You Could Learn Something From A Former Radio Guy

When I was getting into the voice-over business, I encountered an “agent” who said that for a small fee – I think it was $100 – they’d start representing me to potential clients.

Fortunately I went to Don Vogel, who was a highly-experienced V/O guy, and whose show I’d been producing for a while. 

He chuckled.  “Mitch, run, don’t walk, away from anyone who says they’ll represent you for a fee”.

I’ve followed that advice, in and out of the broadcast industry, ever since. 

And I’m grimly gladdened to note the number of scandals I’ve seen over the decades with “head-hunters” and “employment agencies” that charge fees to, supposedly, find people jobs.  It’s especially common when times are hard.  I remember back in the early nineties, when things in the Twin Cities were slow, and I had two kids and another on the way, and a company in Minneapolis was advertising all kinds of decent jobs, for a $95 fee.  I thought about it…

…and declined.  And sure enough, the WCCO “I-Team” busted them.  It was a scam; hundreds paid in, almost nobody got a job.

Some things never change.  And it seems that every example of a company that tries this results in rampant weaselry, and there really don’t seem to be any exceptions:

A Minneapolis headhunting firm has closed its doors and shut down its website, leaving a trail of questions and disgruntled customers who say they shelled out thousands of dollars to land a job but never got results.

A paper sign taped to the locked glass door of the company’s 12th-floor office in the Baker Building in downtown Minneapolis says: “Arthur Group Executive Search.” On it, someone scribbled, “Fraud! I want my money back!”

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) said Thursday that it began investigating the company about three weeks ago and was moving to yank its accreditation but the firm’s closing beat them to it.

“I think they were preying on middle- to high-level executives who were at their weakest moment,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the local BBB, adding that she feels many were embarrassed to even file a report. She said the company flew under the BBB’s radar for a long time by resolving complaints right away, often by paying out a settlement.

A common theme among those who claim they were scammed: They felt the service would give them an edge looking for a high-level position in a tough job market. They say the company’s owner, Barry Trimble, was a smooth salesman who didn’t follow through on promises. While the company provided some services, the clients say, it often did a less-than-adequate job. And they question whether the jobs and connections the company touted existed at all.

In a phone interview Thursday, Trimble, 46, of Dellwood, denied misleading clients, saying it’s clear in the company’s agreements that it does not make any guarantees. He also said that the jobs did exist. “We had numerous jobs right up until the end. They were real jobs.”

A real agency, or agent, gets their money from either a finders fee or a percentage of your cut.  And that’s what makes a real agency or agent actually go out and work to represent you; if you don’t get a gig, they don’t get paid.

What is the impetus for someone who’s already been paid to go out and beat the bushes to get you hired, even in the unlikely event they are on the up-and-up?

I do understand that desperate feeling, and the lengths someone will go to when things are looking ugly. 

But some things never change.  Vogel told it to me; I’ll tell it to you:  If someone asks you to pay up front for job leads, run.  Don’t walk.  Get away.  Save your money for something that’ll work.

Yeesh.