Outplacement assistance

A talent pool of eligible state employees at risk of layoff.

• Maintained by the state to offer agencies access to experienced workers.
• A way for eligible employees to provide their qualifications to agencies seeking candidates for open positions.

Recruiters and HR staff can play a powerful role in helping impacted employees prepare for and land new jobs. Even if your internal team hasn’t traditionally provided outplacement services, they can offer meaningful support through job search guidance.

Here are practical ways recruiters and HR professionals can assist:

Provide one-on-one support through trained recruiters or HR staff.

• Talk through realistic next steps, whether internal transfers, other state agencies, or private-sector options.
• Offer encouragement and validation. Many employees are understandably anxious or discouraged during layoffs.
• Assist with creating or updating state job profiles on careers.wa.gov.
• Offer guidance on articulating transferable skills from their current role.
• Partner with other recruiters to host workshops.
• Topics may include:
  • How to navigate the careers.wa.gov system
  • Resume formatting tips
  • Answering supplemental questions
  • Interviewing in structured panels
• Explain how the job classification system works and how to interpret job postings.
• Help employees set up job alerts and monitor postings related to their classification or skillset.

Tip for recruitment: Offer help early—even if layoff is only a possibility.

Help impacted employees get seen by hiring managers.

• Review resumes and help tailor them for next roles.
• Walk employees through how to describe their government experience using skills-based language and how to highlight impact and accomplishments.
• Provide resume templates or examples of application content (work experience, achievements, cover letters, etc.).
• With consent, share employee resumes with other agency recruiters that have open positions.
• Identify lateral or lower-band positions as landing spots for qualified staff.

Prepare employees to compete successfully.

• Conduct mock interview “prep sessions” to help employees who haven’t interviewed in a while.
• Coach employees on answering common questions, STAR-format responses (situation, task, action, result), and how to handle sensitive questions (e.g., “Why are you leaving your job?”).
• Use OFM’s Skills-based hiring and recruitment example interview questions to assist employees with skills-based responses.

Tip for Recruitment: Consider group sessions for teams or divisions facing multiple reductions.

Expand job search beyond state government roles.

• Share regional or sector-specific job boards (e.g., cities, counties, school districts, nonprofits).
• Encourage employees to use professional platforms to start networking early.
• Connect employees with sector-specific associations or job fairs.

Examples:

• WorkSource Washington
• CareerOneStop
• State jobs with colleges and universities
• State Board for Community and Technical Colleges job page
• Government Jobs
• Association of Washington Cities – Jobnet
• Washington Counties Job Board
• City of Seattle Jobs
• King County Careers
• Diversity Recruiting Resources

Acknowledging the emotional toll of job loss matters.

• Refer employees to your Employee Assistance Program.
• Recognize grief, stress, and anxiety as part of the process.
• Provide a safe space to ask questions and express concerns.

Tip for leaders: A kind conversation goes a long way. Consider assigning a “transition liaison” to check in on employees regularly.

Layoffs affect morale—even for those who stay.

• Communicate clearly and compassionately throughout the process
• Reassure remaining employees and offer support if they are covering new duties
• Highlight successful reemployment stories from former colleagues
• Offer optional group sessions or Q&A hours during the workweek. Even a few hours of coaching support per week can make a big difference in reducing employee stress and accelerating re-employment.