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Shaker of Toronto (01/07/07)
Letter to BH & Associates: I am writing this note to request you to refund the money I paid you since I did not get the kind of service I expected. I registered with your company in 2003 and at the time I was unemployed and financially in serious hardship, still I paid you by charging against my credit card a sum of $5,350.00 with the hope of receiving some good guidance and all I got was being shuffled from one counselor to another with no positive outcome. No one has tried to contact me since your office was relocated from North York. In a time of good corporate governance we would expect a company like yours to better treat its clients. Kindly review my file and refund the money to me.
Timothy of Lafayette CA (12/07/06)
This is so embarrassing, but a friend lent me the money for the Haldane program and they took her for $5, 000. If they are being sued, I would like to get her her money back. That was 10 years ago, and I still have not made enough money to pay her back. What happened? Same story as what you have on the website. Exactly the same.
Secret Data Bank? What they offered me were some dusty books with jobs that had been printed up from listings - the listings were old, and there were no contacts with hiring managers. That is the key. If they didn't have contacts with hiring managers, then they should not imply that they do. They do not. And they lied, and took $5, 000.
I lost everything, absolutely everything. I was coming from Japan and working to sell my skills to an American firm. My friend lost $5, 000. I never found a job, lost my daughter back to her mom in Japan because I could not support her in the USA, and her lawyer proved that, I left the country, lost, lost, lost. Haldane took me for every dime that we had, and I at least want my old friend, who hates me to this day, to get her money back and then some. Here was a woman who was trying to help her friend out and they saw that, and really, really took advantage of that. I want her to get everything. I don't want a dime because it wasn't my money. She lent it to me, and I still cannot pay her back.This happened at Haldane's office in down town Pittsburgh, PA. They set that office up in Pittsburgh because there are so many mid level managers out of work there. Vultures!
Yves of Sorel-Tracy Canada (11/24/06)
I just read through the many complaints about Bernard Haldane Associates. I just thought that I would add a Canadian flavor to the stories posted. In 1997, as I was in career transition, I paid for Haldane services, or lack thereof. It quickly became obvious to me that ... I had essentially lost my money. I eventually found a new job, but Haldane certainly had nothing to do with it.
Now, step forward to 2006. Again, I am in career transition. A few weeks ago, I came across a web advertisement about services to professionals in transition. On the company web site, I was invited to submit my resume for evaluation. A few days later, I receive a phone call inviting me to a face-to-face meeting at the company offices in downtown Montreal. What a surprise. I meet the exact same person that I had met at Haldane, although I did not make the connection immediately.
It is only when she started to throw her sales pitch at me that I quickly recognized the Haldane signature. When I returned home, I consulted my file on Haldane (that I had kept all these years) to find out that indeed I had just met the same person (by comparing her current business card and her former Haldane business card). Obviously, I did not sign up for their services this time around. My point though is that the Haldane scam seems to be well alive under different names. I cannot imagine that this occurance is specific to Montreal. So I invite all my unknown colleagues out there to be very careful.
Deanna of Columbus OH (03/29/06)
I answered an advertisement in the jobs section of the Columbus Dispatch of a Sr. Management Position thinking it was a job opportunity, but when I arrived for what I thought was the initial screening interview, it was a high-pressure sales pitch for their career counseling services. I was told that not everyone was accepted into their program. That they only dealt with a select group of highly trained and talented, skilled professionals. The recruiter also showed me statistics of the placement rates and copies of letters from satisfied customers that they had placed in high paying jobs.
They promised me the inside track into the hidden job market, referrals, job internet sites that only industry professionals had access to, etc. All of these tools would assure that I would easily get a great job, and make it well worth my investment of $5200. That cost would cover 3 years worth of career marketing support, as much as I needed. I was told that the support would continue even after I secured a position. That's what makes our program different, I was told. We stick with you throughout the process. This included a resume makeover, marketing guidance, a career marketing campaign, access to the data bases and job listings, etc.
