Terry Ebert

Managing Director

Tel:  212.889.7788

terry.ebert@ayers.com

“Candidates in outplacement at The Ayers Group have a rich assortment of resources at their disposal,” says Terry Ebert, Managing Director of Career Transition Services.  “Many of these resources are focused on assisting in research and networking efforts, and we are continuously expanding or enhancing them to increase their usefulness.
 
Ramping Up Research
“While some of our research resources can be accessed only in the firm’s offices, such as the new Bloomberg terminal in the New York office, many are available through the Internet and can be accessed from virtually anywhere,” the Ayers executive continues.

David Lockwood, Director of Research and Internet Technology, is responsible for the Ayers Internet Resource Center (IRC) and other online resources. The IRC features a comprehensive list of Web-site and database links—a “best of the Net” for job seekers—organized into more than 40 categories, ranging from publications to career hubs to job listings. It also provides access to a number of Ayers’ subscription databases.  

“We’re reorganizing and enhancing the existing links,” says Lockwood.  “In addition to having a new look, the IRC will be easier to navigate and use.  We’re adding a new networking section, which features a calendar of networking events in the tri-state area, plus contact information and Website links for area networking organizations.  There are also enhancements to the career databases on both the IRC and the Online Career Center.”  The latter is an interactive Web-based career transition tool available through Ayers and Career Partners International (CPI).

Lockwood, who teaches Internet research seminars focused on how to use the databases on the IRC, also conducts online research for senior-level candidates.  Joining him in that effort is Trish Mackay, a research specialist with a degree in library science who also received training at Cambridge University in the U.K. “There is a plethora of information on the Internet,” says Mackay.  “In doing their own online research, candidates tend to end up with more information than they can use.  We hold a reference interview to help the candidate articulate his or her information needs.  Our job then is to find that information using Ayers’ subscription databases and other online sources, filter and organize it, and deliver it to the candidate in a usable form via email.” 
 
Tapping the Power of Networking
An important tool in the best of times, networking is critical in a tough job market.  “There’s a hidden market of jobs that aren't advertised or posted to online job boards,” says Ebert.  “Networking is the key to tapping that market.”  Ayers outplacement consultants estimate that networking accounts for upward of 90 percent of successful candidate landings, compared with 70 percent two years ago. The Wall Street Journal reports that 94 percent of successful seekers cite networking as their primary job-search method.

In addition to the networking/support groups it has created for its candidates, such as the Peak Performance Teams, Ayers hosts networking groups for HR executives both inside and outside the firm’s candidate population.  These networking groups provide expanded outplacement assistance to HR professionals on a pro bono basis while providing Ayers candidates with a larger networking base and additional job leads.

Participants share leads, contacts, and job-market intelligence, while helping each other develop strategies for targeting potential employers.  Ayers offers use of its facilities, counseling, research, and contacts.  The firm’s consultants serve as group facilitators and also conduct workshops.  For example, Ted Turnasella, an Ayers compensation consultant, recently made presentations on compensation trends and the process and decisions involved in designing compensation plans to the New York HR Networking Group.  Robert Krenza, an OD consultant and executive coach for Ayers, presented a personal mastery workshop focused on helping participants in the same group establish purpose, vision, and values as a foundation for the job search process.

Ayers consultants also frequently give workshops or presentations to outside networking groups such as the Executive Forum, a cross-functional group for senior executives, the International Executives Resource Group, and function-specific groups for executives in the financial and IT industries.  In addition, the firm has begun partnering with some existing networking groups to enrich networking opportunities for candidates (see "Ayers, MENG Hold First Joint Meeting").

For more information about HR Networking Groups, contact the nearest Ayers office:

New York	212.889.7788
Norwalk	203.354.7788
Parsippany	973.394.7788
Princeton	609.720.8670

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