I just came from a meeting with a Haldane "Sr. Vp". I was laid off several months ago and was given the impression that Haldane would get interviews FOR me. I thought I was going to meet with them about senior HR management positions. As I have met with a number of headhunters since my layoff, I was hesitant to waste any more time, but when you are desparate... During the meeting with a very pleasant man, I was surprised at some of the questions.in fact, in a normal employment situation, it is illegal to ask personal questions such as "Are you married?" and your spouse's income, etc.initially, I thought these questions were OK since I was not interviewing for a job WITH Haldane.
The VP left me alone for a few minutes and asked me to complete a checklist of things I would like to have in a job and areas where I need help or improvement, as well as my immediate, short and long-term goals. As I know where I am in my career, where I want to go, and what I need to do to get there, I checked only a few items. When the VP reviewed the checklist, he said he didn't think I really had a clear picture of my goals, and he highlighted items I had not checked, such as developing a clear career plan with a schedule and goals, etc. He then said that Haldane could help me and I needed to schedule a 2nd interview and that I would need to bring my husband. When I asked why, the response was that they wanted to ensure that I had my husband's support in my job search.
On my way home, I began to feel more and more uncomfortable with the meeting I had, so I did an internet search and found this web site. I am in HR and although I was suspicious, my doubts weren't confirmed until I found info on the internet. What does my husband have to do with my skills and abilities? Not a #*$* thing!
Although Haldane seems to provide some good career counseling services for those who may benefit from them, it is clear that as a whole, they are not up front with information about the servuces they provide. As someone who is already frustrated with the tight job market, not to mention the tight pocketbook after being unemployed for a while, it makes me really mad that a company like this takes advantage of people in my position. If it weren't for my profession, I may not have seen through the BS and might have paid lots of $ for services that can be found elsewhere for a much more reasonable cost.
I hope that telling my experience prevents others from wasting their time and increasing frustration levels.
0 comments