Job Finders ripoff Santa Ana California ripped off my down payment on a house.. *EDitor's Comment
TO: Complaint Department of the Better Business Bureau
FAX: 714-985-8920
DATE: 12/7/01
FROM : Frank O
ADDRESS: XXXX Laguna Niguel CA 92677
PHONE: XXX-xxx-7945
I'm filling a complaint against Job Finders International Inc.
Address: 4 Hutton Drive, Suite 750 Santa Ana, CA 92707
Phone: 714-557-9990
On September 4th 2001 I signed a contract with Job Finders to place me in an Executive Position. I was told by Garry Concannon that Job finders could place me within a month, with all the experience and database jobs they have listed, and training they would put me through. When we first talked a month prior to the signing of the contract Garry said it would cost me about 3,500 dollars for the service. One month later I asked for there help and he raised the price to 4,500 dollars saying he has less time to find me a job, that is why it costs more. Garry made it sound like they already had jobs waiting for me. I should target being a VP of sales for a major corporation. Which I had no prior experience in. He said this is the next step, so I took his advice. After all I came to them for advice. I was skeptical at first so I asked around to see if it was a good idea. My step mom said, make sure you ask them if they place you. Before I signed the contract I asked Garry if they place me, and he said YES! He will never admit that to this day. I would never pay the money I did just for advice on how to get a job. I can get that over the Internet for free. He also did not bring up the fact that you could spend up to an extra 1000 dollars on mailing your resumes. It says in the contract that you mail your letters, but he never brought up the fact it could cost that much money. He said it would take about a month to place me and about 30 dollars in mailing.
I spent half my life savings on just hiring them and then when it comes to start my campaign I didn't have enough money for the mailings, so I couldn't even get started. On top of that, after I signed the contract I was handed over to a counselor. Garry made it sounded like he was going to find me the job. I asked them for help on the mailings and they said it's in the contact that we don't pay for it. I explained my situation and tried to make a deal saying to not charge me the extra 1000 because you didn't find me a job under a month and use it for mailings. Garry said, you can talk to the owner, but he won't do it.
TO: Complaint Department of the Better Business Bureau PAGE 2
FAX: 714-985-8920
FROM : Frank O
ADDRESS:
Laguna Niguel CA 92677
I'm filling a complaint against Job Finders International Inc.
Address: 4 Hutton Drive, Suite 750 Santa Ana, CA 92707
Phone: 714-557-9990
I couldn't believe I just spent 4500 dollars and they would not help me pay for mailings. I thought they would do a lot of the searching and contacting, but all they provided was paper work on how to prepare yourself which was and endless amount of information they probably got off the Internet. They did rewrite my resume, which I thought sounded way to impersonal for the market I was in. I'm sure it would work for some companies. They did send me all the sic codes and Internet sights for me to look at, but I thought they were going to do that. Why would I pay that much money for all that paper work and then to have to mail it all and pay for it. Option one and Apple one provide free service and do all the work.
They provided no networking or contacts, I had to call my friends to see if they knew of anything. I got two interviews from my friends. When I told Gary that my friends were outperforming them he said, that's part of networking, we taught you that I couldn't believe he said that. In the contract it says to fill out a weekly chart so they can keep track of mailings sent, and interview situations. Just another part of the campaign that took up a ton of time. I felt like I just hired myself as a secretary.
Finally after 3 months about 200 mailings and 6000 dollars later in all the work I have done, I went to a Layoff Lounge meeting. Annandale & Associates were affiliated with the program and had a speaker who did exactly what Jobfinders talked about for free. I spoke with him after the meeting, and he said he use to be apart of a firm like Jobfinders and left because they were not helping people, but ripping them off. His Name was John Hall. Now he has his own company and he told me that he screens his clients to make sure they are ready for an Executive move. This is how Job Finders is different. They make you feel like you have the job already. It's false advertising. Terri Tiemann VP of Annandale & Associates said she has heard hundreds of complaints about firms like Job Finders and to report
TO: Complaint Department of the Better Business Bureau PAGE 3
FAX: 714-985-8920
FROM : Frank O
ADDRESS: Laguna Niguel CA 92677
PHONE:
I'm filling a complaint against Job Finders International Inc.
