08/01/08 Update:
Since originally posting this blog item on Tuesday 07/29/2008, received official written responses from both Cisco and CareerBuilder.
Official written response from a spokesperson at CareerBuilder.com:
"We have removed the [Tech Pros Group and www.lanwanprofessional.com] account pending further investigation."
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 Fred Weiller - Director of Marketing for Learning@Cisco, provided Cisco's official written response:
"TechProsGroup and LanWanProfessional is not a Cisco partner." "Cisco has no relationship with them, and Cisco does not endorse their programs in any way." "Eric Choi is not registered as a Certified Cisco Systems Instructor CCSI." |
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Still waiting for an official written response from Tech Pros Group/www.lanwanprofessional.com
Yours truly is quite intrigued with the Microsoft/Cisco PAID Internships offered by Tech Pros Group/www.lanwanprofessional.com
In my opinion it appears too good to be true, and an immediate red flag was raised in my viewpoint upon discovery that a $95 application fee is required to apply.
There is no free lunch in this world and with the proliferation of Cisco Networking Academies and Cisco Learning Partners, the advertising of these Microsoft/Cisco PAID Internships on popular job boards is alarming to me.
Why?
Because in my opinion, word-of-mouth alone would have had Microsoft/Cisco PAID Internship candidates stampeding through the door of Tech Pros Group/www.lanwanprofessional.com
So why the massive advertising budget?
Currently there are 75 listings (3 full pages) on CareerBuilder.com
Microsoft/Cisco PAID Internships Jobs on CareerBuilder.com
Microsoft/Cisco PAID Internships jobs - Yahoo! Hotjobs
Related story:
Do YOU agree with yours truly that the above Microsoft/Cisco PAID Internships appear too good to be true?
Search 61,289 current Cisco Job openings worldwide.
About Brad Reese on Cisco
Brad Reese cofounded BradReese.Com Cisco Refurbished which offers one year warranties on Cisco Refurbished and Cisco Repair.
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The opinions expressed in this Weblog are those of the writer and may not represent the opinions of Network World.
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Stay far far away
These guys are total scammers. Don't give them a dime. Here is a link to their company profile with the Better Business Bureau. Their company received the lowest rating possible of an "F".
http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/Business/CompanyReportPage_Expository.aspx?CompanyID=13218660
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Company Report Details
Thank you jrensink78.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Company Report Details:
BBB report has company contact: Peter Frivaldi VP
Same as CareerBuilder.com is listing as company contact: Peter Frivaldi - V.P. of Recruiting
BBB Created Record on: 11/3/2004
Licensing and Bonding Information:
As of our last verification on May 9, 2008, this company has not signed the Voluntary Agreement form requested by the Department of Consumer Affairs for Private Postsecondary Educational Institutes.
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Complaint Closing Statistics
The following grid displays the number and responses to complaints over the last 36 months:
13 - Making a full refund, as the consumer requested
0 - Making a partial refund
31 - Agreeing to perform according to their contract
0 - Refusing to make an adjustment
9 - Refuse to adjust, relying on terms of agreement
0 - Unanswered
0 - Unassigned
53 - Total
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Complaint Experience
Complaints allege misrepresentation and failure to honor advertisement offers, and failure to issue refunds.
Some complainants allege that they were led to believe they would receive an internship if they purchased the courses but failed to receive any.
Other students complain they were due refunds for deposits and other fees, but failed to receive them after completion or withdrawal from the program.
A few customers said that the instruction was not sufficient or the course was more like a self-study course.
The company generally responds by stating they perform according to their agreement, offering internships or placement assistance, and in some cases they reply stating they disclosed the nature of the offer prior to the student engaging their services.
In other cases, the company contends that the student did not fulfill their agreement and are not due any refund.
In a few cases, the company indicates that the customer owes them tens of thousands of dollars for fees and other services.
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Government Actions
We know of no government action taken against this company.
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Advertising Review
This company advertises internships and contract hire opportunities for LAN/WAN engineers and managers.
In reality, the company is actually selling vocational learning services to prepare students for certification exams.
Review of their website lists three possible ways to be placed: internship, comprehensive placement, and self-placement.
The latter two options are not a direct employment offers as their advertising would suggest you to believe.
The website also claims that upon placement, you pay back for the service you receive through a percentage of your future income; however, some students complain that they are required to make deposits and payments to the company before placement.
For the foregoing reasons, we believe that the company’s advertising is misleading as it is not consistent with a typical offer of employment.
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View full BBB Company Report
Sincerely,
Brad Reese
http://www.BradReese.Com
Brad, search the TechRepublic discussion boards
Brad, if you search the discussion boards at TechRepublic, you will see a long thread on this very topic. The conclusion is that TechPros or whatever they call themselves this week is a major scam.
Bottom line: the old saying is true: if it seems to good to be true, then it usually is. It DEFINITELY is in this case.
And I found other
And I found other information on them that doesn't look good either:
This link shows a guy complaining about their methods, but he doesn't present any hard evidence saying that he was ripped off:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/351/RipOff0351310.htm
This one in particular is what I was looking for.
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/tech-pros-group-c35131.html
In this, the guy claims TGP did not honor the refund promised. That right there is what I'll base my reports on and mark them as being "unethical".
Here is a list of complaints against them on complaintsboard.com:
http://www.complaintsboard.com/bycompany/tech-pros-group-a14395.html
Best Regards,
jumping to conclusion
Job Posting reads:
If you are selected, Tech Pros Group will teach you the skills that are required to perform the duties of a LAN/WAN engineer and offer you a 1 year paid internship as a LAN/WAN engineer with a Microsoft/Cisco consulting company in your area.
It doesn't say that you are getting a paid internship with Cisco Systems, Inc or Microsoft Corporation.
Bad Faith
This reminds me of the Ebay auctions for the "XBox 360 box" and if you REALLY read the auction text, someplace inside you'd find you really were JUST getting the box, as in the cardboard outside.
And yet people bid and paid over $1,000 for it. Stupid? Yes. Scam? Absolutely.
If it's not advertised as a contest then I don't believe you can advertise an "if you are selected" thing for money. Perhaps different state/country laws vary, but it's most certainly a bad faith thing IMHO.
May Karma get even.
:)
Scott
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