Having to let employees go is a difficult situation – for the company and the employees. No company likes to part with employees, but the economic environment sometimes simply leaves no alternative.
Interview with Silke Anja Schramm, managing director of INDICIS CMC GmbH and new placement expert.
Question: Ms. Schramm – the corona pandemic has made the economic situation of many companies more difficult. How do you perceive the current situation?
Silke Anja Schramm: The corona pandemic has created a difficult situation for many companies: Employees can no longer be employed and are faced with the situation of having to orientate themselves towards a new professional future. The employees concerned are often under the shocked impression of losing their job, are insecure and fearful of the future. Many feel left alone in this difficult situation and yet have to overcome this depression quickly and take action – not an easy task!
Question: What are the greatest challenges?
Often these employees have not dealt with the job market for a long time, let alone written applications. They are suddenly confronted with questions that have not been asked for years:
- What is the current job market like?
- What experiences, strengths and skills do I have and how relevant are these on the job market?
- What opportunities and chances do I have to find a new job?
- Where should my own professional future go at all?
In addition to these fundamental questions about how they want to reorient yourself professionally, very pragmatic topics that most employees haven’t dealt with for a long time suddenly become acute:
- What does a professionally designed résumé look like at the moment?
- Are there new application standards?
- What should a professional cover letter include?
- How do I best „market“ myself to increase my chances on the job market?
- How do I find companies to apply to?
- How do I appear confidently and competently in the interview?
- These questions represent the first challenge for the employees concerned.
Question: What can employers and / or affected employees do?
In my work as a new placement consultant, I have found time and again that it is a great help and security for many people to have a professional contact person at their side. To be able to get professional help for all questions about professional reorientation is an extreme relief for the employees concerned. Responsible employers should make the step into a professional future easier for their employees by enabling their employees to take part in new placement programs or coaching.
If this option is not available, you can take action yourself as the employee concerned. You can book individual coaching sessions yourself at low prices and get the support and security you need in just a few appointments – a good investment to gain a foothold again and start the next professional phase with optimism and confidence.
Question: How does such a program work during the period of contact restrictions?
The coaching includes a combination of personal discussions and personal work with the help of working documents and sample documents. The conversations work very well virtually or over the phone.
Question: How does one have to imagine such a new placement program?
With us, the program is e.g. composed of freely selectable modules. Some of these modules deal with more fundamental questions about one’s own values, interests, strengths and personality traits. These modules are e.g .:
- Professional personality profiling
- Strength analysis
- Values, motivators, interests
- Fields of activity and environment
- Set goals and plan of action
The other part of the modules deals specifically with the application process:
- Design of a professional resume
- Creation of a „marketing plan“ for professional goal setting and target company search
- Optimize cover letter and application documents
- Self-marketing
- Well prepared and confident in the interview
Through individual support, we can ensure that the focus is exactly where support is most required. The appointments are arranged flexibly and individually, the participant herself/himself determines the pace and the extent to which she/he would like to work.
As little as the impression of losing your job looks like it: a professional reorientation always offers the chance to take a career path that makes you really happy. Ideally, your job is also your calling.
