Corporate Services
“I was reviewing the speaker evaluations from you Portland presentation last week. Our clients said you did an overall excellent job. The were really complimentary about the skillful way you connected with the audience. Some comments included: ‘engaging, chuck full of good advice relatable to my job search, inspiring, network even when I do not feel comfortable, I remembered that I am special, I was motivated again regarding my dream job.’
I’m so thankful you are kicking off our program. You are marvelous at setting the tone for the 12 week session. You get out clients re-energized and hopeful. You are just what the doctor ordered!”
Patty M
Career Center Manager
Welcome to CareerMakers Corporate Services
Career Makers has been building confidence in Northwest organizations since 1984. Together our firms have built a program of career counseling, which provides organizations with knowledge, expertise and a variety of resources to meet your unique organizational needs associated with downsizing and layoffs.
With our business background and service mentality, we have created a structured roadmap for individuals that offer additional support to organizations as they experience transitions; before, during and after an employee separation. Our outplacement and career transition program integrates career consulting, training, coaching and much more.
Why Use a Career Transition Company?
CareerMakers is an organization that supports companies with career transitions. Not only have we have been doing this since 1984, we thrive on the challenge. There are two avenues of specialty at CareerMakers in regards to employee transitions. The first is employee retention and career pathing programs. The second is outplacement services. When a company has several positions to fill and/or they are having a hard time holding on to good people, our career retention programs are extremely effective.
Career pathing within the organization
Many organizations are struggling to hold on to good employees. The Portland market is more competitive than many other parts of the country. How can companies hold on to their talented, skilled and successful employees? A significant solution is career pathing. One of the most common reasons people leave organizations is lack of opportunities for advancement and/or challenge. By creating a career plan for employees to follow, organizations positively impact their turnover.
Here are some areas organizations consider if retention is a challenge:
- Search/recruiting costs are significant
- Training new people
- Damaged morale to existing staff
- Vacant positions – work not getting done or people trying to do too many things
- People covering work are distracted from their core competencies
- Having a reputation in the job community for turnover
- People just showing up for a job until something better comes along
- Employees lack of enthusiasm in current position
- Employees who are less productive/effective than they could be
Career pathing offers the following to an organization:
- Reduced turnover
- Significant cost savings – even if the program retains 2 to 3 people per year, it will pay for itself
- Positive and motivating work environment
- Reputation in the community as a great place to work and grow skills/talents
- Open communication and support of growth within the organization
- Loyal employees
- A clearly defined plan for managers to use while developing their employees
- Understanding and utilizing employees skills/talents and interests
- Individuals accountable and responsible for their growth
- Reduced recruiting costs
- Consistency within the organization for advancement – reduce risk of discrimination litigation
Utilizing CareerMakers outplacement services:
- Having experts to support HR in dealing with the challenges and fears of downsizing or transitions
- Our program helps people who have to make the tough decisions about downsizing feel good about their employees transition – knowing they will be well taken care of
- Reduces the cost of a self-administered program – people affected by transition will not be showing up to the office disgruntled, it gives them an avenue to displace their anger/fear
- People being downsized are not as open to being helped directly by the company that laid them off
- HR can focus on their core competencies and let CareerMakers support the affected workers
- In the public eye, organizations are seen as the benevolent employer by doing something meaningful to support affected workers
- HR receives reports about the service CareerMakers provides and how it positively impacted their past employees
- Significantly decreases the risk of litigation because we will work with our program participants through their anger and give them lifetime support through career transitions
- Once a company makes the decision to utilize CareerMakers services, they can let go and trust the transition will go smoothly
5 Ways We Lighten HR’s Load
Erase downsized/terminated employees’ bad feelings about the company.
The last thing an HR professional wants is a former employee complaining about or bad-mouthing the company and insidiously disrupting the workforce with gossip and innuendo. CareerMakers takes people into their futures, overwhelming them with bright possibility. Bad feelings and irritating behaviors turn into ‘Thank you for providing me with CareerMakers.’
Avoid litigation.
Those who are hell-bent on suing will sue. Those who know they could (or should), but don’t really want to, will not. Their CareerMakers experience directs them into their future with hope, confidence, know-how and support. Then the idea of litigation becomes a distasteful and time-wasting option. They would rather get on with their lives than muck around in the negativity of the past.
Look good in the eyes of your manager.
Jim Strain, HR Manager for TransCore says, ‘When I show my manager the great feedback I get from downsized employees about their CareerMakers experience, he thinks I’m wonderful!’
Let us do your work.
Want outplacement help but don’t have a big budget? Our mission is to help people in transition, and we will collaborate with HR professionals to develop a program for your person or people that is within your budget, deliver appropriate materials for your outplacement packet and call each downsized employee to make sure they understand their outplacement options.
Know people will be taken care of — royally!
Q: Who likes the termination or downsizing process?
A: No one.
One HR Manager simply waves a fistful of CareerMakers ‘thank yous’ from former employees and says, ‘Call Pam or Pete. Go there. They do good things, and they will take care of you.’ Then she gets more ‘thank yous’ from those who take her up on the offer!
