Built into many programs is a pop-psychology component, which some firms argue is a prerequisite to writing a resume and preparing for interviews. This part of a firm's package might include written personality profiles and interest surveys, which counselors use to suggest new career alternatives, such as owning a business. Whether this component appeals to you may depend on your stage of life. If this service isn't of value to you, make sure you're not paying extra for it. Certain sales techniques and gimmicks turn up repeatedly in complaints about advance-fee outplacement firms.
Salesmen typically begin their pitch by building credibility.
Others attempt to bolster their credibility by bragging about the number of years they've been in the business. Career counselors move around a lot, and someone who worked for a firm that was punished for dishonest practices may adopt those practices at his next job. Mr. Rado, who believes that few reform in this industry, can trace the genealogy of many retail career marketing firms. Once the victim of an unscrupulous firm, he serves as an informal clearinghouse of complaints, linking defrauded job hunters with others who have been taken. He can be reached at P.O. Box 40236, Miami Beach, Fla., 33140.