Typical Client Is 44, Male and a Victim of Merger

The average outplaced executive is a 44-year-old man who has been working for a company more than 10 years and has an annual salary of about $70,582. Typically, he is laid off as a result of a merger, acquisition or corporate cost-cutting measures.

It takes about five months for the average outplaced executive to find a new job, but he will probably benefit from the fact that average severance pay lasts just over six months, according to a survey last year of nearly 900 clients by Drake Beam Morin, a career management and outplacement firm considered one of the founding companies in the industry.

Out-of-work executives were younger, higher salaried and quicker to find jobs than they had been in the last seven years, according to the survey.

The number of women clients, although still in the minority, increased slightly, from 11% to 13%, reflecting an increased number of women in middle management, the survey said.

Before losing their jobs, 25% of the people surveyed were general-management types, followed closely by corporate staff members (such as accountants and lawyers) and employees in finance, accounting, marketing and sales.

A good portion--38%--found higher paying jobs, 36% took a cut in salary and 26% reported no change in their salaries.