I’ve been in the local job market for a few months now, having relocated and new to the area. I would like to think I’m fairly qualified: Good work experience, college educated, veteran, only one major gap in employment history due to a layoff (but been working consistently since I’ve moved here, just nothing serious enough to call a career). I’ve got no arrest record and I clean up real nice (no facial tats or odd piercings). It seems that those three points are a problem in this town.
Today I thought I scored a great interview. Yesterday they called me and shot me a few questions, asked me to answer an email interview questionaire and after that, the receptionist called me back and wanted to know if I would be available for an 8 AM interview. WOW! Sure, I said. (I was busy getting ready for the afternoon job at the restaurant, so I didn’t have time to do the homework to figure out exactly what or who this company was - my fault; lesson learned).
So, I got up early, put on my best suit and showed up about 20 minutes early. (Side note: When I got in the elevator in the lobby, there was a lady rushing to get in the front door. I held the elevator door for her, and it turns out she was the receptionist who was running late. Bonus polite points for me!) I let her get settled in and then she handed me the preliminary application questionaire paperwork.
Anyway, I finish that and a bit later, Mr. Big-Suit-Boss-Man (BSBM) comes out. We go back to his very opulent office and he starts asking about me. Some of the usual “what are you looking for questions” but also some more personal type questions. Personal history, background, military experience and what not. He even gives a few personal type answers himself to make me comfy about my answers, and how “he’s been where I’m at before”. Then he starts to describe success stories of some of his “prior employment seekers” (uh, oh… is this a fancy temp agency?) and how he has helped them move from so-so jobs to excellent careers. He describes two previous clients similar to me who moved from $30K to $90k-ish jobs. Then he asks me a few more questions, and starts to tell me what I’m doing wrong and how I can do better. Okay, not so bad. And then, he drops the hammer.
BSBM explains how he’s not just a placement agency, or a headhunter, but rather how he matches “professionals” with “careers”, not jobs. How it’s all about “who you know, not what you know”, meaning he’s been in the local market for 20+ years and all my education won’t match his networking skills, and blah blah blah. BSBM keeps tooting his own horn for a few more minutes and then says that for his (up-front and non-refundable) fee of $3000, he **might **be able to find me a position within 6-9 months. (WTF?)
That’s pretty much when I tuned out. This wasn’t an interview, it wasn’t even a qualification exam for a temp company. IMO, this was straight up a scam in a nice suit with a fancy office. There wasn’t a job offer. There wasn’t even a guarantee that he would find me a job, just a maybe. And a **6 to 9 month maybe **at that. Only after I paid the up front fee, of course. Did I mention this was non-refundable?
Well, he gave me some company info (in a nice embossed folder with gold print) and I went on my way. It had a brief description of “services provided” (all in very vague speech), described in great legalese about the up-front and non-refundable bit, and even greater detail about the “this is not a guarantee of employment” stuff. I never saw the actual contract, though. He even gave me an exit interview form to fill out and return to the receptionist (which I did; I didn’t want to storm out in a huff). After that, I was gone.
Sheesh. I was very disappointed. I had gotten my hopes up in advance (my mistake), hoped that my job search would end here, and then all was shot to hell.
I left the office and went to the local taco shack for 2/$1 breakfast tacos to try to pick up my mood. The tacos were good, but they didn’t do much.
Not quite sour enough for the pit (but feel free to move it if needed), but I was just let down. Way down. I guess most of that’s my fault for not doing the homework and not letting my BS-detector do the work ahead of time, but it was all short notice. I’ve applied for lots of temp agencies in the past, and even worked for a few, usually with positive results. I have never heard of any company having the balls to ask for such a up-front fee and not even offering any compensation if they don’t perform. Although, from what I did see from the info in the nice gold-trimmed folder, they really didn’t *have *to deliver anything.
This is just a horrible trick to play on the weary job-seekers. I feel sorry for any suckers who actually fall for this if they don’t get any return for their investment. I didn’t do it (of course). I don’t have the $3K to spare, but even if I did, I think I’d spend it on hookers and blow. At least that way, I know I’d get some return for my money. At least a little bang for my bucks.
That’s it. I just thought that this type of approach from a company like this is bad news for anybody who has been taken.