ARTICLE: CAREER MARKETING FIRMS by Richard Kirby

What the heck is a career marketing firm?

Career marketing firms are businesses that provide fee-based services to individuals seeking to improve their career situations. The mission of career marketing firms, in theory, is to improve the effectiveness of job seekers in areas such as establishing focused goals, developing self-marketing plans, enhancing resumes, improving interviewing skills and developing consistent/effective effort toward goals. Career marketing firms are hired by individual business people who are unemployed or are seeking to make a significant career change, such as changing industry or profession.

Career marketing firms are an outgrowth of several factors, including

1. Increased volatility of jobs -- This has forced people to change jobs more frequently than ever before, placing individuals at higher risk for lost income from frequent and/or extended out of work intervals.
2. Reduced quantity of positions -- Reductions in management jobs for mid level and C-Level management within established corporations continues, thus increasing the competition among job candidates.
3. Less career transition assistance -- Companies have progressively cut back on the amount of individualized outplacement services available to downsized employees.
4. Outplacement ineffectiveness -- Individuals are realizing that the “free” career marketing alternative of outplacement services is less effective in today's more competitive job market.

Why would I engage a career marketing firm?

The proactive seeker typically engages a career marketing firm because they feel underutilized, underpaid or undervalued. Sometimes the proactive seeker believes their organization does not offer them promotional or career growth opportunities. And other proactive seekers are satisfied in their current position but they feel there must be other career options that would be more motivating and rewarding.

The reactive seeker typically engages a career marketing firm because they are unemployed or anticipate being unemployed. They recognize the job market is more competitive and want to minimize their out of work interval. Some view their situation, even if leaving their employer involuntarily, as a watershed opportunity to take a deep breath, examine carefully their situation and plot a successful course for the next phase of their working life.

Most people spend 99% to 100% of their effort working “in” their careers rather than “on” their careers. Regardless of whether a person is a proactive or reactive seeker, engaging a career marketing firm offers the potential to leverage expertise beyond their current abilities. Effective career management services from a reputable career management firm offer the following potential benefits:

1. More financial rewards in salary, bonus, stock options, etc.
2. More long term opportunities for advancement.
3. More motivation and satisfaction in a job that is a better fit.
4. More quality time for family and friends.
5. A better quality of life derived from one or more of the above items.

But, can’t seekers do it themselves? Yes, they can. But their results will come more slowly and will tend to be of poorer quality.  A job seeker who takes a step back and reduces their income $24,000 a year loses $2,000 a month on the new job.  A reputable career marketing firm with a track record of successful clients will produce an ROI that proves their value.

What about the negative press from people who feel they have been mistreated or even ripped off by a career marketing firm? The fact is that this is happening every day and poor quality firms many times operate for years and even decades, preying on the anxieties of the unemployed. Engaging a poor quality career marketing firm can actually work against the seeker and retard their progress because they are being guided to perform actions that are ineffective.

How can I gain an advantage without getting ripped off?

This is a very valid concern. Most people who have had poor experience with a career marketing firm made a bad choice without doing their homework. Rather than write off all career marketing firms or be frozen with fear and unable to make a decision, individuals need to properly investigate a firm before paying them any money.

Here are some tips for checking career marketing firms before you engage them:

1. Conduct an internet search. For example, poor performing firms who have been sued typically have a webmaster who is working feverishly to avoid you seeing their negative press on the internet. Do a search using the word “lawsuit” or “suit” and the company’s name. If you get a lot of links to the company that don’t have anything to do with lawsuits and the company has been in business for a while, this is an indication that they are using these key words to divert people to innocuous locations and bury their bad press.
2. Review their web site in detail and compare it to others you are considering. Review the quality and quantity of customer feedback they have posted. Review articles or other helpful information posted on their web site. If their web site content is weak, it is an indication that their service may be weak.
3. Talk to references. If you desire, ask for references who have completed their firm’s programs. Interview the references for what they liked, what they didn’t like, what they wish had been different, and whether they feel their investment was worth it.
4. Interview the person with whom you will be working. Ask them about their tenure in the firm, their relevant business experience, etc.  Frequently, $150K people are given $50K “counselors” who don’t begin to know how to land a $150K position. This is ridiculous.  If the firm won’t let you interview your counselor or seems nervous when you ask, consider yourself forewarned.
5. Perform a gut check. If you don't feel comfortable with the sales person or the counselor, walk away.   If you feel good about the person who is selling you the service and the counselor with whom you will work, then your choice can be based upon what you are willing to spend and what quantity of service you want.

Summary

Most high performing professionals have one or more mentors/coaches. Their coaches are experts in one or more aspects of their performance. As the competition for good jobs continues to increase, working with an effective career marketing firm makes a great deal of sense for professionals and executives who want more income and career satisfaction.

Many people spend countless hours and tens of thousands of dollars pursuing MBA’s and other credentials. A highly productive career marketing firm offers the potential to provide quicker career results, lower costs, and less time away from family.