After my initial investment, plus my weekly visits, and being unemployed for nearly 10 months, I never did secure a job through any efforts of, or leads from The Michaels Group. I secured employement from an internet job posting that I found on my own. (The Michaels Group preaches that only 3% of jobs are found through the internet. They say you must use their secret job referral methods). So my loss was the $5200 (minus 10% for paying up front) and my pride for being taken in by this promise of help and guidance.
Vahid of Laguna Niguel CA (03/22/06)
This Career Consulting firm just scammed and ripped me off. The company advertised on Monster for high level positions in executive management. They use this scam to attract people that are vulnerable and desperate to find jobs. Unfortunately I was one of them. They promised I have a great potential and they can help me find a job in 2 to 3 months. They said we will first prepare your campaign material and then put you in front of companies to interview. I paid over $5,700.
All they did was to help me edit my resume and a few hours of workshop to teach you how to ask for a job without being direct. In essence they teach you to use dishonest approaches, they call indirect. After two months of unsuccessful search, I asked for a refund. I was willing to pay generously for their services up to that point. I then realized that I am not alone. There are hundreds of people like me that were suckered in and ripped off. I hope an Attorney General or someone in the legal profession come to a realization that so many people are deceived and do something about it, and take legal actions against this company. Apparently the company uses different names from time to time. They introduced themselves to me as an old 65 year firm of Bernard and Haldane. Shame on them for taking advantage of vulnerable people just in the time when they badly need help.
Steveof Monument CO (01/18/06)
I was laid off from the IT industry back in Oct 2002. Bernard Haldane contacted me, representing themselves as executive recruiters. The interview turned out to be a high-pressure sales pitch in which I was told I would be put in touch with high-level, high paying executive jobs that were hidden from the rest of the job market. To access these unannounced jobs, I would be given access to some exclusive Web tools and sites. I paid over $8000 for their services with their many promises about jobs. They never found a job for me. It even affected my marriage.
We used our savings to fund this hoping it would speed up my employment prospects. What a joke. It use pushed us further into debt and eventually bankruptcy and divorce.
Daniel of Westerly RI (09/24/05)
I have read each individual complaint regarding Bernard Haldane, and understand completely and agree with their sales tactics. During my four-year of unemployment and continuing, I signed up with Haldane’s Providence office in April 2004, I also closed my IRA to pay the fee of $5,000. I did not feel hopeless, but I was desperate to find hope and a new path. Everything they discussed with me I had already had done numerous times prior. So why would I even think of paying for this service.
I was able to justify the expense as the following:
1. I just moved from LA to Providence, because I lost my job. I actually live 100 miles away (R/T) and had no idea where to go. This gave a reason to accrue the weekly travel expense (a write-off), get dressed and get out of the house at least once a week.
2. I needed a fresh perspective because I felt everything I was trying/doing was not working.
3. Therapy sessions, which offers no interaction focused on my perspective and I wanted to focus on someone else’s – as they would handle the matter.
4. I had only a handful of individuals who I could talk to and if anything they brought me down verses bringing me up. Once I started, I no longer had to subject myself to my friends/family way of thinking. Within a short period of time my personal relationships got better, because the topic wasn’t about my career or job hunting.
5. I eventually started to arrive earlier and sit in the waiting room having a complimentary cup of coffee (a $4.00 savings). I met a variety of professionals – who were in the same boat. Just to have a professional discussion a variety of topics was therapy alone. Being out of the work force for a long period of time, I need a way to stimulate my brain (before it oozed out my ears).
6. Haldane’s downfall was when they started offering services to middle and lower management. I was actually glad that they sticking to their guns about charging a higher fee. I figured they would only entice senior-level/C-Team professionals (I could not afford to join the local country club). I can remember attending their Tuesday group seminar when I first signed up listening to my fellow new members – only to say to myself, I would have fired/laid you off too.
