Complaint Review: Bernard Haldane Associates - Indianapolis

I would like to start by saying thank you to all the Bernard Haldane Associate's victims who have wrote in prior to my report, especially to the former BHA advisor. Although it makes me realize how much of a mistake I made in trusting this placement firm, it's also refreshing to hear suggestions/support of how to deal with such a costly mistake, both emotionally and monetarily. I know this is lengthy but it's worth the reading!! My experience with BHA confirms that just because a business charges unbelievable fees and is still in business doesn't mean they'll do what they say they willthe victim's word just hasn't been spread around enough. I hope my story helps save future job seekers who fall prey to Bernard Haldane! Be sure to notice there is one critical link missing between BHA's Phase 1: Preparing a profile and interview techniques and Phase 2: Negotiations.THE ACTUAL INTERVIEW AND/OR CONTACTS BEING PROVIDED!!!

I am a single parent who, after obtaining my bachelor's and establishing a successful work history in Atlanta, Georgia over a six year span, decided to relocate back to Indiana in July 2001. Responses to dozens of resumes being sent out daily were slim as 4th quarter was quickly approaching and the events of September 11th resulted in no responses...except from Bernard Haldane Associates! I attended my first meeting with the Vice President of Client Services and, although I am usually very skeptical of the car salesman lines, I was extremely excited about what I thought was a great opportunity to invest in such an important part of my life and my son's, my career. I proceeded to schedule a second meeting the following day to confirm my decision to hire BHA. The firm had been recommended to me so, short of discussing it with family members, I decided to take the plunge of $4860.00. The BHA VP stated that it was only a short term investment because I was a piece of cake placement candidateI wasn't changing industries, had excellent recommendations/education, an excellent variety of experience in finance, procurement management, operations analysis, etc. He proceeded to confirm that, although average placement time was (60) days, he thought I could be placed in (30) days. Beware!!! BHA also states that you don't really have to worry about the money you're spending up frontthey will negotiate a sign on bonus or an increase in salary to compensate you for your fees!!! Amazingly enoughif a placement firm never provides interviews, contacts for interviewing or job leads through their website they can't negotiate anything!!!

After one to two weeks of hiring BHA, I addressed with my advisor the time frame to begin interviewing and placement. He stated the profile exercises, which are simply busy work and extremely time consuming, as well as attending the 4 hour Marketing Campaign Seminar, which is a ridiculous waste of time, must be completed prior to interviewing. He also stated that things were very slow right now with 4th quarter and that placement may not even take place until 1st quarter of 2002. I explained to him that I would've never hired BHA if they were not going to be able to place me until 1st quarter I had made that very clear to the VP. I also explained that I felt like I had received the Sales Pitch from the VP prior to giving my money and now all of a sudden I seemed to be receiving the Reality Check from the person that was actually suppose to deliver. I was going into to BHA 2-3 times per weekoutside searching on my own had ceased to get through all of BHA time consuming/elementary work! Even at this pace, it takes at least one month to be ready to interview. Following my initial verbal complaint to my advisor, I also contacted the VP via phone to explain my concerns and the conflicting placement information I was being given. He again confirmed there was absolutely no reason my placement should take that long and stated that he would step in to assist with expediting the process. Nothing changed.

On October 12, 2001, I had completed all of the profile exercises and had attended the Marketing Campaign Seminar. My advisor stated that I was to watch for emails from the Career Search website. I receive emails everyday from 5-6+ free career search websites with applicable positions. How many have I received from the BHA's CS2K website to dateZERO! I also brought to my advisor's attention how poorly managed the website was (i.e. job postings 6-12 months old, the same position listed 5 times, etc). I stated that when I ran the search over 500 positions would come back but only 10-20 were actually current! He stated that the site was not cleaned up because it was a business decisionit cost BHA money every time they have Sterling Hightower clean it up!!! Very professional response and exactly what you want to hear when you sit in the plush office that they're getting ready to remodel once again?!?!?!

On November 12, 2001, I attended a personally requested meeting with the VP of Client Services, and presented him with a two page contractual agreement, which not only summarized the poor experience I had had with Haldane, but also stated that, in order to maintain the career placement partnership, Upper Management had to intervene and have me in the final stages of placement no later than December 15, 2001. I was allowing them another month to redeem themselves and our partnership! The VP signed the agreement and agreed to step in to ensure that I would have the opportunity to began interviewing and ultimately be placed close to that date. He also stated he would meet with my advisor and the lead advisor to provide additional assistance/insight and would follow up with me on November 13, 2001, via cell phone.

By November 15, 2001, I had not heard from the VP and sent via email a request for a full refund. I stated this only confirmed my beliefs of BHA being unable to follow up and deliver results. The VP replied that the lead advisor had been out with Bronchitis and that he would not be able to meet with her until the following Wednesday, November 21, 2001, at 4:00p.m. Follow up from the meeting was not received until Monday, November 26, 2001, in which the VP stated that the lead advisor agreed I should've been provided with more leads by now and that she would provide them if I did the following:
Send a letter to her asking for a referral interview, using the VP's name as the connection, and include a resume
Follow up to receive an appointment

Despite my reserves as a customer, regarding why I must take even more additional steps to generate results from Haldane, I conceded with his letter request on November 27, 2001, and followed up with a call to the lead advisor for an appointment on Monday, December 3, 2001. Of course she was completely booked that week despite my account's situation and couldn't schedule an appointment until Tuesday, December 11, 2001, at which time I was to treat the interview as a network style interview, with her as a possible lead into a company, and following the interview she would switch roles and act as my advisor, providing advice. Yes, acting is a big portion of this placement firms approach!!! Please note: I had already completed the role playing and passed the test with my assigned advisor!

On December 6, 2001, I sent a formal letter to the VP registered mail and via email summarizing the course of events, or lack thereof, since I had given BHA yet another month to deliver results. I still had not had the opportunity to interview once! I cancelled the rehearsal with the lead advisor and, at the advice of legal council, stated in my second formal request for a refund, that a response within (10) business days was required. The VP never contacted me. The lead advisor contacted me around December 18th, and wanted to reschedule our meeting from the 11th??? I told her I appreciated her call but I felt too much time had been wasted and ample opportunity had been given to the firm to change the outcome of our partnership. I told her I would converse with my attorney and follow up. She followed up again and I told her I had to turn the ongoing and never ending situation over to my attorney. She stated that my request would be turned over to a Corporate Client Services contact and that he would follow up with me. Of course she had no idea when that would behe might be out of the country!!

Around December 20, 2001, I followed up with a final phone call to the lead advisor to request the contact information for the Corporate contact. I had been waiting long enough for results from Haldane and had no intention of continuing that process. To date I have still not heard from BHA and have turned the matter over to an attorney. No matter how much I have to struggle financially not only because of what this placement firm did (or didn't do), but also because of what it will cost me to straighten it out I intend to incur it. Job seekers are especially vulnerable right now with the economy the way it is and I plan to do everything I can to make them aware of how ruthless this organization isno matter where the victims are that they strike, our stories are all the same!!!
Michele
Fishers IN

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