outplacement services

Definition

Career counseling and job search support provided to terminated employees, usually as part of a severance package. A company paying someone else to help you find a new job after they fired you.

Example Usage

They laid me off but included outplacement services, so at least someone's helping me rewrite the resume they just made necessary.

Origin

Emerged as an industry in the 1960s-1970s during corporate downsizing waves

Fun Fact

Offering outplacement services can reduce litigation risk and protect employer brand, making it a smart investment when firing people en masse.

Source: Separation and career transition terminology

Related Terms

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flight risk

An employee likely to quit soon, typically identified by updating their LinkedIn profile, taking lots of PTO, or suddenly dressing better for work. HR's version of reading tea leaves, but with resume updates.

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recruitment

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living wage

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Advanced

quality of hire

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