7. The best selling point. My service contract covered a period of three-years. During which I can utilize through their member’s Web site -- Hoovers, D&B, etc. If I subscribed on my own these online services would have cost me close to $3,000 per year. So in actuality, I saved $4,000 ($9,000 minus $5,000). I use Hoovers more than I read my horoscope.
8. I even suggested to Ms. Diane Zarwick, President of the Providence office, that I would locate a few local restaurants who would provide a set rate and host a mixer once a week, etc. Her reply to me was that they started doing that at the office and no one showed. She stated that most individuals just want a quick fix and although everyone talks about how they want to network – they really don’t.
I just finished my first of three years and the Providence office's phones are disconnected and my access to Hoovers doesn't work.
Glen of Atlanta GA (09/19/05)
I contacted Bernard Haldane and Associates based on a vague but promising newspaper ad. They continued to perpetuate the myth that they would help me land a job by offering contacts with what they called "key deciion makers'. I paid $500 to be "coached" how to interview, importance of "power dressing" for an interview. I wa sgiven a Myres Briggs test ven though I told them I wa sfmiliar with the testa nd knew my type (form multiple testing) was INFJ. They re-did my professionally-done resume using management terms incorrectly and phrasing text gramatically incorrect.
When we parted ways (with them keeping my money) they pointed out "there are no guarantees in life" so I didnt land a job. The service they offer would be bneneficial for a college or high school grad who has never worked before and knows nothing about interview etiquette. However all those basics are NOT worth $5000. Interestingly, I showed my Haldane resume to a friend who does resume and she was aghast that a "professional" had done that.
Richard of Norristown PA (09/17/05)
Like many other people, I had a very bad experience with Bernard Haldane Associates in Maitland, Florida in 2004. They gave me a very smooth sales pitch stating that they have contacts available and would be able to find me a position within 60 days. The talk and sales pitch sounded good until I found out the real facts. Originally, I was told the charges would be $4,000 for the entire services. In addition, I was not told that signing paperwork and approving of the steps in finding a job would simultaneously reduce the amount of refund.
Here is where it gets even better. The original charge of $4,000 was a deception by Maitland, FL. In fact, they charged me $5,364 on May 5, 2004. This is where the fun began. I e-mailed a letter to the President of Bernard Haldane and requested a refund for the services. In fact, I had not even completed all of the steps “in the process”. A woman called me back and would only offer $500.00 in return for the $4,000 investment. I kept telling her that the real amount of money invested was $5,364.00.
Terry of Durham NC (08/14/05)
In the late 1990s I solicited services from Bernard Haldane to assist me in my job search. I got a loan for approximately $4200 for the service. They promised me that they would help me get into the hidden job market. Its been so long so I do not have my contract. Well, I had to pay the loan back without getting ANY job opportunities to interview for.
Mark of Providence RI (5/9/04):
Similar to the descriptions I have read on this website (wish I had seen them prior to giving Haldane $5,000+), I am seriously displeased with the service provided by Bernard Haldane. While some of the service was helpful for now and in the future, their "method" just doesn't fit what I am need, or my current background, and I feel that they should have realized it when delivering the sales pitch.
I say "sales pitch" because that is exactly what it is when you inquire about their services. I really expected more of genuine evaluation. I think their sevices could be a great fit for some backgrounds (high-level management & sales, IT industry, etc.), but their is no way that their "method" is going to help me - it would be an absolute waste of time. Since I am the one who agreed to pay for the service, I accept my costly mistake - but it is definitely a lesson learned.
Richard of Pleasant Grove UT (4/11/04):
Bernard Haldane contacted me, representing themselves as executive recruiters. The interview turned out to be a high-pressure sales pitch in which I was told I would be put in touch with high-level, high paying executive jobs that were hidden from the rest of the job market. To access these unannounced jobs, I would be given access to some exclusive Web tools and sites. I was charged $4550.00 for access to these undisclosed job contacts, and to receive personal coaching on how to land a high-paying job. Haldane further promised to negotiate my salary once I landed a job. I was told that my expenses with Haldane were tax-deductible, and that the high-caliber companies Haldane serviced would repay my fee.
