Allen And Associates Complaints Articles

Guidelines and info about complaints, scams

By Alfred Dumont

As we all know, college can drain your wallet fast. I am now entering my senior year of college and know just how hard it is to find some extra cash, either for entertainment or other reasons. There are many ways to make money these days, and some of the online methods are quite easy. Although there are even more possibilities, here are 5 ways to make money:

1. Get a Job- Obviously, the easiest way to make money is to get a job in your area. Fast food restaurants and grocery stores are usually willing to help students balance their time between school and work. Even better would be to work at one of the locations on your campus as they will be even more helpful in working with your schedule.

2. Sell Textbooks- As a college student I know how much textbooks cost. I am usually charged a hefty price for the books and at the end of the semester they will buy them back for an unreasonably low amount (what a ripoff, right?). This is where you can profit. Post signs around your campus and advertise the books you have. You can sell them for half of what the bookstore costs and you will make a profit as well as helping out another student. There are also websites that will buy textbooks from you.

3. eBy- Although I have not personally used eBay for this purpose, there are plenty of people who make nice money on eBay. You can sell the household items you no longer use and get some extra cash. If you are skilled you may be able to buy broken items, fix them, and sell them back. You can try this, but again I haven’t done it and therefore don’t know how to offer more detailed advice.

4. Online Surveys- One easy way to make a little extra money is with online survey sites. But be careful, there are tons of survey sites out there and many are scams. Only join the free survey sites because companies NEED you, so why would they expect you to pay to help them? You should NEVER pay to join a survey site. If you join multiple free sites though, this may earn you a little extra cash.

5. Affiliate Marketing- This is what I recommend the most. You can spend as much or as little time as you want to on it and still earn money.

By Ahmed Bello

In order to do this, I recommend the following.

1) Join Professional Organizations Most major industries have representative professional organizations. These professional organizations are an invaluable source of information for the job seeker as well as those who are employed. They often provide insight into the latest trends in the industry via newsletters or professional magazines. This can keep you ahead of the experiential learning curve and help guide you in making decisions related to your Career Work Plan. The news about the future of a particular industry may be good and lead you to continuing education in your current career area, or it may be bad and lead you to cross-training and/or education outside your current career area. To find professional associations online simply attach the words “professional organizations” to your field in a search engine and scan the results. Another option is to use the Yellow Pages to contact people who are in the field and ask them what organizations they would recommend.

2) Enroll in Continuing Education Courses Continuing education classes are often subsidized by employers. There are very good reasons for this. First, employers want their employees to be knowledgeable and competent. Second, continuing education often revives employees’ interest in their work and directly improves their job satisfaction and productivity. Thirdly, by enrolling in a continuing education course every year or two, you continue to make yourself more employable should you find yourself looking for a new job.

3) Subscribe to Industry Publications Keep abreast of the latest trends and technologies in your industry by reading professional publications. Anticipate what is coming and be ready to jump on board should your current job become outdated. Most publications also have a classified section in the back of magazines and newsletters informing you of job opportunities in your field. It is easy to find industry publications online utilizing a simple word search. You can also go through your local library. Again, it’s a good idea to ask those in the field which publications they recommend.

4) Network Networking is just as important in getting a job as it is in flourishing in the job once you have it. I don’t believe you can ever have too many network contacts. It is important to periodically let them know your employment status, continuing education efforts, and other pertinent information. More often than not, you will not be perceived as a bother to your network contacts. Rather, they are usually quite flattered that you are interested in working for them or someone they know. Furthermore, a very large percentage of jobs are landed by networking-as you should know well by now.

5) Volunteer People who volunteer are perceived as dedicated and sometimes idealistic or altruistic. These are all great qualities employers often look for, so include volunteer activities on your resume. Volunteering is also a great way to network. Pick an organization that you would enjoy helping. The options are limitless. Contact local service clubs, hospitals, nursing homes, YMCAs, boys’ and girls’ clubs, and the like to find out what they may need. In doing this, you may just find yourself a job offer. I know several people who began by volunteering for an organization, only to be offered a paying position later.

