But their luck won't improve if shady job placement firms get involved in trying to get them a new job.
Pink slips have become commonplace as companies downsize in this tough economy. And with so many people looking for work, competition is fierce.
But as ABC2 News Joce Sterman explains in this week's Scam Alert, turning to some less than reputable job hunters may end up costing you money you can't afford to lose. You can forget about the Sunday comics, because in these tough times, many readers are skipping right to the newspaper want ads.
And some are stumbling into difficulties, thanks to ads from companies that guarantee placement. The Better Business Bureau’s Angie Barnett warns, “What you're hearing is permanent, full-time job. Of course that has an appeal to everyone in these economic times."
But the BBB says some of these companies don't always deliver what they've promised. The agency is warning consumers about one company looking for help locally, Career Hotline, Inc. According to the BBB, Career Hotline has been posting on the craigslist website and in papers including the Washington Post, promising to find you work if you pay them a fee right off the bat.
That fee could be either $89 or $195. Barnett says, “They do clearly state it's an upfront fee but once you make that fee you'll never get a job nor your money back."
According to some of the BBB complaints, consumers got no callbacks, no refunds and had no real way to contact the company.
We sent them several emails after finding their website doesn't list a single name or address and that their only phone number is a recorded message about the jobs they claim they'll get you. Career Hotline has an F-rating with the BBB because they haven't answered any of the eight complaints against them.
And we found other sites putting up the red flag about the company, with consumers saying you should stay away from them and any other company touting guaranteed work.
Barnett says, "You really have to watch those comments or those pledges and if they're really trying to oversell, I would back away from it." And experts warn you should back away from any company that charges upfront for job placement.
They say your best bet is to keep searching the ads for firms who put their payday on hold until you get yours.
