Others find the process a futile exercise that simply prolongs the job search. If you have been given outplacement counseling as part of your termination package, this article may help you work more smoothly and get better results from your experience. If you happen to be paying for your own career counseling, it can help as well. Most people start the outplacement process in some state of shock, dazed at having lost a job. There is a tremendous urge to get into a productive routine, to see immediate results.
Expectations vary tremendously.
Some people erroneously think outplacement advisers will provide interviews and line up jobs. In each area, you will typically be given homework assignments - books to read, written exercises to complete and career issues to consider. Then, you will meet with your adviser, usually one hour a week, to discuss your insights and progress. The adviser's role is to motivate, stimulate and lend emotional support. Good counselors ask the kind of questions that clarify your goals, generate career options, develop your professional network and keep you from getting mired in the job-search process.