6) Develop a Recruiter Relationship There are numerous local and nationwide employment recruiting agencies. One only needs to go to an Internet search engine and type in the words “employment recruiter” to find a plethora of responses. Some charge for their services. Others bill the employer when an employment offer is made. It is generally more effective to develop a relationship with one particular recruiter within an agency. Calling this person and sending him or her updated resumes every few weeks will keep you in the mind of a recruiter who is actively trolling for employment opportunities.

7) Maintain an Updated Resume and JIST Card

It may be obvious to say that everything changes, but it does. Your resume and JIST Card should always reflect any expansion of your education, skills, experience, and related activities. This will also give you peace of mind and a jump on the competition if something unexpected happens to your Career Work Plan. I would advise you to review and update these materials at least every 6 months. It is also important to remember to update any resume materials you may have online. Personal Web sites, nationwide employment sites, and the like need updating, too.

Routinely Peruse Classifieds Routinely reviewing classifieds in the local newspaper, as well as exploring online sources, is always a good idea. Looking at what is available gives a person the sense of his or her own employability should something unexpectedly happen to a job.

Posted by: Complaints, Scams
By Tony Jacowski

It is imperative to make an impact right from the very start; this usually carries through the rest of the recruitment process. Depending on the requirement of the employer, you are either asked to e-mail or call for an appointment. You must always remember that you are the one seeking the job whereas the employer has a choice.

Keeping this in mind, being polite and courteous is vital if you are to be considered in a positive light.

A Descriptive Resume

When applying for a job, make sure your bio is descriptive and captivating. This does not mean pages and pages of irrelevant material about yourself. The recruiter will not read long, boring bios.

Put yourself in the place of the recruiter. Make your bio accurate, relevant, honest, interesting, and brief.

Wear Appropriate Attire

When preparing to meet your potential employer, dress appropriately. Your attire will speak for you. Being on time for the interview is essential; you might be only one of several candidates being interviewed; besides, being late for an interview also gives the recruiter a clue as to what kind of employee you will be.

If you are made to wait, then make sure you do so politely. Expressing agitation for having to wait will only have a negative impact.

When you eventually go in to meet the employer, let your confidence go before you. When introducing yourself, make sure you stay on point - don’t ramble on about irrelevancies. It’s important to convey the fact that you are there because you are interested in the job.

Posted by: Complaints
Author: Amy Nutt

Change is inevitable but that doesn’t mean one cannot learn to make something worthwhile of the necessary changes that life presents us with. Careers are great; they keep you on a steady part. When you choose a career, it helps you narrow down your options and helps you build yourself better. But there comes a time in life when you just have to own up to yourself that things are not going right in your chosen career and you may have to consider changing your career path.

Here are the top 5 things to consider when thinking of changing your career path

Fulfillment

No matter how much you are earning in your chosen career, fulfillment must never be undervalued. You need fulfillment in your job to really enjoy the benefits that come with it. A lot of people have changed jobs and careers because of lack of fulfillment and are having the time of their lives today. When you are thinking of a career change, fulfillment must be top on your list of considerations.

Your career is what takes up a lot of your time. You invest in your education and basically guide your life by it. You can’t afford not to enjoy it because not enjoying your career is simply not enjoying your life. So when changing your career path you must make sure that what you are opting for gives you more fulfillment than what you presently have.

Required Skills

What are the required skills in the career you are thinking of changing to? It is very important you know you know these. You need to know what you need to get to get what you want. Do you have to go back to school? Will your present skills or education be useful in the new career? You need to really take your time to know whether you will be able to acquire the skills easily or not.

Strengths and Weaknesses

When thinking of changing careers, you must take a critical look at yourself and consider your strengths and weaknesses. Choose a career that accommodates your strengths and weaknesses. One in which you can enjoy being yourself and make money doing it.

Money

While it is important to get fulfillment from your job and career, it is also important you review the financial implications of changing careers. You need to be realistic about your pending career change. Know how much you have to spend to get yourself ready for the change. Know how much money you will need to acquire the necessary skills and or education to enjoy the best of the new career. Do you have the financial capability to change careers now? Will it be worth it financially, changing careers now? You really need to answer these questions to make the right decision.

