Thanks ROR! You saved me big bucks!
My saga started like most others: I emailed my resume to BHA and a week later a scheduler, Erin, called me to set an appointment with "senior vice president" Don Garrett. The day before the meeting, she called me to reschedule with VP Nancy Roe. Erin emailed me directions to the Arlington office (42 miles away)- which were inaccurate.
After an hour and forty minute drive, I arrived stressed and filled out the intrusive forms. As a former recruiting executive, I know what questions cannot be asked on an application. Martial status and age cannot be asked, yet BHA requested this, plus much more intrusive financial and personal information - all of which I left blank.
During our interview, VP Nancy Roe informed me that as they are not an employer, they can ask what they like and they need this info to work with candidates successfully: BHA needs to know our weaknesses to help us! I was told I had the "wrong degree" and that three jobs in five years were obstacales which BHA would teach me to overcome to get my ideal job.in addition, my resume was "a history lesson, not a resume." I had a "good, successful" resume briefly shown to me - which I took from Nancy to review in detail and had snatched back - but not before seeing the qualifications and education of this person (Harvard MBA, etc). Hey, come on! If I had a Harvard MBA would I need BHA???
I told Nancy that I had career counseling before and what that comprised. She was unaware of the Briggs-Meyers test, a mainstay in career and interest testing. An alarm bell whent off when Nancy disclosed that BHA was not allowed to "practice" in Maryland.
I asked what the success rate was on candidated finding their ideal job and was told it was 97%, and had the 3% failures descibed to me as lazy, sloppy, unmotivated, etc. Obviously, I didn't fall in that catagory! I asked how many conseling sessions I would need before I found my job and was told eight sessions which should take less than two months.
I goggled with disbelief when Nancy said whe wanted to set another appointment with me and I had to bring my spouse. I have never heard of such a thing. When I told her that wasn't going to happen, she said most women needed to get approval from their spouses before committing to a contract and she didn't want to have that happen with me. Danger! Warning!
After an hour and half of this, Nancy gave me more forms and asked me to schedule and appt as soon as possible so she could give me an cost estimate and get started on my new career.
Well, I know a little about headhunting and have a relative who is also a headhunter. I contacted him later that day for an impartial report on my experience and resume. Other than a few really minor changes, he thought my resume was very strong. He had never heard of Haldane and couldn't comment on them.
I realized that BHA was giving me the hard sell, but the prize of the career I want with a great salary is tempting. Before committing further with BHA, I did an Internet search and found ROR. Thanks again for the warning.
Mary
Annapolis, Maryland
U.S.A.
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