Supporting your employees through career transition: our added value

Although necessary in certain situations, parting ways with someone and ending their employment is rarely a straightforward step for the employer, and even less so for the employee concerned.

Coming to terms with a redundancy decision and searching for a new professional opportunity is a real challenge and involves multiple stakes in an employee's life. To help meet this situation, we put our experience at the service of your needs and help your employees and managers to catch recruiters' attention by standing out from other candidates.

In addition to increasing their chances of success, calling on a specialist firm such as Valeur Plus to support an employee through their career transition can also help strengthen your company's employer brand. Indeed, by taking this approach, you show that your company cares about its employees and is willing to invest in their professional development, even in the event of redundancy. This can therefore promote your company's image as a responsible and caring employer.

Our consultant, Samuel Gay, a specialist in recruitment, assessments and career transition, shares some of the advice he gives his coachees during their career transition process.

1. Take stock of your skills and define your interests

During a career transition, a self-assessment may be necessary to take stock of your goals and skills. This time between two roles is an opportunity to pause and take stock of your interests, your values and your strengths.

Take the time to carry out this fundamental exercise and thereby ensure the success of your transition. It is important that you answer the following three questions:​

• What am I able to do?

• What do I enjoy doing?

• What do I want to do in the future?

This work of introspection will increase your chances of finding the job that showcases your strengths and that you will enjoy. As Confucius said: "Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life."

​To round off this exercise, asking for feedback from your former colleagues or clients, or even from those close to you, will give you an outside perspective on your qualities and key skills. You will thus bring to light your natural talents and your hidden talents, which will then hold no more secrets for you.

What is more, this whole stocktaking process builds value and restores self-confidence: "Knowing what makes you unique and special, and what you truly aspire to, will enable you to stand out from other candidates."

2. Picture yourself in a company whose values speak to you and give meaning to your application In a career transition (within the same profession or when changing direction), it is essential to define what you are looking for and which target companies inspire you. Select organisations whose purpose and mission resonate with you. ​Being aligned with the values of the company you wish to apply to encourages you to position yourself better and thus to put forward a coherent, confident and reassuring application, delivering a compelling message. Indeed, if you become an employee of a company whose activity is meaningful to you, you will be more invested, more committed and more ready to contribute to the organisation's development. The recruiter knows this; it is an advantage for you, the future employee, but also for the company that will employ you.

3. Make the most of your CV: it is your calling card and, above all, your first point of contact with the company Although the conventions are evolving, the CV and cover letter remain culturally entrenched tools. A classic that endures, then, but a classic to be revisited! Standardisation must be avoided at all costs if you want to stand out. As the CV is your first point of contact with the company, the focus is on personalising it: beforehand, researching information and analysing the job offer are steps that should not be neglected. Identifying the company's needs, immersing yourself in its world and using the key words from the advert means demonstrating that you identify with the company culture. There is nothing better for making the recruiter's job easier and creating a good impression. It is a subtle way of showing them that you speak the same language and that, consequently, you are the person they are looking for.

4. Activate your contacts: networking is always the key to success Once you have identified the target companies that appeal to you and taken stock of your talents and interests, communicate clearly to your network what you want and what you are able to do. You have a great deal to offer your next employer, so do not position yourself as a person looking for a job, but present your professional project and what you have to offer. The key to success in this job search is an open mindset. Take an interest in others, in the economic market, and learn to draw links with your aspirations and to identify promising opportunities. By showing yourself to be curious and inquisitive, you will demonstrate your interest and make the people you meet feel valued. This attitude will give you access to valuable information about the job market and about upcoming opportunities to pursue, to activate, or even to create! Finally, stay positive even when fate seems to be against you: people are always more inclined to recommend someone who shows drive and determination!

5. Look after your presentation and your image (personal branding) Throughout your transition, the most useful skill you need to master is this: knowing how to present yourself. You will constantly be required to retrace your career path, assert your interests and highlight what you can bring to the company recruiting you, whether in writing (CV, cover letter, etc.) or in person (networking, job interviews, etc.). Your ultimate weapon for convincing and making an impact on those you speak with is therefore your presentation. It must be targeted, concise and clear. To achieve this, you can draw inspiration from the "elevator pitch" method, which will give you a structure for presenting yourself in a few minutes or a few sentences. With the almost constant use of social media, your online brand image, or personal branding, also deserves particular attention. Indeed, recruiters increasingly use online networks to post job offers or to seek out rare gems (candidates). So be mindful of the information you put out on the internet and work on your profiles, particularly on LinkedIn and Jobup.ch.

6. Prepare effectively: your job interview is your gateway to new opportunities

You have personalised your application and been invited to a first interview. Well done! Here are a few tips for handling this exercise successfully:

• Reread the documents you submitted and prepare your opening pitch

• Be clear about your motivations and clearly express what interests you in the role's tasks and responsibilities

• Specify why you wish to carry out this work, in this particular company and not in another

• Give examples to highlight your qualities and achievements. Recruiters will want to identify your skills and hear you talk about them

• Prepare relevant questions to demonstrate your interest and your understanding of the role's stakes and challenges

• Finally, close the interview by underlining your suitability for the role and reaffirm your motivation to commit to this company

In conclusion

​As you will have understood, career transition represents a real challenge for people who have to reposition themselves in the job market. The outside perspective and objectivity of a coach can make all the difference.

Recruitment techniques and methods are evolving rapidly. A career transition must today be conducted like project management. It has its own rules, methods and best practices.

To carry out this process successfully and increase the chances of success, think of Valeur Plus SA and offer your employees the services of our experts. They will thus be better equipped and more confident to move forward with complete peace of mind along the professional path that will lead them to success!

Written by Samuel Gay, consultant