I contracted with Merrill Adams Associates to provide me with career counseling and marketing. They claim to have "contacts" and led me to believe I would have access to decision makers in companies and to jobs that were not advertised. I looked at two other firms that do this work, but went with MA because they claimed to have the most contacts.
Turns out the contacts they have are available almost anywhere. They did do a resume for me and cover letters, but for $5000, that's all they did. The counselor they assigned me to met with me 4 or 5 times over several months and provided very little advice. He was a good writer, but did not know the business world. Realizing that after months passed and I did what they told me to do, which was a one-page form that told me when to mail things and what to mail by certain dates, nothing happened. I didn't get any interviews, a few calls, but the leads went nowhere.
The information they gave me from their secret database was often wrong and didn't help at all. You can get the officers of a company in the library. You don't have to pay $5000 for it. I asked on several occasions for these specific "contacts", but was always put-off. They avoided the answer.
I finally realized that I was Ripped-off and asked for a refund. They refused several times and I went to Consumer Affairs. They could not compel the firm to refund my money. I wrote to the Attorney General for NJ, they directed the complaint to Consumer Affairs.
I cannot get any help with this firm. Each Sunday I see their ad in the newspaper and can't believe they advertise that "... It can be different if you have contacts" If this isn't false and misleading advertising and, in my opinion, possibly fraud, I've never seen it. Please help me get my money back.
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