The More Pink Slips The Better, For One Industry

As businesses struggle in the down economy, one sector that's doing well is outplacement — these are firms that help other companies through layoffs and offer career transition for the pink-slipped.

Some outplacement companies are reporting as much as a 75 percent spike in work. Others say their profits are way up. Keystone Partners is one of the Boston-area outplacement companies that says it's busier than ever.

Recently, WBUR's Bob Oakes visited Keystone, where he sat in on a workshop with laid off workers on job interviewing. About half of Keystone's clients are from financial services, a quarter from the technology and biotech industries, and a quarter primarily from higher education and healthcare industries.