Getting executives back on their feet

For senior executives and professionals who have long enjoyed job stability, being faced with the sudden prospect of unemployment can be a bitter experience.

“It can be devastating,�? said Victor Chartier, director of Executives Available Inc., adding feelings of anger and resentment are not uncommon among people who lose their jobs.

Since it was founded with the help of Father Tom McEntee in 1977, the Pointe Claire-based organization has helped thousands of displaced executives reintegrate into the work force, with a consistent high level of success.

“It can take as long as 18 months to find a job on your own. But our numbers show that over 40 per cent of our clients get jobs within 90 days, and 80 per cent within the year,�? Chartier said.

“We’ve just completed our best year ever, finding jobs for over 300 in 2006,�? said Chartier, who availed himself of the non-profit agency’s services in the 1980s. After retiring he sat as a volunteer on the board before being named director eight years ago.

In recent years there has been a series of cutbacks in management personnel in several fields.

“The fields in which we see the quickest turnover is in finance and general management,�? he said. And while engineering and technology have also felt the impact, “it’s really a potpourri.

“But the market has improved; there aren’t as many cutbacks as there were a few years ago, especially in the computer field, when Nortel fell off a cliff and everything collapsed.�?

Executives Available’s overall approach is multi-faceted. Clients attend nine two-hour workshops over three weeks, where staff touches on a wide range of practical strategies.

“They learn how to prepare a CV, about networking and planning their job search. They also learn how to write letters, place calls, and how to prepare for an interview. They get some additional tips as well,�? he said. “We try to keep the tone light, to keep people’s morale high.�?

But there have been some visible changes since Executives Available put down roots, among them selling their program to Emploi-Québec in 1997.

“There were no resources or other programs in the West Island that catered to professionals — of whom there are still a massive amount. We have had a contract with the provincial government ever since. It’s a good relationship — they point people in our direction, increasing our membership, and we meet their expectations,�? Chartier said.

The clientele has also undergone a transition over time, a development which reflects the changing nature of our society.

“There has been a big increase in the number of immigrants who use our services. It’s gone up by 23 per cent in recent years. There can be extra challenges for them, such as the language barrier. We’ve also seen a much larger proportion of women; there’s an upswing every year,�? he said.

Executives Available is located at 189 Hymus Blvd. For more information, call 514-697-2227.