Toronto Pathways reviews and complaints

Hi.
During the first interview, did any one sign a "Consent Form". It generally meant, you give them permission to access your information on your CV.
The form was a single page print out with 2 paragraphs. It spanned half the page, occupied with the content and some space for my signature and date.
I read it. It looked fine, but written in "Lawyer" English. I just wanted to know if anyone else signed this too?
Can it be misused?

If needed, my email ID is joshwa.stein@gmail.com. A reply will put me at ease. Thanks.

Woooow! Thanks so much for submitting this review and the link to the CBC report on Pathways! I had an interview for later on today and it just saved me on driving all the way to Toronto. As well as being scammed of money I don't have. These people are low lives. Please continue to pass on the CBC report link http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2012/recruitmentripoff/ to as many people you know. Hopefully you can save someone else from being scammed.

Brian, at least you have a bit of the right idea. You're correct that they're not recruiters, but the "so-called" part of career counselors is wrong. They're actual career counselors. The advisors even have real accreditations. I've seen them. I was a client, and I have never had any regrets about that. Everything they talked about actually worked. They helped me get my career back on track over 5 years ago, and the advisors I worked with are still there. I'm not an immigrant. My family has been here for about 200 years, but that didn't help me at all to get a job after my company closed down and left me without a job after over 20 years of employment. What they do may not be for everyone, but it sure helped me.

Hi folks,
I knew these people from Vancouver couple of years back. It seems they don't stay in one place for a long time. The principal of the scam is the same. They would call you sounding like a recruiter then they will work you in to some sort of a "right candidate for us" situation than they will reveal their intentions in a second interview "you pay us couple grand and we guaranty your success". I knew the minute I hang up the phone who they were and sill did go to the meeting to make fun of the phony director (I am an executive myself with foreign name of course. that seem to be their selection criteria) . I had nothing better to do and I found this to be very amusing and managed to piss the Mr. director off real bad. I did tell him though that I knew him from Vancouver and I knew that the whole thing was a scam.

I've been involved in professional recruitment for 15 years. Toronto Pathways is NOT a recruitment firm! They are a so-called career counselling company. When you get a call from a recruiter, regarding your resume(if you've posted it online) they will talk specifically about the role they are interested in having you apply to. A real recruitment firm always has a job description, and if they are serious, once they have your updated resume and a committment, the majority of them will ask you if you've applied to a particular client of theirs(naming their client company). Many of us work on commissions(even with small base salaries in some firms) and we are not going to waste our time talking to you about presenting you to a company (in person) if you're not qualified(can't answer specific questions related to your resume), or if you're not interested in the salary range. When we do meet with you, we professional recruiters will give you far more advice on how to do well in the interview because we know that client and how they will or might perceive you. We present you for your skillsets and experience, how you present yourself, how you communicate(written and verbal) not on a fee! We get paid a contingency fee after you've been placed, and in most instances, 90 days after(your probationary period). We will give you tips on how to fix your resume up, how to ace an interview, but in the end, its the employers who make the decision to hire you!
And when you are called by a recruiter, make sure your resume is up-to-date, that you are honest about who you are, and what you say you can do. And don't think because a recruiter calls you're going to get the highest salary possible. That is always up to the employer in the end, not us!

In the meantime, work on your communication skills(its a number one 'killer' in an interview no matter how qualified you are, and just because you've got a Masters degree from your home country and have been here only a few months, don't expect a job offer right away. And don't expect you're getting 100k a year right off the bat! Its not going to happen!

Good luck on your job searches.

Here is the link you need to know all about these scammers...:

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2012/recruitmentripoff/

Just STAY away!

Hi there,
They tried calling me twice today as well. Fortunately, I saw the article on how they ripped people off and they were featured on CBC Marketplace. When I answered the phone the second time she asked me if I would like to come in for an interview next week.
I said to her straight out; "I am not interested in dealing with your company as I heard bad things about you on the news and how you operate and don't call me again!" She said she would write on my resume not to call me again. I am glad I saw that article and stopped her from going any further!

Thank you for posting this. I too got a call from these people and became suspicious when they wouldn't reference a specific position. I can use my own network and search for jobs using my own resources thankyouverymuch! If anyone wants FREE resume/job search advice from an HR professional training in Career Development, let me know and I will help!

