Outplacement: goodwill can go a long way toward marketing.

• Author: Costigan, Diane

Layoffs, reductions in force and terminating under-performers are sound business interventions, but as we saw with the 4,000-plus attorneys who were affected by layoffs between 2009 and 2010, they need to be done strategically and with great care, or the backlash can be devastating on both sides of the equation. To help facilitate this transition, many law firms and legal departments offer outplacement counseling to their terminated attorneys. This service can be provided by either internal or external professionals who have training and experience in career counseling and in-depth knowledge of the legal industry and its complexities.

Outplacement assists with all phases of a job or career transition. It typically covers the following:

* Resume and cover letter development and review;

* Assessment of career goals and factors that will influence success;

* Developing a job search strategy;

* Designing a networking strategy;

* Interview preparation;

* Application assistance;

* Advice on how to use recruiters effectively;

* Decision-making support; and

* Accountability and support.

For many reasons, outplacement is beneficial both to the attorneys who receive it and the firms or legal departments who offer it.

1 Softens the Blow

There is no easy way to deliver a termination message. Providing resources to help ease the transition can help to mitigate the blow of the message. The opportunity to work with a professional career coach can help relieve some anxiety. An outplacement counselor can also help the attorney quickly process what has happened, reframe their circumstances, put things into context, move into action and shift perceived blame away from the employer.

Losing a job can also raise psychological and emotional issues for clients. Sometimes clients need to rebuild their self-confidence after the blow of losing a job that was their primary identity. At other times, they need a reality check about unrealistic expectations. At the worst, this recent legal market has seen a number of suicides in the media. Outplacement counselors are trained to support clients through these difficulties, including making referrals to appropriate healthcare professionals, if necessary.

2 Alumni Relations & Business Development

Similarly, providing outplacement creates goodwill that is pivotal for alumni relations. From the first day of employment, an attorney will forever be associated with his or her employer. Whether an attorney leaves by his or her own...