The questions to ask an outplacement vendor
By Justin KullaLast updated
Years in business, client logos and caseload capacity are reasonable things to ask about, but they don't tell you much about what a departing employee will experience. The eight questions below are about that experience, and the answers let you compare one program with another.
Ask every finalist the same eight questions, in writing, and compare the answers side by side rather than the sales pitch. We built a free, vendor-neutral RFP template and scorecard around exactly this list, with no vendor named anywhere in it — use it with any provider you're evaluating.
1. What written deliverable does the participant retain after the contract ends?
Some programs leave the participant with nothing but a lapsed login once the contract term ends. Ask for the specific artifact — resume, references, assessment results — and whether the participant keeps access to it independent of the employer relationship.
2. What is your reporting latency — real time, monthly, or quarterly?
Reporting cadence determines whether HR and finance can act on utilization data during the program or only after it. A quarterly PDF means three months can pass before anyone notices a cohort isn't engaging.
3. Can we see utilization the day a cohort is enrolled?
A related but distinct question from latency — some vendors report periodically but still can't show day-one enrollment status on demand. Ask to see the actual reporting view, not a description of it.
4. What percentage of participants complete a structured reference process?
References are one of the most concretely useful things a program can produce for a participant's next search. Ask for a completion rate, not just whether the capability exists.
5. What documentation do you provide proving the severance obligation was met?
Legal and HR need to be able to demonstrate, per employee, that the outplacement benefit specified in a severance agreement was actually delivered. Ask to see a sample compliance document before signing.
6. What is the participant-to-coach ratio at each tier?
Caseload size is the single biggest driver of how much individual attention a participant actually gets. Ask for the ratio at every tier you're considering, not just the top one.
7. What happens to the participant's data and access at contract end?
This determines whether the program is a service the employer rents for a term or something durable the participant keeps. Ask specifically what is deleted, what is retained, and who controls that decision.
8. Can you provide time-to-placement benchmarks by function and level?
Ask every vendor for this, including us. Be skeptical of any placement-speed or success-rate number that isn't accompanied by a clear, disclosed methodology — sample size, definition of "placed," and how outcomes were measured. A vendor that can't show its methodology can't substantiate the number.
One thing worth asking about is when references are collected. Collecting them early in a search, before you are meeting a client or hiring manager, is a design choice a program makes or doesn't, so ask each vendor directly (question 4 above).
See how a specific vendor stacks up
Side-by-side comparisons, with the questions to ask each provider, at /vs.