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Clients Claim They Didn’t Get Job Help They Paid For

Posted on 08. Feb, 2006 posted by Bill in Employment News

Clients Claim They Didn’t Get Job Help They Paid For

Finding a job is hard enough on your own. Some people go to others for help. Clients of two companies that claim to help job seekers say they didn’t get the help they paid $6,000 for.

The NBC 10 Investigators recently went into the Edison, N.J., office with a former client of Michael Pozd, a principal player in a company called Career Developers Consulting Group, and an undercover camera and things became pretty hot, pretty fast.

Before we get to the undercover video, NBC 10 Investigators want to start at the beginning by telling you about another company called the Harvard Professional Group — a company a former client from New Jersey claims took his money and his hope for a good paying job.

“I’m embarrassed by it,” the former client told NBC 10.

So he asked NBC 10 not to identify him.

“They bring you in with a lot of promises jobs up front already lined up,” he said.

The man said he signed a contract promising the company would work with the client until he’s accepted a career position of his choice. It also says no verbal or written promises or guarantee of any specific job or employment is made or implied under the agreement. Still, he was convinced to pay $6,000.

“’Don’t worry about the fee, we’ll only deal with companies that reimburse you immediately,’” he said he was told. “’Once you sign up with them all that goes out the window.’”

He told NBC 10 that they did get him one interview.

“It was two hours away from where I lived in a field nothing to do with my education,” he said.

While a client at the Harvard Group, the man said he dealt with Michael Pozd.

”Michael is a very suave person. That was him, same guy, same exact guy, just seeing his face again brings back shivers. It stinks he’s still out there doing the same thing,” the former client said.

In June, after the Better Business Bureau said it had more than 30 complaints against the Harvard Professional Group, it went out of business. The next month, Pozd registered a company called Career Developers, with offices right across the street from the former Harvard Group, with the Better Business Bureau.

“I think this is great. This is something I think can catapult me to the next step” said Lee Madden.

Madden, from Mt. Laurel, N.J., said he was out of work and vulnerable when Career Developers Consulting Group contacted him after picking up his resume off the Internet. He met Pozd.

“Before he gave me the number of $6,000 he had this whole, this elaborate, ‘It takes an act of faith, and you have to have faith in us,’” Madden said. “He was trying to manipulate my psyche.”

Madden said he was so impressed with Pozd and the potential job opportunities he signed the contract and paid the $6,000 fee by taking it out of his 401K.

“As soon as the money was clear and I asked about the job, it was gone — no jobs available, they were all filled,” Madden said. “I didn’t receive anything of value except a way to reformat my resume.”

After six months without a job offer, Madden contacted NBC 10. He said Pozd agreed on the phone to refund half his money. The NBC 10 Investigators went undercover with him when he went to collect his money.

“We have your money here for you,” Pozd said on the undercover tape.

The video showed Pozd giving Madden $1,000 cash and $2,000 in money orders, and then Pozd said Madden must sign an agreement promising not to contact the media, Department of Consumer Affairs, the Better Business Bureau, or the state Attorney General.

“I’m not signing with without,” Madden said on the tape.

“I’m sorry. Then there’s no deal. We’ll take our money back,” Pozd said. “This money was on the desk, you have taken this money from me right now.”

“Actually, you wrote my name on it so it’s not a theft by any stretch of the imagination,” Madden said.

“I will stop payment on the money orders right now,” Pozd said.

“You can’t put a stop payment on a money order,” Madden said.

“You wanna bet? I’ll do it right now,” Pozd said.

“What’s your fear Michael?” Madden asked.

“My fear is you took my money right now,” Pozd said.

“Like you took mine, like you took mine?” Madden said.

“This isn’t fair,” Pozd said.

“Unfair? Your practice is unfair. This whole operation is unfair,” Madden said.

“I’m not giving you this ***** money,” Pozd said.

“Oh, you’re going to start cursing at me,” Madden said

“I’m going to call the police,” Pozd said.

“Go ahead,” Madden said.

“Get out of here. I’m going to call the police,” Pozd said.

Pozd said he was calling the police and minutes later they arrived and started questioning Madden. NBC 10 investigators brought out the camera.

Police told NBC 10 Pozd reported an armed robbery. NBC 10 explained the investigation. After an hour of questioning, officers said they advised Pozd to let it drop and they refused to charge Madden.

“The cops saw it the same way I did,” Madden said.

NBC 10 went back to the office to try to talk to Pozd, but were asked to leave the office. He stayed behind closed doors and did not return NBC 10’s phone calls.

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