Once I signed on and paid the exorbitant fee, the relationship changed drastically. Haldane provided no contacts whatsoever. Their Web tool and sites were inactive, and I was left on my own to come up with business contacts. When I pressed the issue about negotiating my salary for me, they admitted that their role was only to tell me what to say when I negotiated myself. Haldane's services are not tax deductible in Utah, and since they don’t have contacts with employers as they claimed, there would certainly not be any compensation for the outrageous fee.
After five months, my family and I ran out of money. When I confronted the salesman with whom I’d spoken, he recommended I take the first little job I could find, and suggested a telemarketing job of which he knew. He went on, “brother to brother,” citing his service in “three consecutive bishoprics,” telling me to go on LDS church welfare. He scolded me for not doing it sooner. When I insisted on my money back, Haldane enforced the contract. In short, Haldane did not provide the services and products they promised or suggested they would. They did not help me find a job, nor did they provide access to the mythical “unannounced executive job market.” When confronted, they evaded the issues, and enforced the contract anyway.
Other that the $4550.00, I wasted the rest of my severance package over five months on their "program." I alienated several viable job contacts with the phony, pushy techniques they suggested. Once I dropped them, I landed a job with my own resume and my own methods.
Scott of Roanoke VA (3/1/04):
I signed on as a client with Bernard Haldane after meeting with C. Joseph McGinnis (Vice President) twice. The charge was $4250. He informed me that with my educational background, he (and his firm) would have no problems assisting me in finding a position in the unpublished market. I worked with a consultant for about six weeks, meeting once per week. We worked together to re-write my resume and developing my self-marketing plan. I have been using the techniques that I have taught by Bernard Haldane in my job search but have had no success. This was in Oct. 2002. It is now March 2003 and I am still looking for employment.
The economic damage has been $4250 which was excessive at the time, but I felt that if I were to find employment using their methods, it would be worth the investment. There is also the frustration of being unemployed for 15+ months.
Howard of Morton Grove IL (2/17/04):
Bernard Haldane Associates uses a very smooth and slick sales approach to get prospective clients to pay a very hefty up front fee for basic services to aid you in your job search. I was taken for $7,125 for their limited, ordinary services. Their 2 main selling points to a quick and successful job search was having access to their internal job listing web site and having access to their services for three years. So hard was this push, that they required my spouse to attend the big “make the sale” meeting.
The main sales push is their internal website. Their contention is that this site contains thousands upon thousands of postings of “unadvertised” positions, which we would never be privy to if we didn’t sign up with them. They continually quoted the number of total listings they had (over 50,000), and that many were geographically desirable and appropriate for my skills and experience. They also stated 400-500 new listings were added each week, with salaries commeasurate or greater than I was earning. It is not until I signed up -— you don’t get access to their internal web site until you pay their up-front fee —- that I realized I was in trouble. Their treasured listings were mostly old and outdated. The current ones were mostly geographically unacceptable or inappropriate. In twelve months there have been a total of three postings that have been even moderately appropriate for me to apply for.
So for $7,125 plus a lot of cab fare to and from my office and theirs, I received a new resume, which without even getting into its merits or lack thereof, was worth maybe a couple of hundred dollars. I know this as I had one done professionally only a couple of months before my Bernard Haldane experience/nightmare began. Total bill then was $190. Beyond that, maybe ten personal one-hour meetings to help guide me and counsel me in my job search.
George of Centennial CO (12/12/03):
I used Haldane - the biggest mistake of my life. I signed a contract with them - cost me almost $3,000. They verbally guaranteed me a job - they said that they had a 98% success rate in Denver. I wound up doing all the work, researching the companies etc. I never found a job using their services. I am sorry I did not discover your website earlier, it would have saved me a lot of money and time!
