I met with the VP of "Texas Headquarter for Employment" aka T.H.E and he informed me during our interview that there is a fee I would be paying for their "employment services". This caught me by surprise because it directly contradicted the information given when they made first contacted me, when I specifically asked them if it was the employee or the employer who pays them for their services? From my experiences in the past and as an actual employer who hired several head hunters and employee locating services to find qualified key personnel, it was the employer who always payed. Upon researching it further I found many other job seekers who had also experienced T.H.E. and their deceptive recruiting practice, who have likewise turned and ran once discovering it was not so much about helping them as it was a well rehearsed sales pitch geared toward squeezing out a $5000+ fee from an often desperate unemployed job seeker for the dream of landing a high salaried position, for which T.H.E. claims to have some special insider connection for getting them hired. I agree with the other reviews and I too believe that if they were doing what they claim to be doing, placing thousands of professionals in high paying positions, then there would be ample employer fees to net an honest profit to more then meet their operational goals? T.H.E has now lost my trust and my business by being deceptive right out the gate and not at all upfront regarding their fees. Which if I had known about beforehand, I would not have wasted my time today. I'm just glad I wasn't foolish enough to give them $5000 and by having not, I consider myself one of the lucky ones! read more

Texas Headquarters for Employment - $5000 view from the conference room of "Texas Headquarters for Employment" aka T.H.E. Ouch!!! - Career Counseling Near Me - Austin, Texas

Thank you Yelp reviewers I want to thank the Yelp Reviewers for their feedback. I just got off the phone with this company and have a meeting set up for tomorrow, which I will be cancelling as soon as I receive my confirmation email. The entire time on the phone, my gut was telling me this was a scam, but I listened. Not that this company had a chance of getting a dime out of me, thank you Yelp for helping me not waste my time going to their office. BTW - all of their Google/FB/etc reviews are stellar... too stellar. huge red flag. read more

Yep same issue that many are complaining about here. I also fond it ironic that people on here have nailed the script they used on me as well. In working with many recruiters over the years, the unorthodox approach raised my suspicions and that is how I found the reviews here on Yelp. Thankfully I didnt cost me any money or time. I found the fake reviews that Yelp expertly caught and filtered our amusing. Very obvious they were done by employees of the company. Also dont put any credence into a BBB rating. You spend 2500 dollars to become a member and just "answer" every complaint you get and that is good enough for the BBB and they give you an A rating. This is coming from someone who has setup the BBB for 2 companies read more

I was contacted by THE the same way most of these people were. They found my resume online and contacted me. They told me they could help me find a job paying from 75-85k with benefits and bonuses and perks etc. They really talk a good game, and then they hit you with how much money it will cost you. To be perfectly honest, I really did like what they had to say...of course though, I am supposed to have liked it, that is how they reel you in. If they really could land me such a high paying gig though and get their costs covered by the company that decides to employ me, then they shouldn't be asking for such an exorbitant rate up front. I may even have been willing to pay a small monthly fee if they really could return on their "promises" However, I a not going to give someone money I don't have to find a job. Obviously if I am looking for a job I am not in the market to give them 5 grand. I would really love to see what they can do, but my assumption is, if they really could do what they say they can do, then they wouldn't need to charge such insane up front prices. read more

The quick version: these people are snake oil salesman operating under false pretenses - don't waste your time and (parking) money even going to a single meeting with them. The longer version: HCI International is back, under a new and harder-to-research name than before! They've renamed themselves THE, which supposedly stands for "Transitional Hiring Experts". They're up to the same shenanigans well-documented on their old Yelp reviews and in Austin talk threads. These people are not your typical recruiters. They scour the internet for Austin-based resumes, call you up saying that "one of our senior executives reviewed your resume and would like to talk to you about a couple of positions", and then get you in for a meeting or three where they try to sell you "career management services". I.e., pay them thousands of dollars to train you to network, rebuild your resume, and "get you past the gatekeepers to the decision makers". I have no idea whether they're any good at what they do. I do know that I can network efficiently on my own (for free or cheap!), have a professional rewrite my resume for a couple hundred bucks, and snake my way past the "gatekeepers' by engaging my network and legitimate recruiters. What I DON'T need is to spend my precious time and money (and my husband's, since they wanted him to come in for the 2nd meeting) on people who won't give me good stats on their placement record, refuse to give me a ballpark estimate (hundreds, thousands?) on the cost of their services until a 2nd meeting, lie about their prior name, and claim to be part of an international career services organization that they mysteriously don't share a name with. Beware of all of the following: Bernard Haldane Associates BH Careers International HCI International STC International THE MCW, Inc. read more