Help

In making in a great decision in career change, you may need help. Never hesitate to ask for it. There are specialists in the field, like career counselors, who can help you put everything in perspective and guide you in making the right decision. They also can help you in putting all the above factors to use.

Submitted by: Complaints
Author: Maxwell Hurst

The second step in getting a job is having an interview with a potential employer. The first step was sending your application and after careful review by the company, you are seen as candidate for the vacant position.

The employer got this information through an ad that was placed in the paper, referred by someone in the company or a headhunter, or by a person who simply submitted an application via the company’s website.

The first impression employers always look at is your resume. Given the many that apply, this usually takes about 30 seconds and so with the limited words, one must be sure that the resume is well written and grammatically correct.

During the interview, most employers want to know more about person since the resume only gives certain information such as the person’s name, age, address, contact number, social security number, past and current employment.

The employer will likely ask about the experiences, lessons and accomplishments one has done and learned working for another employer. This will usually include how the person handled a situation in the company, the challenges of the job and the relationship with coworkers.

Another question will be the relationship between the applicant and family members. This shows character with how the person interacts with people who are close and those that know the person for a long time.

The employer will usually ask why the person applied in the company and where you would like to be in 5 to 10 years. Long term questions such as this will show if there is dedication for the job at hand and if the company can provide something beneficial for both the applicant and the employer.

Companies follow a certain budget in hiring qualified personnel which is why the interviewer will ask how much one desires to get for the job. If what is being asked is too high, the employer will usually ask if the salary is open to negotiation.

After the employer asks questions, room is usually given for the applicant to ask questions in return. This is the best time to know a little bit more the company one might be working in and to get a feel of the potential company.

Posted by: Complaints

Author: Dan Gold

Because of the booming demand for sports events in the world, the sports industry presently offers more than 5 million positions for employment. Not all those positions have been filled to date, so maybe you should apply for at least one of those sports jobs.

Here are some things you ought to know when applying for sports jobs:

1.Professional job listings - There are some websites which are devoted purely to posting types of sports jobs that are available for people to apply for. You just need to type in the search term sports jobs” to find these websites. Some websites will charge a commission, though, for getting jobseekers in touch with sports jobs employers so you need to ask before answering an ad at such websites, or posting your own ad.

2.Narrow down what types of sports jobs you have in mind before you even start searching. This means knowing what qualifications you may have that would make you ideal for a sports job. Contrary to what people may think, you do not necessarily need to be an athlete to qualify for sports jobs. There are many types of jobs that require people of average physical abilities rather than super athletes. For example, you might be qualified to be a ticket seller at a sports venue. Or perhaps you could be a grounds maintenance personnel. Even sports venues need to be manned and maintained. It would be nice if you could match your present skills to those needed for the sports industry.

3.How long do you want to work at your sports job? There are sports jobs which pay different rates, depending on what type of job you require. You also need to find out if the job will last for six months, a year, and so on. You have to inquire how long the contract will last. Even a well-paying job becomes less attractive if it will only last a very short time.

4.Would you be willing to relocate to accept the new sports job? There are really very many sports organizations and leagues out there, so it is quite likely that you get lucky and find a dream sports job - in another state. So ask yourself if you can stand being uprooted just to pursue your type of sports job.

5.Is the job an Equal Opportunity job? Equal Opportunity employers are those who do not discriminate as to your race, or age, or gender. In the US, the law requires employers to be Equal Opportunity employers (though unfortunately not all employers follow this law.) The same goes for Canada. Employers for sports jobs in other countries may not even have an Equal Opportunity law, so you need to be more careful about foreign employers. The Equal Opportunity stipulation helps people who would be discriminated against (such as African Americans, Asian Americans, the elderly, or women) get the same chance at applying for and working at the sports job in question.