Address: 4 Hutton Drive, Suite 750 Santa Ana, CA 92707
Phone: 714-557-9990
I will fight them and take them to small claims. She said there is know way they could place us in a market like what it is today. She has many letters from people who are in the same boat. You would think, after what happened on September 11, that Jobfinders would refund some money. Nothing, not even a call trying to help us get jobs. Or understand what's going on.
I'm currently unemployed, spent 7000 on Jobfinders and trying to live the last three months. This is what have I received from Job Finders, not one phone call, network meeting, contact, refund, Job Interview or an extension on my contract. After three months they stop working on sic codes or printing resumes and no more message board. It all didn't matter considering I ran out of money in the first place to keep the campaign going. I had to rewrite my resume myself for different jobs.
This was the worst mistake I ever made in my life. When you try to stay ahead in a down economy and put money towards something you think you will get a return on, and it's gone. This isn't good for any one. They will denied everything I said, because they have rich lawyers and are protected by a contract, but that is bull s**t these guy's need to change their name to JOB FINDER CONSULTANTS, NOT JOB FINDERS they don't find a job for you, you do, they just give you tools that you can get from any website or speaker.
PLEASE HELP!!! I'm not sure how to get my money back.
Sincerely,
Frank O
Laguna Niguel, California
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Job Finders
STOP! ..before you think about using the Better Business Bureau (BBB)... click here to see how other consumers were victimized by the BBB's false or misleading information. Don't be fooled! When there are thousands of complaints and other investigations underway by authorities, the BBB has no choice but to finally give an UNsatisfactory rating to a BBB member business that is paying the BBB big membership fees every year. When a business is reported that is NOT a BBB member, BBB files WILL more likely show an UNsatisfactory rating, then reportedly shake down that company to become a member of the BBB. One positive thing about the BBB is, either way, if a business has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB, you can be sure, the business is bad. But what about all those BBB member businesses that had complaints filed against them? Consumers never get to hear about them. What about the BBB advertising to the public? Is this a false and misleading perception they are giving about consumer confidence when dealing with a business? Click here to understand more of what consumers and business alike are saying about the BBB. You decide.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
*EDitor's Comment to the Above REBUTTAL
#60
Wed, May 22, 2002
"Methink thou doest protest too much." You know, Ron, until you began your defensive campaign to smear your victims we barely noticed you. Now I think we need to pay more attention to you.
You need to understand that this website is dedicated to defending victims. And that includes onslaughts from jackasses like you. You are the loser, bud, having fallen prey to one of the most mundane fallacies... We are dedicated to justice and fairness for consumers, and ad hominem attacks will not be tolerated; it's like being raped by you twice.
The old addage, "Where there's smoke, there's fire," attained its status because it's true. We would have respected your company if you had applied tried and true principles of customer service and accepted responsibility for this debacle.
It is our experience that those companies that go on the attack usually have something to hide. In fact, your tactics appear dangerously close to another major employment rip-off. Do you have, or have you ever had any connection with Bernard Haldane Associates (BHA)? Jobfinders International has an unsatisfactory business performance record including misrepresentation and noncompliance with promised services.
Word of advice: Change your tune and take care of these problems to satisfaction. Read the BHA book of fate and learn. They are going down for their corruption. Repent, for your day of redemption is at hand.
EDitor@RipOffReport.com
*EDitor's Comment to the Above REBUTTAL
#60
Wed, May 22, 2002
"Methink thou doest protest too much." You know, Ron, until you began your defensive campaign to smear your victims we barely noticed you. Now I think we need to pay more attention to you.