Kamen of Hayward CA (11/25/03):
Just as reported in your story about the Illinois Haldane suit, I have had a similar situation with the San Jose office of Haldane. I feel that they are not meeting their promises as outlined orally in a meeting and in writing in their contract. I have been trying for over a month to get them to cancel and prorate my contract but they say that there is no provision to do so. I feel they have not me their contractual agreement but expect me to meet mine.
Damage Resulting: Total fees of $7,790.00. I have worked with them since August 6, 2003 and would like the contract prorated and a refund issued.
Abe of Los Gatos CA (11/5/03):
I got a call from Bernard Haldane that they have received my resume and they like to see me. From the name I guessed it is an agency. I asked whether they charged employee or employer. The admin (Debbie) replied: "We are client based." I asked whether by client she means employer or employee. She replied employer.
I had a one-hour meeting with Rick on October 24th. He mentioned that they have done a psychological analysis of my replies to their questionaire. He interviewed me and said their process requires my wife in the second meeting. The meetings have to be at 8:30 or 12:30. He set the appointment for Oct 28 at 8:30. He also said he will review my case with his staff and make a decision if they want to help me. He will call at 6:30 PM if they decide not to take my case, otherwise my meeting is on.
My wife works in the evening and she does not want to wake up early in the morning. After a heated debate with my wife I had to ask them to reschedule the meeting to Nov 4th. After another rough morning with my wife and arranging the kids to be taken to school by our neighbor, we made it to Rick's office. After about 2 hours of convincing arguments, Rick revealed that they charge the employee ahead of time for their services. He had a huge book of testimonial from their clients. He wanted to charge $8500 for making a resume and helping with career choices and counseling for three years, but there was no assurance that the services will be there once we paid.
He gave a $400 discount if cash was paid. They have a contract that does not spell out in detail their services and hours involved. It looked like they give limitless hours for three years but that does not make sense. My wife was so convinced that she thought I was lucky to be accepted by them. I searched on the internet and found out that an Attorny General has filed charges against the company.
Richard of Lawrenceville NJ (11/3/03):
Vastly overpromised the service they provide and charged fees upfront. I was led to believe that they do what a headhunter does, with the sole exception that the jobseeker pays the fee rather than the employer. In fact, they do nothing of the kind. They do counseling and coaching, but have no contact with employers whatsoever. I did not need the counseling and the coaching. I paid for something I did not get.
I would like to discuss getting my money back, but I have been unable to find them, outside the one local office I have dealt with. What they do is really rather cruel. I have savings that can last me a while. But, undoubtedly, they are taking money from some people who have very little cushion and robbing them of it when they are the most in need of it, and the most financially vulnerable.
Damage Resulting: Paid a $7,500 fee and received services worth a few hundred dollars, at best.
Alan of Riverview FL (10/28/03):
I read the story about job seekers having issues with Bernard Haldane. I had a simialar experience in Atlanta. This occurred about 3 yeears ago. I paid 3,000 dollars up front and saw no results.
George of Yonkers NY (7/28/03):
I am an unemployed worker due to 9/11. Several months after the attack, my employer downsized due to the economic impact. As a result, I lost my job. I began searching for work about a year later, having returned to school and getting an A.A.S. in Business Administration. I was desperate and signed up with several employment agencies and met with Mr Lenihan from Haldane. We discussed employment and he said Haldane can help me.
The fee for their service was $4900. Mr. Lenihan painted a wonderful picture of their services and advised me that they would get me employed very soon because I was marketable and the companies that Haldane worked with are always looking for people like myself. As far as my salary, they would pay me if not the same ($70,000), maybe even more. I agreed and signed over the check for $4900. Remember I was very desperate to find work. In addition, Mr. Lenihan said, I could not pay in installments. All the money had to be upfront. That all took place in March of 2003.
