I have been an unemployed healthcare administrator for a couple of months now. I am very computer savvy, so I have used the Internet extensively in my search. I mostly trust Monster.com, but recently I have been utilizing other job sites. At some point I stumbled across jobhunting.com, which required registration with my email address to view content. While there was some useful information on this site, there was nothing unique about it, and I didn't visit it again.
A couple of days later I received an email from Bernard Haldane Associates for a Free Online Career Assessment. I clicked on the link, and began filling out the information. A couple of pages into the questionnaire, I began to get an uneasy feeling, so I abandoned the process. Within minutes, I received an email thanking me for participating in the Free Online Assessment from Bernard Haldane Associates, the oldest, largest, and most respected career management firm. I was informed that my assessment has been assigned to a career specialist in your area. After review, we will determine if we can help you achieve your goals. If we can assist you, we will contact you in a few days to arrange for a free "one on one" professional assessment. I thought this was odd, because I hadn't completed the online assessment, and I had not submitted my resume.
Later that same day, I received a phone call from a very professional young lady who told me that they had received my information and wanted to set up a meeting for me with one of their vice presidents. I told her that I had not completed the online assessment, but she assured me that her information indicated that I had. I knew that I hadn't, but I decided to see what the firm was all about. I agreed to drive to Hartford the next morning to meet with the Vice President. I was asked to bring a clean copy of my resume. Again, I thought this was strange, because I had been told that the firm had received my resume from the Internet.
After some scheduling problems were solved on the first day, I met with a very polished gentleman a couple of days later that was extremely complimentary of my skill set. This man spent at least two hours with me. He worked through some issues with me, and I was feeling better about myself than I had in quite some time. He then wanted to set up a second meeting with me, and he wanted my wife to attend. I told him that was not possible given my wife's employment situation. He was very insistent, and asked if I might conference call her in for 30 or 45 minutes. I said I would ask, but it was not likely. I thought this was very strange, and I had no intent of involving my wife I just didn't see the need. At one point during the meeting, the consultant asked if I understood how Haldane worked. I said that I didn't, but that's as far as it went. I left still not understanding how the firm makes money.
When I got home, I decided to check on the Internet to see what I could find out about the firm. I entered Bernard Haldane on Yahoo, and I got dozens of hits. Of course, Haldane is a Sponsor Site on Yahoo, but the web page matches were very interesting. While there were plenty of pages of sales puffery, and even an endorsement from congressman Jim McDermott, these results were dwarfed by the reports of alleged rip offs.
One of the most telling of these results was the usacomplaints.com's consumer complaintss on Haldane. Another was Cagey Consumer Product & Service Alerts (cageyconsumer.com). While I cannot say that I was or would have been ripped off by Haldane, I find their business practices despicable. Luckily, all I wasted was some of my time. Taking advantage of those who are out of work with false hope is low, low, low.
Thank you usacomplaints.com!
Kent
Wilbraham, Massachusetts
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