SCAM. I asked repeatedly during the phone call if it was a sales or commission based firm and if they charged a fee, I got a solid "no". When I showed up for my interview after paying $10 for parking, I spent 30 minutes being told I'm an "extroverted introvert" and I was literally given a *Meyers-Briggs* personality test to take home with me so they could build a "career profile." I'm an IT analyst, I've always found jobs through head hunters and recruiters. This place is a Scam. No recruiting agency charges the employee for its services. Not one. Avoid. read more

THE Austin 515 Congress Austin This company wants to charge you between $4000 and $8000 to give you career advice you can get on the internet. They look at your resume, they make you fill out endless forms and surveys about what your interests are. They help you look for the job you really want even if you are not qualified. They lie and tell you they can get you a six figure job. They do not have any insider information that you couldnt find by searching for a companies HR mailing address and you could hire a resume writer for a couple hundred. Here is what they teach you and I give it away free. Get a resume writer to proofread your resume and help you fix it $200 Join LinkedIn and connect with people in your career field FREE Put your resume on Monster, Careerbuilder, Indeed, AustinATXjobs, etc. FREE Get in contact with a head hunter who gets paid by the employers, not you FREE Apply to every job you are remotely qualified for and be patient (4-6 months) FREE If you find your dreamjob online, rewrite your resume by adding some keywords and skills from the job listing and apply with a good cover letter FREE There I saved you $4000 and countless hours of meaningless coaching. read more

I am giving this company one star for spiking my interest enough to come in for a meeting! Being on the hunt for a new and exciting career, I agreed to a mysterious meeting at their posh little office in downtown Austin. The "Judge" is a really nice guy but I began to get that ominous feeling inside for the following reasons: ** You are made to feel as if you are "special" and will be "considered" for a red carpeted second interview. Hmmm... ** It was requested that, if I did make "the cut" for a second interview, that my spouse be present. After all, career endeavors do usually affect our spouses...Okay, I was skeptical but tried to think outside the box. ** Though my inner intuition spiked throughout the visit, I did try to suppress the feeling that the company's objective was nothing more than a well rehearsed sales pitch. Though the Judge and I made small talk about our personal lives, I felt that the company's purpose was secretive and not so forthcoming about the true process. Folks, I am sad to admit that I did work on the packet that he sent home with me. The packet was thought provoking, which has made me think harder about what I want to do for the rest of my life. They did email me and also called to request the second interview. I politely declined. I liked the Judge - a lot, actually. But I also like these reviews and I am very (VERY) thankful that I followed my gut and put my researching hat back on. My advice: Believe in your self and learn to self promote. It is free. :) read more

Unfortunately, I DID waste my time meeting with them. Red flag #1: When they called me up, the lady told me that her manager found my resume and it caught his eye (off the internet) and wanted to ask me a few questions. I asked her what was it about my resume that caught his attention, and she wouldn't say. But she wanted to set up a meeting immediately. Red flag #2: I tried to research the company (THE was the name she gave me), and came up with ZERO reviews good or bad. They probably made their name so obscure that it's hard to search for any info on them other than their own website. Not on linkedIn, not on yahoo, not on google. I also found that they weren't even registered with BBB. Red flag #3: With my husband's help, we finally found out that they had changed their name from HCI International 2 years ago. They claim they have been around for 60 years, so why would they change their name? When I showed up for the first meeting, I figured out it was one of 2 young female receptionists that called me on the phone, b/c I could hear them call other unsuspecting job seekers. These ladies probably have no idea how the company really works and are just reading from a script. I was seriously considering going back for a second meeting, but thank goodness we found this info before going back. read more