You need to understand that this website is dedicated to defending victims. And that includes onslaughts from jackasses like you. You are the loser, bud, having fallen prey to one of the most mundane fallacies... We are dedicated to justice and fairness for consumers, and ad hominem attacks will not be tolerated; it's like being raped by you twice.
The old addage, "Where there's smoke, there's fire," attained its status because it's true. We would have respected your company if you had applied tried and true principles of customer service and accepted responsibility for this debacle.
It is our experience that those companies that go on the attack usually have something to hide. In fact, your tactics appear dangerously close to another major employment rip-off. Do you have, or have you ever had any connection with Bernard Haldane Associates (BHA)? Jobfinders International has an unsatisfactory business performance record including misrepresentation and noncompliance with promised services.
Word of advice: Change your tune and take care of these problems to satisfaction. Read the BHA book of fate and learn. They are going down for their corruption. Repent, for your day of redemption is at hand.
EDitor@RipOffReport.com
*EDitor's Comment to the Above REBUTTAL
#60
Wed, May 22, 2002
"Methink thou doest protest too much." You know, Ron, until you began your defensive campaign to smear your victims we barely noticed you. Now I think we need to pay more attention to you.
You need to understand that this website is dedicated to defending victims. And that includes onslaughts from jackasses like you. You are the loser, bud, having fallen prey to one of the most mundane fallacies... We are dedicated to justice and fairness for consumers, and ad hominem attacks will not be tolerated; it's like being raped by you twice.
The old addage, "Where there's smoke, there's fire," attained its status because it's true. We would have respected your company if you had applied tried and true principles of customer service and accepted responsibility for this debacle.
It is our experience that those companies that go on the attack usually have something to hide. In fact, your tactics appear dangerously close to another major employment rip-off. Do you have, or have you ever had any connection with Bernard Haldane Associates (BHA)? Jobfinders International has an unsatisfactory business performance record including misrepresentation and noncompliance with promised services.
Word of advice: Change your tune and take care of these problems to satisfaction. Read the BHA book of fate and learn. They are going down for their corruption. Repent, for your day of redemption is at hand.
EDitor@RipOffReport.com
*EDitor's Comment to the Above REBUTTAL
#60
Wed, May 22, 2002
"Methink thou doest protest too much." You know, Ron, until you began your defensive campaign to smear your victims we barely noticed you. Now I think we need to pay more attention to you.
You need to understand that this website is dedicated to defending victims. And that includes onslaughts from jackasses like you. You are the loser, bud, having fallen prey to one of the most mundane fallacies... We are dedicated to justice and fairness for consumers, and ad hominem attacks will not be tolerated; it's like being raped by you twice.
The old addage, "Where there's smoke, there's fire," attained its status because it's true. We would have respected your company if you had applied tried and true principles of customer service and accepted responsibility for this debacle.
It is our experience that those companies that go on the attack usually have something to hide. In fact, your tactics appear dangerously close to another major employment rip-off. Do you have, or have you ever had any connection with Bernard Haldane Associates (BHA)? Jobfinders International has an unsatisfactory business performance record including misrepresentation and noncompliance with promised services.
Word of advice: Change your tune and take care of these problems to satisfaction. Read the BHA book of fate and learn. They are going down for their corruption. Repent, for your day of redemption is at hand.
EDitor@RipOffReport.com
Ron
Santa Ana,California,
Accepting Frank Oddo as a Client was a mistake! **See EDitor's Comment below this REBUTTAL
#6REBUTTAL Owner of company
Tue, May 21, 2002
I have been running small companies for the last 30 years, and heaven knows, in all that time, my various staffs and I have made mistakes. Show me someone who never makes mistakes, and I'll show you someone who never does anything!!
For our firm, accepting Frank Oddo as a client was, I believe in retrospect, a mistake. I believe him to unemployable and maybe even a little unstable, and our staff missed that.
Our company provides job search assistance services and as such, has a very strong need to be very specific about what services we will provide--and conversely, which ones we will not.
