Cynics may say it's to avoid wrongful termination lawsuits. But Judy Kneisley, senior vice president and general manager of Lee Hecht Harrison's Woodland Hills, N.J., office, says preventing litigation isn't the primary reason outplacement firms are hired. It also provides a positive message for those who stay behind. Employers typically contract with one outplacement firm and send downsized employees to its closest office. It's a service that allows one to learn how to manage and develop one's career.
People have to think more broadly about their careers and skills.
We teach people how to market themselves. I figured they had to do what they had to do. It's a business, not a fraternal organization. Laid off again a few years later, Mr. Mankat received outplacement help from Right Consultants. He's now a business consultant in the Phoenix area.