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Outplacement, sometimes called career transition support, is support an employer arranges for an employee who is leaving the organisation, most often through redundancy, to help them find their next role. Choosing a provider well matters both for the departing employee's experience and for how the organisation is seen to handle an exit.
What outplacement covers
Outplacement providers typically combine practical job search support (CV writing, LinkedIn optimisation, interview coaching) with a coaching relationship, and often access to job search tools or a dedicated career portal. It's usually funded and arranged by the employer as part of a redundancy or exit package, rather than something a departing employee pays for themselves.
Who this guide is for
This guide is written for HR and People teams arranging outplacement support, whether for a single senior exit or a wider redundancy programme.
Matching support to seniority
Outplacement packages generally scale with seniority, both in how individualised the support is and in how long it runs. Providers typically structure packages around seniority tiers along these lines:
Outplacement support by seniority tier
| Level | What's typically included | Common services |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate and early career | CV and application support, interview practice, often delivered in groups | Group workshops, CV support, entry-level career coaching |
| Junior to mid-level | CV and LinkedIn support, interview coaching, structured job search guidance | One-to-one or group coaching, CV writing, LinkedIn optimisation |
| Senior management | More individualised coaching, market positioning, often longer support windows | One-to-one coaching, career coaching, interview coaching, psychometrics |
| Executive and C-suite | Highly individualised support, often including personal branding, board or portfolio career options, and longer or open-ended access | One-to-one coaching, leadership coaching, extended access, sometimes networking or search support |
Level
Graduate and early career
What's typically included
CV and application support, interview practice, often delivered in groups
Common services
Group workshops, CV support, entry-level career coaching
Level
Junior to mid-level
What's typically included
CV and LinkedIn support, interview coaching, structured job search guidance
Common services
One-to-one or group coaching, CV writing, LinkedIn optimisation
Level
Senior management
What's typically included
More individualised coaching, market positioning, often longer support windows
Common services
One-to-one coaching, career coaching, interview coaching, psychometrics
Level
Executive and C-suite
What's typically included
Highly individualised support, often including personal branding, board or portfolio career options, and longer or open-ended access
Common services
One-to-one coaching, leadership coaching, extended access, sometimes networking or search support
Practical tip
Core services to compare
Not every provider offers every service, and packages often bundle a subset of these rather than all of them. Worth checking which are actually included:
- One-to-one coaching: individual sessions with a dedicated coach.
- Group workshops: sessions delivered to a cohort, common for larger redundancy programmes.
- CV and LinkedIn support: writing or reviewing a CV and optimising a LinkedIn profile.
- Interview coaching: preparation and practice for job interviews.
- Career portal access: a self-service platform with job search tools, resources or job listings.
- Psychometrics: assessments used to inform career direction or strengths-based positioning.
- Leadership coaching: more senior-focused coaching, typically included in executive-level packages.
Delivery formats
Providers commonly offer online, hybrid, or face-to-face delivery. Which suits best often depends on the size and geographic spread of the group being supported, and whether international delivery is needed for organisations with staff outside the UK.
Support duration
Duration is one of the most important commercial terms to confirm, and it varies significantly between providers and between seniority tiers, from a fixed number of months to open-ended support that continues until the individual secures a new role, particularly at senior levels. Ask a provider to state this explicitly rather than assuming a standard length.
How to evaluate a provider
Checklist: Evaluating an outplacement provider
What drives the cost
Outplacement pricing varies enough by seniority tier, duration and service mix that a single representative figure would be misleading. The main variables to compare quotes against are:
- Seniority tier: executive and C-suite packages are generally significantly more expensive than graduate or junior-level support, reflecting more individualised coaching and longer access.
- Duration: open-ended or longer support windows cost more than fixed, shorter programmes.
- One-to-one versus group delivery: individual coaching generally costs more per person than group workshops.
- Volume: for larger redundancy programmes, per-person cost often falls with the number of employees being supported.
- Additional services: psychometrics, extended career portal access, or international delivery can add to the base package cost.
Procurement tip
Common buying mistakes
- Buying a single, undifferentiated package for a group spanning very different seniority levels.
- Not confirming the actual support duration before signing, and assuming it matches expectations.
- Overlooking coach and consultant credentials for senior or executive packages specifically.
- Choosing based on price alone without checking which services are genuinely included versus billed as add-ons.
- Not considering the departing employee's actual preferences (format, pace, level of structure) when selecting a provider.
Questions to ask providers
Checklist: Questions to ask an outplacement provider
FAQs
What is outplacement support?
Structured support, usually funded by an employer, to help an employee who is leaving the organisation, most often through redundancy, find their next role. It typically combines practical job search support with coaching.
Who pays for outplacement, the employer or the employee?
It's almost always funded by the employer as part of a redundancy or exit package, rather than something the departing employee pays for themselves.
How long does outplacement support typically last?
This varies by provider and by the seniority of the package purchased, from a fixed number of months to open-ended support for some senior programmes. It's a specific commercial term to confirm with a provider rather than assume.
Is outplacement only used for redundancy?
Redundancy is the most common trigger, but some organisations also offer it as part of a settlement agreement or a broader restructuring, where supporting a departing employee's transition is part of managing the exit well.
What's the difference between outplacement and career coaching?
Career coaching (one-to-one support with a coach) is usually one component within a wider outplacement package, which can also include CV and LinkedIn support, interview coaching, group workshops, and access to job search tools or a career portal.
Does outplacement support differ for executives compared to more junior employees?
Yes, significantly. Executive and C-suite packages are typically far more individualised, may run longer or stay open-ended, and can include support with personal branding or exploring board and portfolio career options, alongside standard job search support.
Can outplacement support be delivered fully online?
Many providers now offer fully online delivery, alongside hybrid or face-to-face options. Which format suits best often depends on the size and geographic spread of the group being supported.
A buyer-focused close
Good outplacement support genuinely helps a departing employee move forward, and reflects well on how an organisation manages exits more broadly. Matching support to seniority, confirming duration and included services upfront, and checking coach credentials, particularly for senior packages, tends to matter more than headline price alone.
If you're ready to compare providers, you can compare outplacement providers on CompareHQ.