs. Online technologies can provide this; it can be tailored to individual requirements and assist in the managing and tracking of large numbers of applications.
Outplacement delivered through the traditional channels, is outmoded, costly and does not equip jobseekers with the resources they need in this tough job market. Employers who don’t make the most of technology to best equip their ex-employees in the current job market are missing a golden opportunity.
Richard Alberg is CEO of MyWorkSearch
