307-699-2854

I applied for a position on LinkedIn and was contacted by Mark Bennett ( [email protected] ), who stated I was overqualified for the role but referred me to a career placement firm, The Career Advocates. He introduced me to Mike Jarema ( [email protected] ). After multiple calls, reviewing their website, and speaking with references over several weeks, I agreed to engage their services due to the challenging job market. On April 25, I paid $3,500 upfront via check, with an additional $3,500 to be due upon successful placement. Mike Jarema advised that Michael Howard ( [email protected] , 307-699-2854), a principal at The Career Advocates, would be my primary contact. Over the following weeks, Mr. Howard provided minimal services, consisting mainly of a list of recruiters to contact on LinkedIn and general suggestions for my resume and LinkedIn profile. For approximately three weeks, we exchanged emails. He shared a few job postings and asked about my interest, which I confirmed. No interviews, referrals, or substantive follow-through occurred. Despite repeated outreach, I was told he had “things in the works,” but nothing materialized. On May 29, I formally expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of services. On August 26, I requested a refund due to non-performance. I continued to follow up but received no response. The company’s website is now offline, and The Career Advocates no longer appears to have an active presence on LinkedIn. [BBB Scam Type: Employment] [Business: Apex Recruiting Partners and The Career Advocates Imposter] [Location: CA, USA - 92649]