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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 isnโt 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 itโs why weโve 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 โlovely partnership to help those staff feel more secure about their future as they can (access) connections, help and even just advice from (Zitko)โ.
The only entry in the โconsโ section of the review was regret at leaving, as theyโd seen themselves progressing with the company. You can read the full review of course. While youโre 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 clientโs employees, handing them their โpackโ and never seeing them again. Our outplacement workshops couldn’t be more different. Thereโs a skill shortage worldwide, so thereโs every reason to believe we can place many delegates over time.
The programmeโs 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 sessionโฆ
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 Covidโs beaten. Every person taking part so far has rated the day โusefulโ 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 youโve fewer leaving. Thereโs 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
โThe mental health section was very interesting and a good inclusion in the day as a lot of companies donโt always recognise it is an important matter.โ
โGave some helpful hints and easy wins to help get your profile noticedโ
โVery informative and insightfulโ
โHelpful and reassuring information, lowered my anxiety levels somewhat!โ
โI 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 futureโ
โInformative, fun and easy to follow along! Great mental health section!โ
Contact
For more information, get in touch with Jasmine Murray on 01480 473245 or jasmine@zitko.co.uk.