By: James Copper

The changing career climate can be a result of technology as much as it is driven by popular demand. While changing your career may simply mean that you decide to go in a different direction or lost your first job and were forced to make a change, there are as many times when a changing career climate puts you in a field or job that didnt even exist a few years ago.

Here are some examples of jobs created by the changing career arena, jobs that didnt even exist a decade ago.

The first position is called a disease map specialist, and commands a beginning salary of about 40,000 with a current cap of approximately 150,000. This new career requires at least a Masters degree and preferably a doctorate in a technical field. You would as well need to have some specialized expertise in one particular disease. A disease mapper would typically work for the government, a private or public college or university, organizations such as the United Nations or some consultant firms.

The hours in this changing career field are highly flexible and youd expect to travel to many exotic countries and areas. The point of disease mapping is the determination of where particular outbreaks occurred, determine the pattern and predict where new outbreaks should be expected. While its not entirely a new thought, it is part of the changing career climate because it uses new technology such as Google Earth. Some who work as disease mappers retrieve NASA satellite-procured data to plot pictures of temperature, rainfall, vegetation and other pertinent data where the particular disease has already struck. The mapper then correlates this with the rate of infection in the area and the reports of local medical care professionals and facilities to map the disease so far and the spread that they then project.

Another example of the changing career climate is the job of robotic programmer. You can start changing to this career with a 40,000 salary and work up to 100,000 a year. All you really have to have in the way of a formal degree is a technically relevant associates degree and a lot of hands-on training in robotics. In this changing career youll be travelling quite a bit to your companys client locations, helping each learn to direct their robot and customizes it to their needs. People skills are important to do well at this job. The five primary firms that are looking for robotic programmers are Motorman, Fanuc, ABB, Toyota and Panasonic.

While taking a robot programmer job would certainly qualify as changing career one who has done well at the occupation is generally someone who has prepared himself albeit without the robotic expectation - as an arc welder.

This article is collected by: Complaints

Author: CS Stephanie Larkin

There are some reasons an individual would choose self-employment over working for someone else, but not everyone is willing to take on the problems and stress of owning a business. For some, the notion of running every aspect of a company is more than overwhelming. Those who are employed by a company have many advantages over those who are self-employed. Many of these benefits involve salary and taxes.

What is W-2 employment?

Individuals who are employed full-time by a business as a regular employee should receive a W-2 form. Independent contractors and independent consultants receive a form called a 1099. This form is a statement of payment from that company for the tax year if they were paid more than $600.

According to the IRS, a company “has the right to control or direct only the result of the work [of an independent contractor] and not what will be done and how it will be done or method of accomplishing the result.” Although the IRS uses a “20 questions” test to determine whether a worker is an employee or contractor, in general, under this definition, those whose method of working can be controlled by their employer are regular employees and receive a W-2.

Businesses that retain employees of this type are obligated by law to perform the following tasks:

* They must pay income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes for the employee. Technically, these taxes are deducted from the employee’s salary, but the employer is required to collect them and send them to the IRS on the behalf of the worker. Many companies supplement their employees’ income in order to ease the burden of these taxes.
* They must pay unemployment tax. The government gives aid to those who have lost their jobs and are trying to find work in the form of unemployment benefits. The funds for this program come from a tax on businesses with employees. The tax is not deducted from an employee’s pay and is solely funded from company money.
* They must issue a W-2. At the end of the tax year the employer must send copies of a completed W-2 to the employee and the Social Security Administration. This form will notify the government that the employee has received funds and allow the employee to file state and federal income tax.

What is a W-2?

A W-2 is a standard form designed by the Internal Revenue Service. At the end of a tax year, employers are required to fill one out and give it to their employees. The form itemizes deductions from pay for insurance, taxes, and other expenses. It also lists the employee’s total income for the year and how much money they took home after taxes.

A W-2 can serve many purposes, but ultimately it is meant to aid the employee in filing their taxes for the year. The fields on the W-2 are numbered to correspond with common tax forms, so that the employee can easily fill in the blanks and make the correct calculations.

