Complaint Review: Albert & Alexander Associates

I was recently contacted by Christine Craft, an "Executive Services Representative" from "Albert and Alexander Associates" and made an appointment to see Marc Cosgrove, a "Senior Vice President" at A&A. Unknown to me at the time, I went through the whole experience that other Rip-Off reporters described.

- A lot of talk frm their part
- Saying that they will be my "agent" yet they will not place in in a job
- Talking about the "hidden job market"
- Mentioning that "if they were going to do all this work for me, wouldn't it be fair to ask for a retainer?" (no mention of amount)
- Asking my wife to attend a second session and to fill out information about me.
- Having the staff discuss my case tomorow and decide if we will go further.

Remember the old Magnum, P.I. show where he talked about "the little voice?" Here is what the voice was telling me:

1. Why is there a central receptionist handling multiple offices at the main entryway?
2. Where is the Albert & Alexander Associates sign?
3. Why should I be paying for services that most "headhunter firms" charge the client? (I remember reading that a good firm will not charge me for this)
4. Why should my spouse attend a meeting?
5. Why do some people put "&" in their correspondence, others say "and" and sometimes I merely see "Albert Alexander Associates"?
6. Why do I feel like I am being "sold"?

So I went home and did an online search for Albert Alexander and got their web page as well as a question about their business practices. Then I looked up the Better Business Bureau and found two complaints. I also did a search on their phone number and found the badbusinessbureau.com item on Carnegie Career Partners...

Wow!!! I read all the problems people have had from Seattle to Toronto with companies like this. Nothing they do seems to be "illegal" but they certainly do not sound like a reputable headhunting firm.

It gets better.

1. The A&A website looks like a mirror of Cornerstone Career Partners of Toronto.

2. They both are listed as charter members of the "National Career Alliance", which was "created to set the standard for our industry, and is committed to the excellence of its members and to the success of their clients." There was no link to this NCA, but an internet search shows nationalcareeralliance.com/index.htm with a list of all it's "member offices".

Now I have my fun. I ask that they send any potential contract for me to review before I have a meeting. My last name is not spelled correctly on the "Albert & Alexander" cover sheet.

Page two, and the "&" is not used in the business name. I learn about how they will "work with me to develop a personal strategic plan to sell my skills". That comes with ten pages of boilerplate impressive looking stuff.

Next comes the two year commitment fee schedule: a retainer fee, launch fee (to have access to their proprietary materials) and acceptance of position fee. Fees would total almost 7K!

Page last: In the fine print you learn that the career consulting firm "is not an employment agency and that we do not accept fees from companies nor fill positions for them."

That's a lot of money to pay an "agent", especially since the fine print also says "No verbal or written promises or guarantee of any specific job or employment is made or implied under the terms of the agreement."

To be "fair", there is nothing illegal to have someone sign a contract and have them pay you what you can do online for free, along with the help of a good job hunting book or course.

Pat
Scaggsville, Maryland
U.S.A.