LHH Outplacement: A Brutally Honest Review - Can It Launch Your Next Career Like Jeff Bezos'?

Disclaimer: Jeff Bezos hasn't used LHH, I hope!

As my journey with LHH's outplacement services progresses, I'm eager to share the latest insights from my ongoing review. Weeks 5-7 have been particularly illuminating, revealing both the potential benefits and drawbacks of their CRN platform.

In this series of articles, I delve deeper into my personal experiences, analyzing interactions with my coach, evaluating the available resources, and assessing the overall effectiveness of LHH's support. Each week brings new insights, allowing me to paint a comprehensive picture of the LHH experience. My goal is to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about whether this service is the right fit for your career transition.

During 7 weeks of my engagement with LHH, I participated in the following:

• Introductory Call (45 minutes): This initial call with a coach did not progress further due to the coach’s assessment that they could not provide assistance.
• Individual Coaching Sessions (2 x 45 minutes): Following the initial call, I was assigned a new coach and participated in two sessions: one session just intro and second focused on review of one particular role and general suggestions about my resume.
• Online Resume Review: I had one online session dedicated to reviewing and refining my resume in the week 2.
• Group Resume Session: I attended one online group session with other LHH clients for general resume discussions. This type of session is available to attend multiple times.
• LHH Collected Roles: Despite LHH’s network, no suitable job matches were found for my profile. The regular search returned zero roles for product managers in the UK and APAC regions.
• Job Search Work Team (JSWT) Sessions: These sessions are intended to provide peer networking and support opportunities with other folks who engaged in outplacement services. To participate in a JSWT session, you must first complete your marketing plan and then receive a nomination from your coach. Following that, the session organizer will reach out to you to arrange your attendance. Even after seven weeks, I haven't been able to attend a single session yet.

The Second Coaching Session: A Detailed Look

During our second coaching session, I was asked to share a specific job posting that aligned with my career goals. I presented a remote position at a prominent cryptocurrency exchange, hoping to gain tailored advice. This job posting became the focal point of our discussion, as the coach provided feedback and suggestions across various aspects of my job search.

The coach’s feedback and suggestions covered the following:

• The coach stressed the importance of highlighting the impact of my work by quantifying achievements.
• To streamline my resume, I was advised to focus on my most relevant experience, particularly a five-year role, and condense details from my last position.
• Given my interest in web3 and crypto sectors, the coach shared a link to an APAC region startup portal as a resource for finding relevant opportunities.
• The coach suggested considering any available job in this space as a way to gain a foothold in the industry (aka survival job approach)
• The coach acknowledged that LHH primarily serves traditional businesses and may have limited expertise in branding for remote or non-traditional roles.
• Due to my transition from a corporate background to startups, the coach recommended initially applying for more junior positions, citing personal experience with similar challenges.
• The coach emphasized the importance of developing a detailed marketing plan, including targeted company research, personal branding, networking, and application strategies.

LHH Marketing Plan

Key Summary and Objectives of a Personal Marketing Plan from the LHH Platform

Objective:

Clearly define your professional goal, reflecting your aspirations, values, skills, and expertise.

Preferred Functions:

Identify your desired roles or areas of work, listing relevant job titles and functions that align with your skills and experience.

Positioning/Branding Statement:

Create a concise statement that outlines your professional identity, expertise, the types of organizations you have worked with, and your unique strengths.

Target Market:

Determine the types of organizations you plan to pursue based on factors such as geographic location, industry, size, and organizational culture. Conduct thorough research and networking to compile a list of 25 to 50 target organizations.

My Review:

While a marketing plan can be a valuable tool for some, my experience with LHH indicates that their coaches may not effectively tailor it to individual needs. Despite having a clear career path, I was consistently steered towards exploring other options, seemingly due to LHH's perceived limitations in my chosen field. For experienced professionals with focused goals and a targeted company list, a generic marketing plan might not be the most effective or relevant approach.

Job Bulletin and Remote Jobs: A Glimmer of Hope or a Mirage?

Upon revisiting the CRN portal, a new section dedicated to remote job opportunities has emerged. This section, noticeably absent in previous weeks, suggests a potential shift in LHH’s focus towards remote work. However, the lack of timestamps or author information on the articles raises questions about the updates and relevance of the information provided.