Advantages of W-2 Employment

Those individuals who receive a W-2 from their employer have the privilege of earning a regular salary. That is not to say that they are necessarily salaried, but the majority of these kinds of employees have regular hours that bring in a constant stream of income. This is probably the most advantageous part of being employed by someone else.

Freelancers and business owners are not guaranteed to make money for their efforts. Employees have a contract that promises them compensation for their labor. This steady stream of income makes budgeting and saving easier.

Employees are also often offered benefits like health insurance and retirement packages. Most of the time, their company goes in on these services with them in order to offset some of the cost. Any freelancer can attest to the high cost of private health insurance and saving plans. Employers often offer these services as further incentive.

More Advantages of Receiving a W-2

Though a W-2 employee may not be completely free to choose how and when they work, they are offered several advantages. Working as a W-2 means simplified tax filing with the employer withholding estimated taxes, as compared to managing your own taxes as an independent contractor and having to file quarterly tax estimates. A W-2 is not only useful for filling out one’s taxes (although it is most suited to this purpose). Many government and private agencies accept the forms as another form of identification. The document will always list the employee’s social security number and full name, so it can be used in conjunction with a photo ID to prove one’s identity.

Author: Don Grimme and Sheryl Grimme

Step #1: Assemble a Crisis Management Team … including:

* Senior Management … Human Resources
* Security Personnel … Local Law Enforcement
* Medical Personnel … Employee Assistance Program
* Public Relations … Violence Assessment Experts
* Legal Advisors … Background Investigators

Step #2: Create a Crisis Management Plan

The plan should address: team members and roles … policy … communication, logistics, and recovery plans … and a public relations plan. Include detailed procedures — supported by training and rehearsal — specifying who does what and when. For example:

* How to restrain the perpetrator (and when to do so)
* Dealing with the perpetrator after the incident
* How to contain the incident … and evacuation protocols
* Notification of security staff and/or police
* Summoning of medical staff
* Communications — during the incident and afterwards
* Providing EAP support

Step #3: Establish a Violence-Protection Policy

* Clearly stating the organization’s stand on violent, disruptive and threatening behavior, as well as weapons in the workplace.
* Specifying an incident and warning sign reporting process. [See Step 7.]
* Posted at entrances, employment office and break areas … included in the Employee Handbook … and verbally communicated during new employee orientation, in department meetings and in training sessions.
* Consistently enforced.

Step #4: Train Managers and Employees

Employees training should cover:

* Workplace violence awareness
* The warning signs of a dangerous employee/customer and the triggering events
* Their duty to report all incidents and warning signs, not just overt violence and threats
* How to de-escalate threatening situations
* How to protect themselves and coworkers when threatened
* Their responsibility to treat all people with respect and dignity

Managers training should cover all of the above, plus:

* Proper discipline and terminations
* Their role in response and in crisis management
* How to detect the behavioral profile during interviews and reference checks

Step #5: Use Proper Employee-Selection Techniques

A hiring process — which screens out the potentially violent or unstable — is an organization’s first line of defense. This should include:

* Control by an objective and consistent third party such as HR.
* Review of applications and resumes for behavioral problems, not just skills. For example, gaps in employment/education history, job-hopping, etc. … and anything suspicious or inconsistent.
* Broad background checks (not just criminal record) for all jobs.
* Contacting prior employers (i.e., actual supervisors) for all jobs — probing character/behavior-related issues, not just dates of employment or skills.
* Drug and validated psychological testing.
* An in-depth interview of all candidates by HR (looking for behavioral problems) prior to job offer. Include careful probing of: reason for leaving, actual supervisor, title, responsibilities, dates, and issues identified in application/resume review. Use behavioral interview questions, e.g., Give an example of how you performed under stress.
* Effective screening of contract, temporary and part-time workers.

Step #6: Standardize Discipline & Termination Procedures

Discipline and termination should always preserve the involved employees’ dignity. These should be handled or controlled by an objective third party such as HR.

