IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, August 14, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Too often we allow our careers to simply float us down the river, until one day we’re told the company is downsizing and we’re being let go.

To be out of work is a complicated time. There are financial pressures. Relationships become strained. It can feel like our very identity has been taken away.

“When you’ve been let go from a job—especially if you didn't see it coming—you feel a tremendous lack of control,” says Susan Howington, CEO and founder of Power Connections Career Services. “You don't have a lot of control over the job search process, but there are things you do have control over. We focus on those things.”

Power Connections Career Services is an outplacement services company that works with organizations who are letting employees go. As part of the severance package benefits, these organizations provide career transition support to employees impacted by the downsizing event.

“Outplacement services come at a time in people's lives when they really need that support,” says Howington. “So for our company and the people that work with me, it's our job to support them, hold them up, become their biggest fans and get them what they need so that they can land their next job as quickly and as productively as possible. We help them with their resume and LinkedIn profile, cover letter, job search strategy, all the things that somebody needs to do to conduct a productive job search. We provide that support to them.”

Unfortunately, given the emotions of being let go, Howington says most people don't understand what this service is. Only 50% of downsized employees will follow-up, even though they are entitled to the service as part of their severance.

“We encourage the companies offering our services to give us their downsized employees’ contact information because it's really important for us to call that person a day or two after they've been let go from their job to ask them how they're doing, to explain our services, and see what we can do to help them.”

“The job market currently is wonderful, but without being coached, it will be surprisingly more challenging than they realize,” says Howington. “Being found is the key to getting interviews, so you need a resume with the right key words in it and an enhanced LinkedIn profile. Once you're in the interview, you want to say the right things. If you haven't interviewed in 13 years, I doubt you know all the right things to say.”

“Once we can have the first conversation with them, it's amazing the turnaround in their attitude and their emotions. They actually leave their first appointment with us excited. They have this glimmer of hope that things are going to be OK. When we say, ‘We've got a career consultant that's waiting to work with you and dedicated to you and your job search," it really makes a difference for people.”

Still, says Howington, it’s not just about helping someone land their next job, it’s about landing the right job, the job they really want.

“My philosophy is about empowering one's professional persona,” says Howington. “We have a good sense of how the job market is responding to people of their profession, at their level, at their salary range, so it's more about learning who you are, what you do, what value you bring to a business. It changes people's lives and their perspective on who they are as a professional. Being let go could be the best thing that ever happened to you.”

CUTV News Radio will feature Susan Howington in an interview with Jim Masters on August 16th at 1pm EDT

Listen to the show on BlogTalkRadio

If you have any questions for our guest, please call (347) 996-3389

For more information on Power Connections Career Services, visit www.powerconnectionsinc.com

Lou Ceparano
CUTV News
(631) 850-3314
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