I write this review to thank those who went before me as I was almost swept up in this whole scene because "THE" doesn't jump out at you when you try to research them. Having been an Austin Yelper for the last 4 yrs, I was VERY familiar with the hardships some suffered under the HCI name. So when I got the phone last week from a woman stating one of their senior recruiters wanted to meet with me, I initially eagerly accepted as I'm currently unemployed. After trying to research them (with little luck) I was growing uneasy. I had forgotten the initials "HCI", but the horror stories were in the back of my mind. Finally it occurred to me this evening to just search "recruiters" on Yelp and there I had my answer. Four 1 star reviews. To me there is nothing worse that cheating old people out of their lives' savings. Second, would be conning those who are need of real help trying to seek gainful employment. There are PLENTY of recruiters out there who don't charge a dime to help you. read more

I knew something was up when I couldn't find this company (THE) anywhere on the internet until I came across Texas Headquarters for Employment - Downtown - Austin, TX | Yelp http://www.yelp.com/biz/texas-headquarters-for-employment-austin I'm currently unemployed and received an email a while back from THE stating that they found my resume on a website and that they wanted to setup a time to meet. I deleted that email. Then today I received a call, the girl spoke fast and stated how her boss found my resume and would like to setup an appointment to discuss it further... I set the appointment up and then received a confirmation email with the company name and address. That's when I started my research! SCAM! How DARE this company prey on those that are unemployed or seeking other career opportunities and asking for large amounts of money. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS!!!! DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME NOR MONEY! I'm so glad that I found this website and read all of the reviews. It's ironic how the positive reviews are grossly over exaggerated and try to make it sound like this is a great opportunity. Thank you all for the information that you provided because it not only helped but others as well. Best of luck. read more

Received the same call as the rest of the Yelpers here! I went to one meeting - they paid the parking - and I am glad about two things 1) That I went and became suspicious 2) That I referenced YELP Don't waste your time. Red flag - one after another read more

This place is terrible. I fell for it something like 20 years ago when I first moved to Austin, luckily I wasn't in a place then where I could pay the fee. They call you, they pretend they are interested in interviewing you, then they make you dress up and park downtown. From that point on it's a thousand forms to fill out (the "interview" takes hours) and high pressure sales of the type that only timeshares are generally guilty. Don't waste your time or energy. They WILL come at you every time you reactivate your resume on Monster, Dice, or other sites. Every single time, like clockwork. The tell is that the person who calls you won't answer a single question, they press to get you face to face at all costs. read more

Like a lot of the reviews posted here state... I was mysteriously contacted and ended up going in to see what it was all about. My background is in sales so I was very aware and conscious of the presentation. When they requested me to bring my husband to the 2nd meeting (if I was lucky to be invited back for one) I would need him to attend... This is so you can't use the excuse "I have to ask my husband." Mr. Johnson, -the judge- is very charming but I get the sense that the name dropping, and who they just helped are very rehearsed and contrived. I'd like to believe that "THE" is a real service that genuinely helps people, but after reading these comments I am inclined to believe they are not worthy of my $4700 to $6 grand ($2500 down payment). read more

From the moment I was introduced to the team at THE Career Builders, they were utmost professional and never pushy or 'salesy'. They were up front and very straight forward as we discussed potential options and how I want to further my career. What THE provides is tangible, useful, and transforming to the process. Could I get a job on my own? Absolutely. But I don't want just a job. The move I'm about to make is not only pivotal to my career, but it's crucial to my future. I want a fulfilling career that utilizes my strengths, allows me to grow and provide for my family, but one that is also financially rewarding. I feel secure knowing that I have THE behind me in this process. THE has given me new insights and has provided the tools I need to get to where I want to be. I appreciate that they make a commitment to stand by their clients to the point of satisfaction. Their processes are thorough, quality, and vetted, as evidenced by their successful track record. THE team is approachable, experienced, and genuine, and I have nothing but confidence in their ability to assist me in not only getting back to work, but in helping me make a smart career transition into something I'll be excited about for years to come. I can certainly go on this job hunting adventure alone, but why would I? Knowing what I know about THE Career Builders; their capabilities, and the professionals who are behind the name, I wouldn't want to go on this journey alone or with anyone else. It's too important. If you have any questions about my experience with THE, feel free to message me. read more

