I responded to what appeared to be a viable online job listing by Express Employment Professionals in Corning NY by submitting my resume and filling out an abbreviated online application. That same day I was called by a cheerful and friendly representative who wanted to schedule me for an in-person appointment ASAP to come into their office and speak with them in person. So I made an appointment to go in. I got there and the receptionist gave me a clipboard full of papers that I had to fill out before the meeting, which I began doing, but I intentionally left the social security data field blank. I told her it was a bit premature for my social security number, and that I would provide that to them during or after the meeting and once I had determined that their agency was a good fit for what I was looking for, and vice versa. (After all, EVERYONE knows you cannot be TOO careful with your personal information these days!) Instead of a courteous "Certainly." response from her, I was told that I could not have my meeting until I provided my social security number. Again, I told her that I WOULD provide it, but only AFTER I had spoken with the consultant to discuss how placement, etc. worked so that I was comfortable with the setup and knew I would be working with their agency. (Why give out my personal info if I decided I was not going to use them or they did not have any good jobs for me?!) She became more belligerent and said I had to give them my social security number FIRST or NO MEETING! At that point a senior-something person came out from around the corner and, instead of remedying the receptionist's unprofessional edicts towards me, this senior-something person said they needed the social security number FIRST because that's what the "System" asked for. SERIOUSLY????! I said I was not going to give out my social security number before I had spoken to my consultant about the job and job details that I had come there for in the first place, but the senior-whatever person said I could NOT have my meeting until I gave up my social security number. Since I was NOT going to do that, I left. What other choice did I have? I certainly had WANTED to speak with them about the position and other opportunities ... which was why I made the appointment and drove to their office for the meeting in the first place! But it was also illogical to put the cart before the horse and give them my social security number as soon as I walked in the door, not knowing if I would be working with them or not at that preliminary stage! Later that day I sent an e-mail to the franchise owner (yes, this is a franchise business!). His response was stunning: "We certainly understand the dangers with today's IT failures and personal data being compromised. We do not require that a social security number be provided." REALLY????! (Sounds like more boots-on-the-ground time at his agency to see exactly what his employees are saying to prospective job seekers is warranted vs. telling me from afar this-is-what-happened-even-though-I-was-not-there!) He went on to add: "I want to make it very clear that you were not turned away, but you voluntarily left." Again ... REALLY ????! (Not allowing a meeting to proceed unless they have the social security number FIRST certainly smacks of passive-aggressive turning away, and even a form of retaliation for not jumping through their stringent hoop!) Save your time and don't waste it with Express Employment "Professionals" who treat job seekers like herded cattle instead of with professional courtesy and dignity, and then turn a blind eye to their epic fail and refuse to remedy a faulty protocol when it is specifically brought to their attention! There are plenty of other employment agencies out there that will interact with you in a respectful manner -- start to finish -- so you do not have to settle for this ... job searching is tough enough with this added stress and pressure from an entity supposed to be working as your "partner" instead of throwing up road blocks to impede your progress towards employment! read more