Hopefully people will learn from mine and Kate's experience (below) with RD Group and NOT fall for their practices. This concern is nothing but an out-and-out scam perpetrated by those who want to victimize people in unfulfilling careers or want to advance in their career.
I was desperate to get out of my management job and posted my resume on an Internet job board. After only 1 week of being posted, someone from Susan from RD Group called me and wanted to talk about my resume.
When I went to RD Group's offices, instead of meeting with Susan, I got a meeting with Richard Bastasich, the supposed General Manager. Everything that you've read in the other postings transpired with me. Richard took an authoritative tone, asked me to fill out a questionnaire about what I am looking for in a position and in their career counselling service, and to write down what my supposed shortcomings were; and based on my answers he would determine whether I would be suitable for their service. He left the room to allow me to think about it. This gives the appearance of a "no pressure" tactic, but in reality its a ploy that many car salesmen use when you make an offer on a car.
Of course, based on my answers he concluded I was an ideal candidate and that they would most likely be able to find an Executive level position for me, making it sound as though they had businesses knocking on their door looking to recruit from their talent pool. He invited me back, but this time to bring my wife to discuss the possibility of relocation to another city.
I put off the follow-up meeting for a week because something just didn't feel right about the company. The office, as many others have noticed, is definitely not the upscale office you see many legitimate recruiting offices have; their's looked relatively old, and the receptionists were behind glass. Unfortunately I did not check of their reputation online and eventually went back and plunked down $5000 to use their service for 3 years.
I was given my own personal "Career Advisor", Gordon MacKay, who analyzed my Myers Briggs personality profile and said that based on my answers, I would make the ideal CEO. The initial meeting with Gordon was short, he gave me a 3 inch binder filled with homework assignments and photocopied articles. He said that he went through the program himself but instead of getting a job in the field he was looking for, RD Group offered him a position as a Career Advisor. He encouraged me not to quit my job yet until I found a new one using their service, and then proceeded to book subsequent meetings during normal business hours, M-F 09:00 to 17:00, which means that you have to take time out of your normal working day to meet with your Career Advisor. You cannot make any after-hours appointments. This makes things quite difficult for anyone with a job to continue to do and is one of their ploys to wear you down.
After 4 or 5 meetings with Gordon, each one having been assigned homework to turn in and review, he setup the one group seminar with other users of the service. That one was taught by Martin Lybydna based on a what appeared to be a 15 year old PowerPoint presentation. Martin also said that he went through the program himself and became a Career Advisor with RD Group. I am not certain but I believe Kate who also posted a report was in that seminar with me. I am also not certain but I believe RD Group planted someone from their office to be in our seminar because there was one gentleman who professed to the "selling and marketing yourself" presentation that Martin was giving.
It was after this seminar and the fact that the uninspired PowerPoint presentation was culled from various articles found in other job-hunting books, that I seriously began to have doubts about RD Group. Only then did I do my research and found these other posts. If only I had done my due diligence then, I wouldn't be out $5000.
It's been nearly 2 months since I last went to RD Group, and not once did they call me to inquire about status. Why would they? They have my money, and they want to make it appear as though if you are not ready to put the time and effort (and money) into doing their brand of job search, then you must not be worthy of their service.
Be forewarned, read all the posts about this company as everyone has written about the exact same experiences. Some were smart enough to see through it. Some, like myself, are so desperate to get out of their jobs that they fall for it. DON'T! They will make you feel like you are the ideal candidate for Executive Management position for the many companies that use their service, when in reality their are no companies using their service, and definitely no jobs they can hook you up with. They are nothing but confidence men and tricksters.
I've made peace with the fact that I was ripped-off. But hopefully by spreading the word, no one else will be.
Post-Script: Susan from RD Group called me today wanting to discuss my resume. I guess RD Group doesn't even have a database of their "clients" since she should know that I am already one of the people they've taken.
Azed
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
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