I too received a call today. I asked them questions such as where did you get my resume. I did not send them anything. They said their specialist found me on the web. She was really pushing for me to go tomorrow, I agreed to next week. I knew I was going to do some research on these folks right out of the gate. I asked what position is it that I would be suited for. She said that the director would tell me once I get here. Recruiters work for company's, not people looking for work! I don't trust Toronto Pathways with a 10 foot pole.

Hey guys,
Please check the link below about other people who went through the same experience. I personally complained to "Better Business Bureau" and "Competition Bureau", but so far no action, NOTHING and these crooks are scamming the most vulnerable job seekers who are to provide for their family:

Toronto Pathways — Employment scam - Toronto Pathways

Hello everyone!
I am just curious about a company name SOLID VISA, have anyone of you hear this Company?
There website is: www.SolidVisa.com
I was just wondering if this company legitimate with there address: 116 Albert Street, Suite 200&300 Ottawa, ON, Canada K1P 5G3
I was been assessed and contacted by there representative name by: Rick Smith, Representative, Solid Visa with Phone: +[protected] and Email: ricks@solidvisa.com
To my fellow job seeker please advise me if this company and the people represent this are really true and are they not a fraud (scam).
Thanks to you all who are still being sober and vigilant, and may GOD protect all of us from any scammers and fraud negotiators or representatives, in Jesus Christ name, Amen!

Thanks to this site I did not waste my time. The company is now called TPS Associates and is on the 18th floor of 1 Yonge Street. The woman who made contact with me called herself 'Anna'. Don't confuse 'TPS' with 'Toronto Police Service'.
Initially I accepted the appointment for the next day. Then I got suspicious and called back to get details. 'Anna' said she had left the office and could not give me any details at the moment - even though I had been connected to her through the reception.
If it is too good to be true, then it IS too good to be true.

The company now goes by the following:

TPS Associates
1 Yonge Street
Steven D. Fischer, VP

Avoid at all cost. Its a scam.

The company is now called TPS Associates.
1 Yonge Street
Steven D. Fischer

Avoid this scam!

The company now goes by TPS Associates.
Steven D. Fischer.
Complete slim ball of a man. Avoid this scam.

FYI, they have renamed themselve "You Find Work" - BEWARE!
I just went to through the same situation. I got a call, also from a
lady named "Rachel". She too couldnt tell me what position I had applied
for and couldnt tell me what this was all about. When she told me the
name of their firm "Find You Work", it already sounded shady, but I went
in thinking there's nothing the lose. The office, deceptively, located
in the heart of the dt financial district seemed well put together.
Their consultants were really saavy and could talk up a good game.
They're great sales people, trying to make it sound like you're in a
terrible situation, and that you need their help. They too asked me to
bring my wife in to meet with them for their second interview. What
saddened me was that I saw a lot of visible minorities, potentially new
immigrants. I'm sure most of them are desperate and would pay these
scam artists exorbitant amounts of money.
I called back the next day to cancel this "second meeting". A scam is a scam at the end of the day STAY AWAY from these people!

The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal just ruled against these scammers
http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onhrt/doc/2013/2013hrto1859/2013hrto1859.html

I would recommend that everyone watch that CBC video and remember that "Stephen R. MacDonald" (overweight, middle aged, bespectacled), so that if he shows up at any job fair, that he be told off to his face and exposed.

This is a total scam. Please alert anybody about this company. You go there and they will present you some childish job posting apparently on their list while all job posting are taken from Internet that you can get it for free. They will put you under pressure to pay, them just one word RESIST. do not pay and just walk away. Remember if you pay and sign contract there is no way back, your money is gone. Do not let their sweet talking and high end office fool you. This is a scam company anything is fake and just a ripoff. But one word if you have time it's not bad idea going there and get some experience on knowing how scam companies actually work without being caught. They basically focus on immigrants as they know newcomers are more prone to believe their claims.
Tell all your friends and lets spread the word

Just came back from one of those interviews with "Stephen R. MacDonald", I got suspicious when he asked me to bring my spouse to the second interview, and start goggling his name then listed a YouTube interview by a different person carry the same name from the same agency, you will really surprise that these kind of things happen in Canada!