First things first, THE is not a recruiter or a free service. They charge and they charge up front. They do not guarantee you anything. But I will also say that without them I probably would not have gotten the job I have now. Then what are they. They are more of a personal services company. The help you define who you are and how you present yourself to the job market. The refine your style for the type of job and industry you are looking to go into. The worked very heavy on my online presence and refining my interviewing skills. My on line presence was key in getting an interview with my current job. They pushed me way out of my comfort zone which is what I needed. They also arranged introductions with industry people, which lead to other introductions. They are not a scam. They provided me with a lot of services and time and effort. I was new to the area and did not have the professional contacts. Thru contacts I was introduced to various people in my industry. This really helped in building my network. Guess what, you (client) have to do a LOT of WORK. They are not recruiter's that promise you everything and deliver nothing. You have to do research, make the needed changes, accept criticism, and do the work you need to get the job you want. They act very much as a coach helping you get better at being a professional. Yes they charge and they are not that cheep. They don't monthly payments of work on contingency. That's what recruiters do. But the price is negotiable, I was able to reduce my fee by over $500 and negotiate an additional fee if I got a job making over a certain amount. And the more work they think you need the higher the fee. Can you find most of this stuff on the web, sure you can. But then why do people have coaches and personal trainers? THE is a personal trainer for your job search. If your on the high end of the pay scale or want a total change of industry, I would highly recommend them. If you want someone else to do all the work, stick with Craigslist. John read more

This is a scam! I would strongly recommend that you stay away... The individual who conducts the "interview" process claims to be a former judge from Oklahoma. However, I found no indication that he ever attended Law School. The man is seemingly a salesman who preys on desperate people. He talked me, years ago, into giving him $ 5,000 with the promise of "helping" me find a job. After attending a couple meetings, I was on my own. The business was called HCI International at the time...I would certainly like to know what forced them to change their name!!!! They have a rented space and he has an office where he is surrounded with what I assume to be photoshopped pictures of himself with celebrities and politicians of different ideological beliefs so as to cover all bases. Don't fall for it...it is a fraudulent business! I did, and I regret it to this day. read more

After my first meeting with the people at THE, and before I paid any money, I read these online reviews. I found this interesting: the only person who actually used their services gave them a five star review; the people who call it a scan never actually paid them any money or used their services. So... I went for it. I'm very glad I did. These are not recruiters; if you are looking for a "headhunter" then the other reviews are correct to direct you elsewhere. If you are looking change industries, move into management, receive a "boot camp" on job seeking, and receive excellent career counseling, then this IS the place for you. I've already learned so much from Courtney, plus they provide access to several company databases and loads of material. read more

This place may have good intentions but their execution is seriously laking. Any good job placement firm will get paid by companies by finding high quality candidates, aligning them with employers, and getting paid per placement. This is how almost all job placement firms work... However, T.H.E. is trying to get an exorbitant cost out of the candidate in exchange for questionably valuable job hunting assistance. Terrible business model and feels predatory on people who don't know better. There are better resources for people out there that are free. read more

I was approached by THE in a similar manner to most people. My resume was found online and I was asked to come meet with the team. I was obviously skeptical, but after doing my research, I felt that any advantage I could give myself in the job market was that much more I was doing to get myself out there. One thing you need to understand is that THE is certainly not a recruiter. Recruiters are used to find specific jobs. Recruiters will generally get your resume; look at their current job options to see if you are a match, and then move on to the next resume. THE is not there to find you a job. What THE is there to do is put you in a position to find opportunities for yourself. Most people think they know how to do this on their own, but most people aren't looking for jobs often enough to actually practice these skills. THE has a clearly laid out plan that they will help you execute every step of the way, but you need to be willing to put in the hard work. Yes I understand that it's a pretty penny but you are paying for a coach. The online HR application system is a black hole, you are lucky to get in to an interview though that system. If you do get in though that system how do you rock that interview? Do you have the soft skills to hit it off? Do you have someone to tell you how you did? The best luck I have had is though my connections however I'm new to Austin. THE is here to help me utilize my skills. Put it this way I do triathlons, I can finish a half Ironman but if I want to do better I need to get help. If I want the same old Job sure I can do it but I want a better one and THE is another tool for me to use. So being skeptical I did search and did a lot of asking around about the company the BBB gives them an A+ rating and has ZERO complaints in the last three years. If someone paid the boat load of money that is asked and they did not meet the expiations of the money paid one would think that the first place I would go is the BBB to complain. Oh they did not seek accreditation form the BBB all that means is that they did not pay the money for the accreditation. That is it! Does not mean people who are dissatisfied with their service cannot submit a clam to BBB. I'm writing this because all I came across when I was looking for information on THE was individuals who thought It was a scam. I found one review of someone who paid for the service and they recommended it with 5 starts, search for HCI International. THE has changed names they have acquired parts of other companies and so forth for whatever reason as of today they hold true to their mission which is to help you find your best career path. read more

