Covid-19 has shaken business, writes George Zitko, pictured, MD of Security Recruiter/Talent Specialist Zitko. Every day brings new redundancies and unfortunately the fire and security tech industry isn’t immune.
For the people affected these are anxious, stressful times. Losing a job is often likened to losing a family member or home, but the way employers approach redundancy can soften the blow and even enhance their reputation. This is where decent support can make a difference and it’s why we’ve developed our new outplacement workshops for departing employees.
Did we say five star?
Following one of our recent workshops, a departing employee gave their former employer five stars on Glassdoor. As part of a generally glowing review they described the initiative as a ‘lovely partnership to help those staff feel more secure about their future as they can (access) connections, help and even just advice from (Zitko)”.
The only entry in the ‘cons’ section of the review was regret at leaving, as they’d seen themselves progressing with the company. You can read the full review of course. While you’re there, contrast it with the negative stuff elsewhere, from people who feel badly let down.
Genuine, practical help
In the 2009 film Up In The Air, George Clooney plays a consultant who criss-crosses the country, firing client’s employees, handing them their ‘pack’ and never seeing them again. Our outplacement workshops couldn’t be more different. There’s a skill shortage worldwide, so there’s every reason to believe we can place many delegates over time.
The programme’s most designed for technicians and engineers (our recruitment specialism), but people taking part from HR, Marketing and Projects have also found it useful. And just to be clear, we don’t charge employers anything to run their workshop.
The workshop agenda
These are one-day events which we run online for a maximum of 12 delegates. In the morning there are sessions on CV preparation, writing a compelling LinkedIn profile, preparing for interviews and exploring mental health.
Additionally we teach (and help delegates practice) something of a new phenomenon: taking part in video interviews. Workshop numbers are low enough to allow plenty of question and answer, which leads to the afternoon session…
One to one interviews
In the afternoon we run one-to-one video interview sessions, conducted by the Zitko consultancy team. This is our normal process for registering candidates, exploring their career history in detail and identifying their best next move.
We maintain an active talent pool for over 200 fire & security tech clients, many of whom were recruiting steadily up until the pandemic. They will be again when Covid’s beaten. Every person taking part so far has rated the day ‘useful’ in our follow-up survey. You can read a couple of quotes below.
Arranging a day
We decided to make the workshops available to clients and non-clients alike across the Fire & Security Reseller and System Integrator industries. Thanks to their virtual nature, we can set up workshops quickly. For employers making ten to 12 people redundant we can arrange an exclusive workshop or equally we can configure a multi-company event if you’ve fewer leaving. There’s no getting around the fact that redundancy is a painful, stressful experience for those affected, but employers can make a difference when they step up.
Some reviews
“The mental health section was very interesting and a good inclusion in the day as a lot of companies don’t always recognise it is an important matter.”
“Gave some helpful hints and easy wins to help get your profile noticed”
“Very informative and insightful”
“Helpful and reassuring information, lowered my anxiety levels somewhat!”
“I did not know what to expect from this outplacement service but I feel it has given me more confidence in obtaining a new position in the future”
“Informative, fun and easy to follow along! Great mental health section!”
Contact
For more information, get in touch with Jasmine Murray on 01480 473245 or [email protected].