All entrepreneurs, when they set up their businesses, get to make certain decisions. If we want to open a clothing store, we get to decide Men's or Women's. Petites or Plus sizes? Formal or casual? If we open a restaurant, we get to decide Mexican or Italian food; or American, or . . . ?
When we opened JobFinders International, Inc. (JFI), we got to make some of those same decisions. Do we write the client's resumes, or do we teach them how to do it? Do we set appointments for our clients to go interviews, or do we supply them with leads and they call to set the interviews? Do we print up their resumes, letters and resumes, or furnish them disks with the information contained therein, and have them do it? If we do print the materials, do we furnish the postage, or make that a client obligation?
These questions, and many, many others, we provided answers to in the preparation of an Agreement which we use as the basic contract between our clients and the company for our services. It is five pages long and is quite specific in listing the services we provide--and some of the most important ones which we do not claim to provide.
Virtually EVERY accusation leveled at JFI for non-performance in the services with Mr. Oddo is a twist on the facts. We do not "place" people; on the face of our Agreement is says it is an "agreement to provide job search marketing services." Not guaranteed placement! We specifically disavow in our agreement setting a time line wherein the client will find employment--it would be absolutely impossible to guarantee anyone they would find a job in 30 days. We didn't do it!
Our posted minimum fee for our services start at $4500. He was not quoted less as claimed. But even if he was--and I still know he wasn't--"where's the beef." If he didn't want to pay the additional fee when quoted, he should have walked. We don't force anyone to pay!!
I could go on and dissect virtually EVERY statement made by this man and show how he has provided his own interpretation, which is contrary to the facts and the written agreement. Like his crying about how after he spent $4500 with us we wouldn't pay for the postage and he couldn't send out the material we prepared for him. The agreement pointedly states we do not pay postage. As a business person, all executives should know, if you incur an expense like postage, you MUST put that expense back into your price. Since some people who take our plans and work hard at them will typically get a job in 90 days or less, for those that don't follow instructions so well, and it takes twice as long--is it fair to saddle the worker with postage expenses for those who are lazy or incompetent. This is one of the decisions we got to make when we set up the business--and we decided NOT to try to cover postage expenses. Yet this man would have you believe we violated some commitment to him to pay his postage when the agreement specifically says he is to pay postage!
Finally, we recognize that in dealing with the general public we are not always going to be able to satisfy everyone. We are dealing with people many times out of work, and their emotional state is frequently tense, to say the least. They pay us a fee "to assist them"--but if THEIR job search doesn't produce results quickly, sometimes they look to blame someone else--us. If we have a dispute, our agreement covers that also. Both JFI and the client agree in advance to submit any such disagreement to binding arbitration.
This is just another part of the agreement Mr. Oddo ignored as he first complained to the Better Business Bureau, and then sued us in Small Claims Court. I feel it is testament to the legitimacy of his complaints that the Court ruled in favor of JFI--he lost.
JFI sold its assets to Wellington Burke, Ltd. in March, 2002. Wellington Burke still offers job search assistance services along the same lines as JFI did, and that service includes a free analysis of one's job search effort and suggestions on how to be more successful in that job search. If any exec is not satisfied with the progress of their job search and would choose to hire the professionals at Wellington Burke, they would be charged a fee for that service (there are no free lunches, and even if you get a job thru a "free recruiter"--do you not think your new employer will consider the fee he paid that recruiter when determining your salary? Does he not figure that in as an expense when trying to evaluate you as an asset or liability to his firm?
You have several opportunities to see the service Wellington Burke will provide before you become committed. I expect executives to be able to listen, evaluate and find merit in the service. If you don't, exercise one of the several opportunities to cancel and walk away.
Accepting Mr. Oddo as a client was a mistake on our part. We would have been willing to correct that mistake in a much more professional manner had he come to us to discuss--but he chose to file this non-sensical non-factual and non-truthful rip off report, then sue us and go to the BBB and make the same false claims. We will always be fair--we will not be bullied.
Thank you,
Ron Lawrence, Pres.
JobFinders International, Inc.