Agency Fee Paid by Applicant??

ritaanz

I just had an odd telephone call. Last year we had a RIF and one of the terminated employees called me with a question regarding an employment agency that charges the applicant a fee for finding them a job. This fee was $4800 up front and they guaranteed the applicant (he's looking for a supervisory or managerial spot)a high paying job. They told him that 70% of the available jobs are not listed on the net or in the help wanted ads. The name of the agency is Haldane Associates and they have over 100 offices throughout the United Sates. If you do not like the job they find you and you tell them within 90 days, they find you another.

Has anyone had any experience with something like this? It sounds too good to be true.

Parabeagle

Although I have never used (nor met anyone who has used) Haldane and Associates I can tell you that I have seen adverts for them in professional pubs and magazines/newspapers ever since I went into HR back in the mid-80s.

I think the app-fee-paid agencies are most definitely in the minority now. I haven't seen an agency who charges the applicant in ages. All headhunters and agencies I use are employer-fee-paid.

I would have the individual check with the BBB to see if any complaints have been filed against Haldane before writing a check THAT size! Even if there have been no complaints, I can think of much better ways to put that money to use in a job search than putting all my eggs into one basket and hope that something comes up.

ritaanz

Hey B. thanks for your response. I came accross some more info. Haldane will spruce up your resume and interviewing techniques. In the discussion regarding the guarantee, the phrase as long as it takes...was said. Does that mean in our lifetime?

Sunny

Rita: I have no personal experience with Haldane either but I have seen some posts about them on the SHRM bulletin board - you may want to check it out.

Don D

Ritaanz: I will offer you that same guarantee. Please send 4800 American dollars in small bills to PO Box 4375, Jackson, MS. My guarantee is also good for as long as it takes. You need to go ahead and make up your mind though. There's another couple coming by to look at this same car this morning.

ritaanz

DD: Its scary, you are starting to think like me. x:o I felt the same way when I first heard the routine. But, as cynical as I am, Haldane has been in business a long time. What I cannot understand is why would an employER give a job opening to such a limited market?

Gillian

Haldane is one of what is called the "retail" type of outplacement company. They charge the client to, theoretically, do the same thing that the employer paid outplacement company will do. There are lots of horror stories from the retail side of outplacement, so the employee should be careful.