Post layoff "career transition program" - any words of advice?

January 19, 2009 7:01 PM

Post layoff "career transition program" workshop, funded by the former employer. More inside, but mostly I just want to know what to expect.

Last week I was laid off from my job, along with about 25 other people. The company is providing us with a 2 day workshop with a "career management consulting firm" this week. Aside of giving us something to do so we don't go all postal on the guys who canned us, what is the purpose of something like this for a professionally mixed crowd of people? Have any of you ever been to something like this? Was it invaluable or was it excruciating?

posted by 8dot3 to work & money (9 comments total)

I've been to one, and didn't find it much use. There was a little resume service, which redesigned my resume and introduced a horrific spelling error/typo that hadn't been there before (and which I didn't catch for a while, because I can be blind that way). There were interviewing tips, and job search information - lists of websites, lists of major employers in our region, that kind of thing. They had their own job posting site that you got access to, with postings that were mostly available elsewhere, and that I think is still sending me spam (hard to tell for certain on that - I registered with loads of services at the time and it's been two years). That said, I'd still go to it if I were you. You can pick up tiny pieces of information from the presenters and from your co-workers, and do you really have anything else planned soon?
posted by dilettante at 7:13 PM on January 19

The purpose of doing this is exactly what you describe. It should be more than that, and it's not. I doubt that it will be useful, especially for TWO DAYS.

I disagree that you should go and that you don't have anything else to do. You can do a lot of independent research and do a lot of networking and send out a lot of resumes in two days.
posted by micawber at 7:24 PM on January 19

I think it depends how confident you are in your job search skills. Do you feel confident is updating your resume, where to find job leads, how to write a cover letter and the other basics of job searching? If you could use a brush-up on these skills, the workshop will probably be helpful. Otherwise it is a cost-benefit question of how you feel about spending two days to pick up a few useful tips and to brush-up on your skills. (The one I attended was only a half day workshop I think the experience would be similar)
posted by metahawk at 9:27 PM on January 19

When a large percentage of my university department was laid off last May, we got a similar deal. I looked at the "benefits" the program touted in their materials--resume help, access to an online job board, professional networking with others going through the same thing--and opted out. From talking with people who attended, I get the feeling that there was a pretty clear split between who found it helpful and who didn't. People who had last been in the job market 20+ years ago found it helpful; people with more recent job hunting experience found it less so. People with strong social networks (virtual or real) they could turn to for help finding a new job got less benefit than people without. People who didn't know about online job posting sites such as monster.com, dice.com, craigslist, and the like, found their restricted job board somewhat helpful, although I don't think I heard of anyone actually getting a job through that.

If you've heard of LinkedIn (or, better yet, are already on it), if you have a couple literate friends who can help you with your resume, if you have friends who have friends who know of job openings in their companies, if you've looked for a new job in the last decade or so--if that's the case, then you can almost certainly find something better to do with those two days. If that's not the case, then I guess you've got nothing to lose, and might get something out of it.
posted by hades at 12:41 AM on January 20

And, yeah, two days? That's excessive. There might be an hour or two of worthwhile material there, padded out with a day and a half of someone reading powerpoint slides at you.

(Also, sorry to hear about the layoff; that sucks. Good luck!)
posted by hades at 12:47 AM on January 20

I would go the first day at least, if only for the chance to connect with your coworkers one last time. Collect names and contact info, and then stay in touch. Previous coworkers are a good source of future job leads.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 5:59 AM on January 20

I used to work for a career management consulting firm that did these. I'll second pretty much what everyone else said here. If it's been more than even five years since you've had to seriously look for a job, you could certainly find it useful. While I did not give these workshops, I dealt a lot with the resumes that came in - and some of them were AWFUL to begin with. It helps to have someone else to look at it for you (a LOT), and it's free. Also, it's a good way to see what other services are out there, and it should help get your brain juices flowing on how to network and/or who to network with. It could be a good jumpstart to your job search. And, you know, it's free to you.**

If, as others have said, you've been out job hunting more recently, or you have kept your resume up to date, or you already have a good network, the seminar probably isn't as worth it to you.

**A more cynical thought: your ex-company pays a fair amount for that career management firm to come in. While it's not going to make or break them, if you have any desire to stick it to your old company in any way, take advantage of the program.
posted by bibbit at 7:57 AM on January 20

I concur with SuperSquirrel. Go to exchange cards and see if there is anything useful for you there in terms of networking. If it's stupid, bail for the second day.

(Also, so sorry to hear you've been laid off!!)
posted by desuetude at 7:57 AM on January 20

Sorry to hear that, it sucks. This happened to me some years ago (seven weeks before the first baby arrived). I found a job on my own -- without all the resume-butchering the consultants did -- and the nice lady gave me their customary "congrats, you got a job!" bottle of champagne anyway. :7)

See what they have to offer. If the first morning sucks, leave: what, there's going to be some penalty?
posted by wenestvedt at 9:34 AM on January 20