My review:

The articles provided fall short of expectations in terms of quality and depth. A simple Google search would likely uncover more comprehensive and relevant information, especially with the advancements in AI-generated content. It seems LHH is prioritizing quantity over quality, filling their resource library with generic content rather than offering truly valuable insights or guidance on pertinent career topics.

The LHH Job Bulletin (link), a resource page created within Microsoft Sway, aims to provide a snapshot of current hiring trends and available vacancies across different regions. The bulletin offers the following information:

Vacancies — Who’s hiring? A list of companies actively seeking new employees.

What Industries are currently hiring? Insights into which sectors are experiencing growth and demand for talent.

What are the skills most searched by organizations and recruiters alike? A breakdown of the most in-demand skills in the current job market.

What job titles are most searched by organizations and recruiters alike? Information on the most sought-after positions by employers.

What companies are currently hiring? A list of companies with active job openings.

News and articles recommended by LHH’s Talent Connection Team for job seekers: Additional resources and information for job seekers.

The company names listed are not clickable, and the numbers presented lack clear explanation or context.

The necessary skills in demand right now seem very basic, making it unclear why the LHH copywriting team chose to include them in the bulletin.

My Review:

The LHH Job Bulletin, despite its branding as a source of job market insights, seems to be a shallow rehash of LinkedIn data. The lack of filtering by seniority, salary, or profession raises questions about its target audience and purpose.

This Job Bulletin epitomizes LHH's preference for quantity over quality. It lacks the depth and specificity required to be a truly valuable resource for job seekers in today's competitive market.

Live Events: Beyond the Job Boards and Bulletins

LHH also offers a “Live Events” section, showcasing a variety of online events for clients to explore and register for.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, they say. So, I took the plunge and registered for LHH’s “Webinar: Change Your Career — Global.” The event description, promising tales of miraculous career transformations akin to Jeff Bezos ditching Wall Street for online bookselling and Vera Wang swapping fashion journalism for bridal couture, certainly tickled my fancy. One can only hope for a similar dose of divine inspiration, eh?

Stay tuned for a detailed review, where I’ll share any pearls of wisdom (or lack thereof) gleaned from this potentially life-altering event.

Beyond Outplacement: The Need for Real Career Support

While outplacement services like those offered by LHH serve a valuable purpose for companies by mitigating risks and maintaining a positive image, there's untapped potential to enhance the value they provide to laid-off employees. By incorporating more hands-on mentorship and partnering with external training providers like bootcamps, these services could offer a wider range of personalized support and development opportunities.

In its current state, LHH's outplacement program appears to benefit only a limited number of individuals, raising concerns about whether the company is leveraging its dominant market position to deliver a less-than-optimal experience for those seeking career transition assistance.

Overall Observations:

My experience with LHH left much to be desired. The coaches seemed disengaged and offered limited guidance beyond their specific areas of expertise, even when it came to utilizing the available resources. Opportunities to connect with recruiters or hiring managers were non-existent, as LHH clarified that their focus is not on direct recruitment.

Despite LHH's boasts of significantly improved job matching and satisfaction rates through their resume services, my personal experience did not align with these claims. The most valuable resource I encountered was LinkedIn Learning, which, while helpful for upskilling, may not be relevant for everyone.

The lack of personalized support and tangible results was disheartening, especially from a service that positions itself as a guide for career transitions. For job seekers who require more comprehensive assistance, LHH might not be the ideal solution.

There are several areas where LHH could improve:

• Expanding the Mentor Network: Incorporating mentors who are currently working, recently transitioned out of their roles, or those with recent hands-on experience, particularly younger professionals familiar with modern tools and marketing strategies, would provide a wider range of insights and expertise, better catering to individual needs.
• Collaborating with External Partners: Collaborating with external partners, such as bootcamps or career development programs, could provide candidates with access to hands-on training, job search support, and valuable resources, fostering confidence and enhancing their skillset. While LHH's primary focus may not be on direct job placement, such partnerships could significantly complement their existing services and improve overall outcomes for job seekers.
• Demonstrating Tangible Results: LHH should provide transparent metrics, such as average time to placement, salary increase percentages, and client satisfaction surveys, to substantiate their claims of improved job matching and overall satisfaction rates.

While outplacement services are undoubtedly valuable for companies, there is significant room for improvement in how these services cater to the needs of job seekers. As LHH has organically grown to become a dominant player in this market, there's a risk that their offerings may not fully address the diverse needs of job seekers due to a lack of competition. Addressing these concerns, could lead to a more impactful and empowering experience for individuals navigating career transitions.