A couple of days back I was called, at my home tel no: (which this person had apparently got from my resume that I had posted to some of the job posts like workopolis.com etc.,) by one Mr. Shawn Ingham. He mentioned that he is calling from Bernard Haldane, Vancouver office and was wondering if I could be available for an interview with one of their associates. He also mentioned that I am one of the "few" people chosen, whom they (bernard haldane, Vancouver office) think they can place. He booked an appt: for the next day for me to meet one Mr. Joe Lopushinsky. At that juncture I specifically asked Mr. Shawn if there was any reason that I could discuss anything that need to be discussed with anyone, over the phone. He mentioned at that juncture that they might have a "client" who is looking for my skills, and after the initial interview with one of their associates, they might put me on to one of their clients. Now I can vouch for the fact that, that's exactly what I understood of what was said. (In retrospect now, I think this is the standard ploy of these guys to make people visit their offices.) Anyway, I went to their office, and was met by a very congenial receptionist, who was willing to take my coat off, and requested em to wait before an associate could meet me. I waited for a few minutes and there came Mr. Joe L, a bespectacled upper middle-aged gentleman. He led me to one of the rooms and started the now (in) famous Haldane Sales Pitch. But before that he had already asked me a lot of "HIGHLY PERSONAL QUESTIONS" like wife's name, her occupation, how many children I have, their ages, what they do, what my plans are for the next 2 months, my salary at the different places that I have worked for the past 8 years. I was getting increasingly uncomfortable, since this was getting to be more of an interrogation rather than an interview. But I was hoping, still against, hope (actually giving him the benefit of doubt) as to the kind of clients that they may be dealing with. Somewhere in midst of this question answer session, he dropped a statement that if there were anything that I would require, Bernard Haldane to do to make sure that I am competitive in the Job Market Place, then that might cost me a thousand or a few thousands (was not even sure at that point in time what currency unit he was talking about! USD or CAD). That's when I thought, this was nothing else but a scam very similar to the AMWAY one. The last straw came, when he pushed a pad with bunch of papers in it, with a question on top (in printed letters) what are the things that I think Bernard Haldane could do to make me competitive in the job market. (or words to that effect). I was supposed to write that, in that white piece of paper, in my own handwriting, right there. That's when I mentioned that I wouldn't be able to do that then and there, but I could think it over and then get back to them. Immediately I think both of us knew that, this is going to go nowhere and he gave me his business card to ask me to contact him at whenever I am "ready" to do so. I was a bit angry since, I had specifically asked Shawn Ingham what would be the purpose of this interview with Joe L and he had, in my opinion, mislead and misrepresented me, which resulted in my coming all the way to downtown Vancouver, spending a few dollars on parking, and wasting my time with this Joe L. I called him and made my displeasure known, (ofcourse, he first seemed to get into selective amnesia, and then after I juggled his memory, he profusely apologized and using the time honoured code of deniability put the blame on "miscommunication", new employee at BHA therefore not sure about dealing with people etc.,) My main concern now was that Bernard Haldane had my resume on their databases (sent by me the previous day at Shawn's request to their [email protected]), and also I remembered Joe L writing all the personal information that I had mentioned to him during our "interview" on a Bernard Haldane Assoc's form. I asked him to1. Delete my resume of their database. 2. Shred the materials that contained my personal information that Joe L had noted on the BHA's standard format form. 3. Send me an e-mail to mentioning the fact that BHA had done so.initially I didn't get his email, so I called him again and then he sent me an email to that effect. SSVancouver, British Columbia
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