Thus far, I have not had any job offers from Haldane. They did set up a beautiful resume and website that companies are supposed to go there to find people like me. Again, no one has even called me about a job. There is a contract I signed.
I am hurting financially. I cannot help pay the bills at home. I get jobs paying $10 an hour. I am currently employed making $ 11 an hour. I didn't pay Haldane $4900 to work at jobs like this. I have compalined to my rep at Haldane and his answer is, "We have to update your profile, change words around" and see what happens. I feel they made empty promises and took my money knowing damn well they couldn't help me. I cannot make my Fed student loans, and my school WBI.
William of Providence RI (10/30/02):
Haldane promised access to hidden job market,and that that they would do a lot of the legwork (resume preparation, contacting employer on my behalf, etc) none of which proved to be true. Counselors had no expertise in my field (information technology) and were difficult to contact and calls were not returned promptly. Was forced to move out of state to seek jobs in a better market.
Lynden of Alton IL (1/31/02):
Two years ago I invested $4400 in myself, asking for help in marketing myself and getting a job. 1-1/2 years later I am forced to leave NY as I have no money, have run out of unemployment, and have clearly wasted time and money on this company. I requested a refund which of course they say they will not give me. I am attempting to work with the St. Louis office, but not receiving any real assistance.
I believe I was mislead about the their marketing efforts. All I have received for my trouble is a re-designed resume. Not even re-written, just re-designed. Even if you cannot help, I would like others to know how bad the office in NY is. So far the St. Louis office is better, but much time has gone by and I still believe I desire some compensation from these people and that they deserve punishment for misleading me and taking my money when they had no intent to help.
I have had to move and am still unemployed. My intention was to either gain a job that would allow me to stay in NY, or find a job that would allow me to move to this area employed. During the two years I have worked with Haldane, I have had one highly unsatisfactory temp job that lasted six months. At the end of it, I was faced with losing my apartment or selling it. Fortunately, I sold it at a profit and I have made some good decisions on my own, but this does not free Haldane of the responsibility of providing a service for which I paid them dearly.
Douglas of Omaha (7/29/01):
In April of 2000, after hearing a commercial on the radio and reading their ad in the Omaha World Herald, I decided to send a resume for a free assessment to Bernard Haldane Associates. My wife and I were soon invited to meet with Mr. Heman to discuss all the expertise necessary for me to land a new career, and untapped job sources "only" available to clients.
After an enticing sales demonstration, I really believed in their expertise and promises to help me in a career change. I went home and got my check book, and after an hour, I was back in their office to pay $4,400 upfront so they could "immediately initiate their client services." During the first month of working with BHA, all materials appeared to make sense to me, but it was not until I went further in the program, researched their web site, evaluated the sales pitch with reality, and their efforts on my job network, that I realized I was duped into signing the contract.
One of the reasons I signed-up with them was accessibility to job sources only available to clients. Later, when I had this access, all information contained in this web page is available for free to public such as: CareerMosaic.com, JobFactory.com, Hoovers.com, DunAndBradstreet.com, etc. Also they asked me to search for employers through Yellow Pages. BHA stated that I had exceptional chances to have a refund of the fee I paid from a future employer. Later, I found out this is in the form of a signing bonus or salary increase. If is a salary increase, I'm earning it!
It sounded just what I was looking for, if they had abilities to connect with right employers. But, it was totally up to me to search, contact, request, write, negotiate… simply do all job-hunting myself.
So what do they offer? A book called " How to Negotiate Your Salary," a workbook, few hours assessing your career goals, a seminar showing how to navigate through their web site, mock interviews, and how to knock on employers door in a hope to find a job (called referral interviews). On February 2000, I called the regional director of client services (Alan Ludmer), expressing clearly details of my dissatisfaction. He emailed me stating he was going to order my career advisor to "redouble" his efforts in my campaign. When I asked him what redoubling meant, he became somewhat frank and stated that I would have to take on a large load of these efforts myself.
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