Just got a call from these guys saying the VP rec'd my resume. Hmm, I never sent them my resume but they may have grabbed it off Monster. For some reason my mind flashed back to a talk thread on yelp.com about a year ago regarding HCI. Did a little Yelp research and it turns out my memory and yelp saved me from wasting my time. Thanks Yelp talk threads. read more

Not much to add over other reviews. I got contacted about something job-related, I called, woman who I spoke to was rude, and their lengthy email from a generic email address was useless so I added their email to my spam list and wrote this review. read more

SCAM - SCAM - SCAM!!! Do not waste your time like I did. These people found my resume online and presented themselves as a standard recruiting agency. They asked me to come in and foolishly I did without researching the company first. The worst part is how stupid I feel for not recognizing the scam sooner. I wasted 10 hours of my life meeting with these con artists and filling out paperwork so they could "create a profile" for me only to have them ask me for $6,000. Here's my favorite part of their whole pitch - after you pay them... they still don't help you find a job. They just offer you access to databases that give you information about companies and their employees. Avoid this place like the plague. read more

I just got a call from their office manager. We loved your resume but unlike any recruiter or headhunter, we don't want to discuss it over the phone, my boss only does back to back in person meetings. They now have a swankier address at 515 Congress but it's the classic "job placement assistance" scam that any published resume will attract by the boatload. As a bonus, the person who called me tried to assure me that they would not ask me for money, and that no-one had "come at her like that" on the phone before. Somehow I don't think I am the first. I can only assume they think they'll do better with their "business model" if you're gullible enough to head down there in person. read more

Saw the listings that HCI was back in the guise of THE. My experience was about 5 years ago while laid off. I went to their downtown office for the slick dog and pony show. After getting more details on how they operated, figured out that you have to do all the research and legwork yourself. The only advantage is they MAY have some inside contact beside HR, but you won't get that unless you pay their hefty service fee. BTW, they offered to cut in half ($8K to $4K) after my first refusal. But as they tell you at any of the FREE Workforce Solutions classes, you should NEVER have to pay for a resume or a recruiter! And if you want an inside contact, use LinkedIn. read more

Thanks all, there are so many negatives that when THE contacted me I merely replied to their email with a link to this thread... :P read more

Got a call from them today. Apparently, something about my resume caught their Executive's eye! All I have to say is...FINALLY, there is someone out there in a position of power who recognizes my true potential. In fact, when I asked what would be a good time to come in and talk; the receptionist told me first thing tomorrow morning. This Executive must be chomping at the bit to take me under his wing and turn me into his protege. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it at that time so she said she would call back next week to 'check' on me. It's only Tuesday, so this must be a pretty busy executive if he couldn't find another time during the week. I hope I haven't missed my chance to get in on the ground floor of something. On the other hand, her commitment to 'check on me' does sound rather nurturing. read more

I got a call from this company today about having an interview. When I sent them an email asking who paid their fees they said that they try to get the employer to pay. This is a RED FLAG. All legit employment agencies or temporary agencies have their fees paid by the employer. read more

I had the opportunity to meet Joe and his staff in 2017. I have over 20 years sales experience and have excelled as a hiring manager. I thought I knew everything that a candidate needed to do to get the job. I was wrong. Joe's team does an excellent job developing a personal plan to help you get a career opportunity. They help you create an online brand, strategy for campaigns and teach you how to approach the career opportunities you really want. I realize I wasted a lot time just sending resumes and wish I contacted The Career Builders sooner. Joe is a man of integrity and works hard for his clients. I would recommend The Career Builders. read more

