A question many of my clients have been asking themselves is "Am I really getting the maximum outplacement assistance for the dollar spent?"

This program, developed as an alternative to group outplacement offered by major outplacement firms, has gained considerable attention since it was first marketed. The uniqueness of Job-Bridge is two fold.

First, it is a completely self-contained outplacement and career transition program, which covers in-depth information on all aspects of the termination and subsequent job search. However, it is not just a text book. The program has 4 major components including the Text book, the Actionbook, the Planner and a Video on interviewing and negotiating skills.

The Text book covers all aspects of the termination and subsequent job-search experience, including negotiating with the new employer. Topics include stress management, budget control, scheduling, networking, resume' and cover letter techniques, interviewing and strategies for success on the next job.

The Actionbook is a workbook coordinated page-for-page with the text book that takes the job seeker through a planned set of exercises designed to improve performance in each of the various stages of the search. Users learn to examine their strengths and weaknesses, set short-term and long term goals, identify target employers, create professional resumes, prepare for interviews and more.

The Planner is a 144 page search guide that includes a 52 week calendar for tracking job search related appointments, expenses, and establishing specific weekly networking goals. Separate sections include an interview and networking log and a directory of toll-free telephone numbers to keep expenses to a minimum.

A 34 minute Video introduces the program and provides a number of dramatized interview situations and provides a graphic addition to the material covered in the Text book and Actionbook, transforming job seekers into effective, assertive interviewees.

Additionally, an organization can have their own Human Resource professionals trained to administer Job-Bridge. This can be cost effective if the "down sizing" is significant or over a longer period of time. Instead of hiring outside vendors to provide group outplacement, it can be done "in house" with better materials at less expense to the organization.

Job-Bridge is a thorough and complete program, which can be utilized by a terminated employee at his/her own pace. Let's face it, when a person is let go by his or her employer, they're emotionally devastated. How much do they really absorb by sitting through a one or two day seminar? No matter how good the seminar may be, the person can only remember a small amount of the information. With Job-Bridge, it doesn't matter how much they retain in the group setting. They can take the program with them, and review it on their own, at their own pace. The "bottom line" is that Job-Bridge can provide better outplacement assistance for a company's terminated employees, and be less expensive for the corporation.

Although this program has been used in a "one-on-one" setting with senior executives, we do not advocate Job-Bridge in lieu of traditional outplacement. For group outplacement, however, we feel its best program available. As you can see the following organizations agree:

• "Affordable, effective, easy-to-use ... Quite frankly in a class itself." Patrick Dailey, Director of Recruiting and Manpower Development, Airco Gases, Inc.
• "Extraordinarily well thought out ... Full of sound, sensible structure ... A benchmark product." David Opton, Director, Exec-U-Net
  

For more information on Job-Bridge, contact us at recruiters@dfwcsr.com