| Topic Name: |
CAREER SERVICES |
| Message Name: |
Then By All Means, Pay Up! |
| Date Posted: |
10/30/2003 |
| In Reply To: |
If someone is not having much luck on their own, and decided to seek professional help (only a relatively FEW BHaldane offices have complaints against them)...why wouldn't it make more sense to pay for the comprehensive help I need, rather than getting nickel and dimed on an hourly basis?
If I pay one set fee --- I can ask as many questions as I want to; but if I'm paying by the hour, I might be reluctant. Besides, I might be tempted to try some things on my own, rather than spend the money (on say, Interview preparation)...and then if I blow it at the interview, I've blown a good opportunity; whereas if I pay a flat fee; I'm sure to get EVERYTHING I need.
See what I mean? |
| Message: |
Navstar:
I can't tell whether you are seriously looking for help and advice on this topic or simply trying to play devil's advocate.
Just in case there are other people reading those posts, however, who might be sincerely questioning where to get help, let me share several thoughts about the points you raised.
First, if you think only several BH offices have complaints against them, you haven't done enough research. A large percentage of the "retail career marketing" firms across the country have horrible records with the BBB and a history of numerous complaints lodged against them. Major articles have been published on this topic in the Wall Street Journal and other major papers. We hired an employee a while back, in fact, who used to work for one of these firms (not BH) and who resigned within a week because the salespeople so consistently misrepresented the actual services the company was able to deliver.
As for your odd logic of wanting to pay thousands of dollars up front, as opposed to paying as you go, you're more than welcome to try that approach. These firms will welcome you in with open arms!
In this scenario, however, tell me what happens in the event that you a) find a job in a week through your own efforts; b) aren't satisfied with the services; c) discover that the resources they offer are outdated, inaccurate, or not relevant to your goals; d) learn that you truly don't need help in every conceivable area related to job searching; and/or e) realize you have terrible chemistry with the counselor you'll be working with or that they don't have any useful background in the industry or occupation you're targeting.
You're at high risk for all of these things to potentially happen, but if you pay the company up front, you'll have virtually no recourse and you're in for a battle if you think you'll easily be able to get your money back. This industry is completely unregulated, so you don't have the same level of fraud protection you'd get, say, with an attorney, health care practitioner, or an accountant. Furthermore, if you read them closely, you'll note that the contracts from these firms (at least, the vast majority of them) are specifically designed to protect them from having to refund any fees.
If you pay by the hour, however, you're protected against all of these expensive eventualities and you'll get to decide whether the services are truly worth what you're paying for them. The counselor or company is also going to have a lot more incentive in this arrangement to constantly add value, deliver results, and keep you satisfied.
As for your "reluctance" to ask questions or try things on your own in an hourly arrangement, I don't have a clue why this would be a problem. When you think about it, you'd need ask a couple of hundred questions, and have a few dozen coaching sessions, before you'd even come close to approaching the $3000 fee you'd be charged by an up-front service.
All things considered, therefore, I'd continue to strongly suggest the hourly option for anybody out there seeking career assistance. Determine what your specific needs are, interview a few different counselors, and then contract with the individual who can best provide you with the specific resources and expertise you require (e.g. resume writing, interviewing, job lead generation, career assessment...)
If you do decide to explore a service that wants a hefty up-front fee, just make sure to be extremely thorough in your due diligence. Check references, contact your local BBB and attorney general's office, ask to meet the counselor you'd be directly working with, and request specific clarification (in writing) about the company's customer satisfaction and refund policy. Even if everything checks out, you'll be glad you covered all your bases before you make such a substantial investment while still out of a job!
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