Very Clever. Most search engines like Google, or Yahoo, etc, filter out common words to help you get better results when you do a keyword search. The most commonly filtered words are small articles like, the, is, at, which, and on. Logically, MOST companies WANT to be found, and would never use one of these words as the sole name of their company. But if you want to hide from review----if you DON'T want people to learn more about the company before engaging them---these words make a perfect business name. Sigh---I pity the folks that work for this company and the shame they must feel everyday for building up the hopes of unsuspecting people, people in need of a job, and deluding them into thinking they caught some senior execs eyes, then conning them out of their limited funds. Has to be a sickening commute home, thinking about the role they have accepted. I suspect nightly drinking is involved to block the uneasiness of what is hopefully a temporary job. There are legitimate career coaching agencies and head hunters out there who do not have need to hide the services they provide and they openly and honestly discuss their fees and who is responsible. I just got a voicemail from THE, probably because I updated my online resume. Fortunately, I am currently employed so not in need of their services, but I decided to research them anyway because it felt deceptive. I was not surprised to see these reviews, but must say, I give them points for exceeding the typical deception by selecting such a silly, but very hidden company name. Bravo THE; or should I say THE company formerly known as BHI? read more

SHADY SHADY SHADY! It's a red alert when they want you to pay them to find you a job. The model for recruiters and other agencies is that they collect from the company, not the potential employee. Run, run fast and don't look back. Austin has a ton of reputable firms and recruiters that will help you find qualified employment and not charge you personally. I received a call from their office manager from a 972 area code number. She set up an appointment at their downtown office. I was under the impression I was going in for an interview, but she would not send me the job description. They ended up giving me a dog and pony show and asking for money... I was like no thanks... I want to echo some of the other reviews that THE is a terrible name for them and yes it makes it hard for them to be found (formerly BHI). You cannot find any positive press releases or business articles about them. Why? Because they are not a legitimate operation. read more

I wanted to take the time to say thank you to THE for their help throughout my career transition. Their team has been incredibly attentive, provided great insight and been extremely helpful as I launched my career transition search. THE spent the time helping me with my resume, researching various companies and increasing my interviewing skills. The team has been available when I had questions. THE team has found a number of great opportunities for me and has provided great insight, as well as guidance throughout the process. I would definitely recommend THE to my friends and colleagues. read more

My husband was contacted by "THE AustinTX Jobs" after posting his resume on Indeed. They said they would like to meet him to talk about opportunities in the Austin area. Making the effort to go to their office, my husband was quickly told they could get him a job 20% over market rate (red flag #1), they would help find the right job for him (his interests and desires), and that he would be required to pay them a $4000-$8000K service fee (red flag #2), 50% of which was due up front. No reputable search firm will ask you to pay them to find you a job. Good firms make money based on what the employer/company side. I quickly told my husband to let them know he is not interested and not to put his resume forward at risk of having his reputation tarnished by this fly-by-night firm. read more

Oh my goodness. I made a yelp account just to write this review. THANK YOU so much for those that made reviews for THE. I received a call from a women from THE. I've recently moved to the Austin area and am actively looking for a job. When I received the call, I was excited at first that someone contacted me. However, I've never heard of the company. Maybe they got my resume and contact info off of a resume website? Who knows... well anyways, they sent me an email with a map to find the place and with their CEO's linkedin profile. They also had a link to the company's linked in as well as a BBB review.... ok, who links this BBB review when they aren't even accredited?! After that and reading a bunch of scam stuff, I tried researching this THE... and lo and behold, I found zilch.. I mean, come on, with an obscure name like THE?? Well, I tried calling back the number they called me with - nobody answered. And then called a different number that came from the email they sent - still nobody answered. But it did end up at the same automated message system. So I just left a message that I politely decline an interview. So all in all, don't even waste your time interviewing with them... Seriously, thank you so much fellow yelpers. read more

I was contacted by THE a few months ago after finding my resume online. During that time I was on the path of finding a new career and didn't have the experience to present myself in the appropriate manner when going on interviews, in fact I didn't even make it to that point in the hiring process. After THE contacted me about their business model I was very excited in the potential they saw in me, especially changing my career completely. I decided to bite the bullet and proceed with their business. They helped me update my resume in a more professional way to stand out from others. THE gave me the appropriate tools to be more confident and present myself in a manner that was sure to get me hired in the industry I was searching in. I wouldn't be where I am today without the help of THE! Anyone searching for a career change needs to reach out to this company. You won't be disappointed and you will be happy you invested in such a great tool. This investment will take you far and the tools you will learn are priceless!!! read more

