Searching for a job
My previous employer and I parted ways about 5 weeks ago (long story, not here). So I've been doing a variety of things - back surgery, consulting, job hunting. And that's the source of this post.
I went to a job fair a few weeks back, and left a copy of my resume with the sponsor, who farmed it out to whoever was interested. So I got a call last week from a local agency, they'd seen my resume, and could I come in and talk to their "Sr. Vice President". Well, that's one possible way to get a job, so I set the appointment.
When I got there, it was an hour early (my mistake, but didn't realize it until ten minutes later). They had made a point to emphasize that I should be prompt. All I said at the front desk was that I was here to see Mr . so-and-so, and I was invited to sit down, he'd be with me in a couple of minutes. Although the receptionist was older, there was bubble-gum music playing on a portable radio. Obnoxious bubble-gum music. There were also a couple of dinosaurs wandering around (and I don't like the age discrimination when I'm looking for a job, but these dudes were seriously mid-70's, minimum).
About five minutes into the waiting, the first faint alarms started going off. If they're so doggoned busy, where was everybody? More to the point, I was supposed to respect their busy schedule, but they didn't need to respect my time? Oh, yeah - that's right, I'm not employed, my time's not important...
I was just about to walk out when this younger guy comes into the room, extends his hand, and says "Hi, Mr. Smith" (not me!), and I said "No, I'm Jones", the receptionist looks up and says "Your appointment is at 10:30", and the dude turns to her and says "I don't have any 10:30 appointment scheduled". Clue #2 and 3: Disorganized. Not busy. Anyway, they set my appointment to "10:00". I guess the ten-minutes-late thing is ingrained, because 10:10 is about when I got into the dude's office.
The dude proceeds to ask some "personal" questions "Employers can't ask these, you understand, but we're not an employer, we're here to help". Yeah, sure, move along. "Married?" "Kids?" and here's what I think they're really after: "How much staying power? That is, how long can you afford to continue a job search?" In other words, how sure can we be that if we charge you $10,000 up front, can we expect to see the money?
He then proceeds to tell me how very selective they are, that only about "one in seven" of the people they interview get "accepted" as clients (at the pace people were pouring in through the door for their interviews, I'd guess they pick up maybe one client a week at that rate), that they have an office meeting every afternoon to decide who they were going to select to be their chosen, and that they'd get back to me on Monday if I were selected (I guarantee you I'll be "selected") to set up a second interview to which I would bring my wife, and that they'd expect me to make a decision before I left. More alarm bells going off. And would I fax them a copy of my resume? Sure, I'll email a softcopy. "No, fax is better - we're getting deluged with email". Yeah, right, your last appointment stood you up, you spent most of an hour with me, and there's nobody in the lobby - you must be incredibly busy, dude.
When I got home, I googled the company. No luck. Same with the recruiter. Then I tried the Better Business Bureau. Not there either, but what's this? A listing for a similar name, same address. Click on the record, they dissolved in December 2005. "BH Careers International". Obviously not the same company (right??) so nothing I say here could possibly have anything to do with this same agency located in the same office space, could it?
And that linked me to the website ripoffreports.com, and page after page of complaints about Bernard Haldane (BH??) I think the tie-in was actually the addess, they had the same address listed. Anyway, many common themes running through the complaints: you could be one of the select few we decide to represent... our committee meets this afternoon... we'll schedule another appointment, bring your wife...
I guess you wouldn't expect to find a bunch of satisfied customers on a website called "ripoffreports", but it confirmed my gut's reaction. I don't need anything more.
I went to a job fair a few weeks back, and left a copy of my resume with the sponsor, who farmed it out to whoever was interested. So I got a call last week from a local agency, they'd seen my resume, and could I come in and talk to their "Sr. Vice President". Well, that's one possible way to get a job, so I set the appointment.
When I got there, it was an hour early (my mistake, but didn't realize it until ten minutes later). They had made a point to emphasize that I should be prompt. All I said at the front desk was that I was here to see Mr . so-and-so, and I was invited to sit down, he'd be with me in a couple of minutes. Although the receptionist was older, there was bubble-gum music playing on a portable radio. Obnoxious bubble-gum music. There were also a couple of dinosaurs wandering around (and I don't like the age discrimination when I'm looking for a job, but these dudes were seriously mid-70's, minimum).
About five minutes into the waiting, the first faint alarms started going off. If they're so doggoned busy, where was everybody? More to the point, I was supposed to respect their busy schedule, but they didn't need to respect my time? Oh, yeah - that's right, I'm not employed, my time's not important...
I was just about to walk out when this younger guy comes into the room, extends his hand, and says "Hi, Mr. Smith" (not me!), and I said "No, I'm Jones", the receptionist looks up and says "Your appointment is at 10:30", and the dude turns to her and says "I don't have any 10:30 appointment scheduled". Clue #2 and 3: Disorganized. Not busy. Anyway, they set my appointment to "10:00". I guess the ten-minutes-late thing is ingrained, because 10:10 is about when I got into the dude's office.
The dude proceeds to ask some "personal" questions "Employers can't ask these, you understand, but we're not an employer, we're here to help". Yeah, sure, move along. "Married?" "Kids?" and here's what I think they're really after: "How much staying power? That is, how long can you afford to continue a job search?" In other words, how sure can we be that if we charge you $10,000 up front, can we expect to see the money?
He then proceeds to tell me how very selective they are, that only about "one in seven" of the people they interview get "accepted" as clients (at the pace people were pouring in through the door for their interviews, I'd guess they pick up maybe one client a week at that rate), that they have an office meeting every afternoon to decide who they were going to select to be their chosen, and that they'd get back to me on Monday if I were selected (I guarantee you I'll be "selected") to set up a second interview to which I would bring my wife, and that they'd expect me to make a decision before I left. More alarm bells going off. And would I fax them a copy of my resume? Sure, I'll email a softcopy. "No, fax is better - we're getting deluged with email". Yeah, right, your last appointment stood you up, you spent most of an hour with me, and there's nobody in the lobby - you must be incredibly busy, dude.
When I got home, I googled the company. No luck. Same with the recruiter. Then I tried the Better Business Bureau. Not there either, but what's this? A listing for a similar name, same address. Click on the record, they dissolved in December 2005. "BH Careers International". Obviously not the same company (right??
And that linked me to the website ripoffreports.com, and page after page of complaints about Bernard Haldane (BH??) I think the tie-in was actually the addess, they had the same address listed. Anyway, many common themes running through the complaints: you could be one of the select few we decide to represent... our committee meets this afternoon... we'll schedule another appointment, bring your wife...
I guess you wouldn't expect to find a bunch of satisfied customers on a website called "ripoffreports", but it confirmed my gut's reaction. I don't need anything more.
Labels: Job search
posted by pyroman at 2:30 PM
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