Include the tactful and safe handling of high-risk employees and situations. Whenever there is the slightest concern about a terminated employee becoming volatile:

* Have a second person present at the meeting. When terminating a male employee, at least one of the two people present should be male (preferably with a strong physical presence).
* Conduct the meeting near an exit and away from other employees.
* Do not allow the employee to return to the work area, at least without a strong escort.
* Discourage/prohibit employee from returning to any of your work sites

When terminating a contract employee, confirm that the contract agency has effectively communicated termination. Otherwise, assume full responsibility for doing so, safely.

Step #7: Recognize Signs of Trouble … and Ensure They Are Reported

Constantly stay on the alert for the warning signs and triggering events. Establish and communicate reporting and tracking processes:

* For physical violence, verbal abuse, emotional outbursts, threats, strange behavior and disrespect … not just physical accidents, injuries and illnesses.
* Offering alternative channels (other than chain of command) for reporting. For example, ombudsman-type managers (representing as much diversity as possible and perceived by most employees as approachable) and/or an internal or external hotline, with confidentiality safeguards.

Step #8: Investigate All Threats, Complaints and Red Flags

Take all specific threats seriously … and find out more about vague threats. Pull together your Crisis Management Team to investigate and interview:

* Talk with the potential victim/complainant as soon as possible after the danger has been identified or after an incident has occurred.
* Document what both you and the potential/actual victim say. [It may be needed for litigation.]
* Document the threat itself and get statements from others who have heard or observed the perpetrator.
* Meet with the threatener or perpetrator, take his statement, confront with other statements taken, document

Step #9: Take Appropriate Action

* Communicate with the complainant/victim results of investigation and provide support. Offer the potential victim the opportunity for professional counseling and/or security protection. Ask the potential victim what s/he needs from you to increase his/her level of comfort/safety.
* Meet with the threatener or perpetrator again and apply the following as appropriate: Training, coaching, counseling, EAP-referral, disciplinary action, termination, arrest.
* If appropriate, notify authorities in the community.

Step #10: Deal with the Aftermath

* Address your employees’ reactions
* Address your managers’ concerns
* Gather professional support
* Arrange for proper communication
* Reassess and improve preventive measures

Author: Melissa Brewer

While there are plenty of legitimate virtual opportunities for those who want to work from home, there are plenty of scams as well. Fortunately, there are resources you can use that can help during your search. The Better Business Bureau or Rip Off Report are sources you can use online to learn more about a company before applying for a job. Not only will these help you know if the employer is legitimate, you’ll also be able to find out what, if any, unresolved complaints customers and clients may have about the company.

By searching for a company using these databases, you will be able to obtain basic information about a company including how long it has been in business, if the company exists under a different name, and if there are any complaints about the company or its employees filed by others looking for a work-from-home opportunity.

Finding Legitimate Employment

In order to find legitimate virtual jobs, you need to take the time to research all companies you are interested in working for. Even though an ad may seem legitimate, it may not be. It is only by researching the company will you be able to determine if you’re being scammed.

The first step is to visit the company’s website. If they don’t have a website, then you should conduct a company search on the BBB or the Rip Off Report site. In addition to company profiles, you can also read customer or employee complaints and learn if the company is being sued for any reason.

After visiting the company’s website, you should call the department that’s hiring and ask questions about the position. If the hiring manager is unavailable or doesn’t provide you with much information, it’s best to find another opportunity. When companies hire for virtual positions, they’re prepared to most questions applicants have. Many hiring managers are able to send you additional information via email or regular post as well.

Never give out personal information over the phone when speaking with a hiring manager. If they ask for your social security number or bank account information, it is probably a scam.

Questions to Ask about Virtual Jobs

Questions to ask when speaking to a hiring manager include the following:

* What is the company’s web address?

* How long have they been using virtual employees?

* What is the starting salary?

* Type of experience needed

* Types of training provided

* Application process

While many potential virtual employers require you to pay for a background check, never send money upfront. If you are asked to send money upfront, you should consider the position to be a scam. Legitimate companies never ask for money from their applicants before they have started the application process. If a background check fee is required, it is usually near the end of the actual interview process - after you have spoken with company representatives and completed skills tests. I’ll say it again - never pay a company an upfront fee just to “apply” to work for them.