Career Transition Programs

Our Career Transition Programs offer assistance to management in planning for individual or group terminations; provide "on-site" support for terminated employees on their departure day; deliver job search training to departing employees; and provide on-going support to the transition process. Our training and support programs are not strictly time limited and offer exceptional flexibility, adapting service delivery to meet each person's unique needs within the program budget set by the employer.

Planning & Preparation

We now live in a world of unrelenting change, which can have serious impact on the lives and careers of individuals in every organization. Regardless of the reason for termination, the experience is stressful for both the employer, who must deliver the message, and the employee, who must redirect their career. Careful planning and thorough preparation can ensure that the decision to part company is communicated and implemented with compassion, preserving the reputation of the organization, the dignity of the individual who will leave and the morale of employees who remain.

Our professional staff can assist in planning the termination by advising on severance policy, timing of the termination meeting, program budget and general communication strategy. We can advise on design and cost of career transition program support for departing employees. Since most managers are inexperienced and uncomfortable with delivering the message, we offer training on what to say, what to expect and how to handle employee reactions.

Departure Day Support

We recommend that consultants be on-site at the time of termination to meet the person or persons affected immediately following delivery of the message. Our presence allows the manager, who has communicated the message, to gracefully exit a stressful situation by introducing the career transition consultant. Our trained and experienced consultants can then assist the individual to cope with the emotional impact of their situation; understand the support available to them and manage a dignified departure.

Organizational Renewal

Organizations go through a period of "grieving", following downsizing and reorganization. We can assist management and staff to work through the difficult behavioural and emotional issues associated with organizational change and renewal. The employees that remain will often feel a mix of vulnerability, concern over the loss of their colleagues and some guilt at having "survived" the cuts. This stress can result in lower morale, poor productivity, increased accident/illness claims and general anxiety. We offer a half-day workshop, typically delivered in large groups, to help remaining employees address the emotional impact of the changes.

Management, Professional & Executive Programs

The Harris Consulting Corporation is committed to providing an appropriate, high quality solution for each career transition situation. Our firm is recognized for our ability to work effectively with senior executives, long service people at all job levels and anyone likely to experience a particularly difficult transition. 

We understand that program selection must consider both the needs of the individual being released and the employer's budget. Consequently, our programs are "modular" in design to provide the ultimate in flexibility, while maintaining high standards of quality and functionality.

There are two primary design components:

Transition Planning and Preparation

This core component of our program structure offers a comprehensive menu designed to assist clients in the following critical subject areas:

• Stress management.
• Spousal counselling.
• Financial review and planning.
• Identifying marketable skills, knowledge, experience and personal traits.
• Psychometric assessment.
• Developing goal descriptions and focus. 
• Exploring alternative career strategies, such as contract employment, self-employment and semi-retirement.
• Resume development.
• Basic job search techniques.
• Target market research tools and techniques.
• Advanced networking and prospecting strategies.
• Interview skills and practice.
• Negotiating job offers and contracts.

Implementation Support

Once clients have developed their personal transition strategy and are equipped with the basic tools and training needed for its implementation, most people will benefit from continuing access to consulting support and resources as they execute the plan. Available services include:

• On-going coaching and counselling to provide emotional support through the "ups and downs" of the job search process; keep the individual focused and productive; review and revise strategy where needed; refresh and practice job search techniques; prepare for key interviews and provide objective advice on job offers.
• Access to administrative services - word processing, message taking, courier, copier, postage and facsimile.
• Access to private office space, long distance telephone, personal computers and high-speed Internet.
• Access to our reference library and research resources, including training in the use of the Internet.
• Access to our national and international partner networks to support job search across Canada or around the world.
• Access to proprietary web-based tools and resources such as "Virtual Verity©".
  Personal development counselling to address any issues that may have contributed to the decision to part company, including 360-degree feedback to gain perspective on strengths and weaknesses.

A comprehensive workbook is provided to each client. Consulting resources are focused on delivering those modules that meet the client's needs and priorities, within the program budget.

Service Delivery

The "Transition Planning & Preparation" component of our program design can be delivered in either an individual or group workshop format, depending on circumstances and available budget. "Implementation Support" is delivered on an individual basis and can be added to a workshop program.

Virtual Verity© is an interactive, consultant-facilitated and web-based career transition program available to clients located in communities located outside a reasonable commuting distance from one of our offices. It is also available as a supplement to our more traditional program delivery for those individuals who may prefer the convenience of program access 24 hours per day/7days per week. This application delivers all the "Transition Planning & Preparation" modules and provides for complete inter-activity between the client and their assigned consultant.

Our programs are not strictly time limited. A program ends when the individual obtains employment or when the budget provided by the sponsor organization is fully expended. As each individual approaches the end of their program, our consultants will review their use of services, current status and anticipated needs. The delivery of services may be extended on a limited basis, where appropriate, to ensure full value for all fees paid.

Program Budgets

Our approach to program pricing for management, professional and executive programs is unique among career transition service providers because we do not offer pre-packaged, fixed price and time limited products. Our 20 years of experience in the field has revealed two indisputable facts:

• Employers generally have a dollar budget in mind for career transition services.
• Each departing employee is a unique individual with very different needs and priorities. 

We recommend that employers consider a budget range equal to 8% - 10% of annual salary for individual programs and 4% - 5% of annual salary for group programs. These budget levels will provide comprehensive coverage of the "Transition Planning and Preparation" component of our program design, plus a reasonable amount of "Implementation Support".

Upon commencement of a program, our consultants will identify the particular needs and priorities of the individual client and focus our service delivery on those modules that will provide the best possible value for the budget available. The flexibility of our modular program design allows us to offer high quality support to fit virtually any budget.

If an individual is successful in obtaining new employment quickly, or withdraws from their program for any reason, leaving significant budget remaining, we will adjust the program fee appropriately and refund the excess payment to the sponsor organization. In the case of group programs, the individual budgets can be "pooled", with any residual amounts being applied to those who need more help.

Administrative & Technical Employees

The Harris Consulting Corporation is committed to providing an appropriate, high quality solution for each career transition situation. We understand that program selection must balance the needs of the individual being released and the employer's budget. Consequently, our programs are "modular" in design to provide the ultimate in flexibility, while maintaining high standards of quality and functionality. Our program structure for delivery of individual programs to administrative and technical employees concentrates on the critical skills and tools essential for a successful job search and recognizes that most people will seek continuation of the career track they have just left.

Individual Job Search Preparation

Three modules form the foundation of this program and cover the core skills needed for any job search:

Participants can select one of the following modules to complete their program, based on their individual situation and needs:

The program includes a job search workbook providing information on all six program modules. 

Group Job Search Preparation

When administrative and technical employees are being released in groups as a result of a general workforce reduction, we can offer an expanded program at reduced cost by taking advantage of the economies of scale. We recommend group size not exceed 10 people to ensure optimum group dynamics. 

The workshop covers all six program modules in a format that is uniquely structured to deliver the program content in four half-day sessions spread over two weeks. This structure allows participants to "digest" each component of information; apply it to their own situation; and complete a "homework" assignment, which becomes the foundation for the next session. It ensures people can apply the knowledge and skills learned in the workshop to their own situation.

Implementation Support

Workshop participants often desire and will benefit from some additional one-on-one counselling, following the group sessions, to address personal transition concerns or to help them focus their individual strategy. Organizations may wish to consider providing each individual with a small budget for such follow-up support. These budgets can be "pooled" so that any residual funds, arising from under use by an individual, can be used to provide additional help to someone else who is struggling and needs additional support. Such follow up support can be purchased in hourly increments.