I met Executive Vice President Joe at a recent job fair. I had seen that the firm he represented was for executive level and I sort of fit that description so what the heck. He was very charismatic, like a sage lawyer who knows everything and everyone. He suggested and I agreed to a meeting in his office the next day. What an office it was! A corner office on the 22nd floor overlooking the State Capitol from 6th Street. Real estate doesn't get much better than that folks. While I was very impressed, at this point I figured I likely couldn't afford him. But he assured me my prospects for six figures were well in-line with the current market and he'd help me patch over that gap in my resume with ease. Then he shuffled me off with an armload of forms to fill out to determine if I was a leader or an introvert or something. The next day I arrived for my big second session where I was welcomed with a complete Meyers-Brigg summary that described me to a tee: "You are a natural leader and decision maker." Yeah, that's what I've been trying to tell people all these years. Executive Vice President Joe brought me back to his awesome office again to discuss the "hidden job market" and their "exclusive database with the names of key decision makers", etc,etc. He then began to explain to me what a brand is and why that's so important. "But Joe, I was a brand manager for 15 years. Why are you explaining this to ME?" About this point I realized this fellow had as much sage advice about landing a job in 2016 as my grandmother. That's when the big close came. For the small retainer fee of $5,470.00 and a balance of $4,300.00 due upon acceptance of an income of at least $95,000 I would have unlimited access to the Career Advantage Software AND Career Advantage Program. Last thing I remember I was headed for the door. I had to find a passage back to the place I was before. I now know from internet research that this is part of the "Bernard Haldane Associates" scam that has been largely shut down in most states. But these people just keep changing their name and scamming vulnerable people every week right in the shadow of the Texas State Capitol. Caveat Emptor! read more

This is what happens when you put your resume on Career builder, Indeed, or Monster I received a professional phone call from a rep for THE Austin. It sounded really legit until they kept insisting that I meet one specific person. They talked of really high paying salaries and made it sound like I was a great fit for a few positions. When I asked what type of recruiting they specialized in, they said I will discuss further with a the Vice President. Red Flag I received a second phone call from someone else asking me to confirm my meeting next day. Red Flag I received two generic emails from about this meeting. One of which referred me to someones Linked Profile which was too much and all over the place with accomplishments. Very little search efforts lead me to a trail of records on this person. Very little effort led me to Yelp reviews. More red flags I feel bad for those who waisted their time going to their office in Austin. This is a SCAM. I cancelled my meeting with them and no one responded. How ironic Thank you Yelp. read more

Everything everyone below is saying is true - it is clearly a scam. I just met with them this morning, and I can confirm it! I am only writing this to validate everything everyone has said since Jerry's review in July as it is October and it's the same snake and oil salesman pitch. I previously worked for a client services company and the very first thing we did after telling the potential client about us was the pricing. I had to drag it out of them and it was completely confusing and muttled. Do not be intimidated by how insanely fast they talk. This is to intimidate and pressure you. I just had to return a car I bought due to unethical sales practices pressuring me to purchase something I had not agreed to. This was WAY more pressure sales tactics than even a car dealership with a bad reputation! Stay away!!! read more

Thank You for all of your reviews. I got the phone call, walked over to my computer and typed "THE Austin" into the search engine and found the Yelp reviews within a few seconds. Thank goodness that is all of the time that I wasted. I am so convinced by the many comments and reviews that I am not calling these people back. They said one of their executives saw my resume online and was very interested in talking with me. No other explanations of who they were or what they did. Thanks again and I hope it is much easier to find these people in searches now that there are many people who are aware of THE. read more

I just got contacted by this place today. I didn't recognize the name of it, so I took the call and made an appointment. Then when I saw the address in the confirmation email, I got suspicious. I called back and asked if this place went by another name in the past. The girl didn't know but she was only there a few months. She ran the names by me of the folks working there and I did recognize the name Joe Johnson. I had spoken to him when it was HCI I believe was the name at the time. I decided against paying the huge up front price and went on my way. I was contacted a time later by a different company name, name slips my mind at this time, but made an appointment, and went to the office and then recognized Joe again. Was already there so spoke to him again. Told him who I was and he offered to do the service for half of what he offered before. Declined again. So this company has had 3 different names at least. Interesting huh? read more