For our HR Colleagues - Primary Goals at CMS (Goal #2)

In our last blog, we discussed one of the top two goals that we at CMS have. Goal #1 as you may recall, is to provide our valued HR clients with responsive, professional and personal support – support that they can rely on to be consistent and helpful during the course of difficult decision making.

Goal #2 is the focus of this week’s blog - to provide truly meaningful, practical and personal career transition assistance to our job search candidates - helping them to keep their time between jobs to the minimum.

At CMS we understand the stress and worry that comes with both delivering difficult news, and with receiving it.

The moment an employee is told their services are no longer required, they generally experience a whirlwind of feelings and thoughts. And although different from person to person, there are some consistent themes among them. From unsettling self-doubt, worry about how their families will react to the now very real problem of having to replace their income - and all the uncertainty that they will experience until that happens.

For many, having to navigate their feelings and thoughts at an uncertain time can be overwhelming.  The prospect of having to navigate today’s fast moving job market by themselves can feel lonely and making ends meet, or navigating their new financial reality can, in some circumstances, be a source of panic.

Since 1981, CMS has been built on the foundation of providing compassionate, professional support that is human, holistic, and genuinely helpful to new job seekers.  Our experience has taught us the recurring themes that our candidates experience during unemployment, and our outplacement programs have been designed to provide meaningful support to help alleviate the main ones, through three main pillars of support:

1. Personalized Program Coaching; to create a sense of empowerment, confidence and optimism for the future. Each program is managed by a dedicated and qualified program coach who works one-on-one with our job search candidates. Access to CMS program coaches is unlimited for the duration of their program meaning that our candidates can get one-on-one help whenever they need it for a variety of topics. From how to talk to their families about their termination, how to shift their mindsets to be more empowering during their job searches, to how to determine the next best step in their career at this stage, etc.
2. Practical job Search Assistance Tools and Strategies; to create the best opportunities for long term success. Meaningful job search assistance is more than a career history in résumé form. A meaningful job search is a strategic job search that is customized to the job seekers current position in life.  It means deep thinking about future career objectives and planning how to get there step by step.  It may mean a shift in industry, an educational upgrade or a well-deserved advancement in job level.  It may mean more than one job search strategy is put into play.  Whatever the plan, it is a customized job search plan that is supported by access to CMS’ proprietary Canadian Career Management System©; our interactive website for the latest CMS program materials, exercises and instructions.
3. Professional Financial Counselling; to relieve the stress caused by the sudden lack of employment and subsequent loss of income. As mentioned above, the worry about loss of income can be paralyzing for some new job seekers. That is why we ensure each CMS program participant has the opportunity to have personalized financial counselling by an independent Certified Financial Planning Professional (CFP). Our CFPs are not affiliated with any bank or financial institution ensuring objective, friendly and practical advice regarding whatever financial concerns our candidates may have at the time.

To summarize, goal #2 (although not any less important than goal #1!) at CMS is to provide meaningful, practical and personalized assistance to keep one’s time between jobs to the minimum. The professionalism and the innate compassion of our qualified, experienced team sets us apart – and our practical tools and resources make all the difference in the success of one’s job search.

Ultimately, at CMS we are in the ‘helping business’ and every member of our team feels personally responsible for the work we do for our candidates and the HR Managers who introduce them to us. We are all fully aware that our candidates’ success is also our success and reputation.