ComplaintsforExecutive Career Upgrades LLC

• Initial Complaint

  10/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This program didn't deliver on it's promises. I didn't receive personalized coaching. I had someone redo my resume and it didn't ****** even one interview. Their one size fits all approach for generating interviews did not work for me at all. I spent countless hours listening to modules, attending workshops, and sending out emails through an automatic system with no outcomes. Im coachable, live in ***********, hold a doctorate and an MBA, and have 15 years of corporate communications and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion experience and none of it worked for me despite me asking clearing up front if this was going to work. The one who sold me assured me it would. The closer sold me on the owners extensive recruitment experience, great contacts, and the individuals in the program that could help me secure interviews. In actuality, it boils down to the individual sending out countless emails to hiring managers on ******** through a tool to requests interviews. This is how the owner says that 55% of the interviews are generated through the program but doesn't say of the hundreds of individuals in the program how many of them get interviews. Some of the information was useful they shared in the modules would have been helpful had I actually gotten an interview but it as not worth the $7000 they charged me. It's way overpriced.

  

  Business response

  10/22/2024

  BBB,

  We have serviced this customer with zero complaints since July 5th of this year.  This individual enrolled in a payment option with our company to pay over time for our services.  During this time we completed a resume, LinkedIn profile, set up automated system that the customer says generated a interview and more.  This customer also has access to unlimited 1v1 personalized coaching.  Everything was going fine with this customer and she made her monthly payment on Sept 5th, 30 days later the payment declined and we emailed the customer on Oct 19th letting them know their payment was 45 days past due.

  It was not until that time we received the customer was unsatisfied with the program...  The customer also had our ******************************** their initial agreement which stated if for any reason they were unsatisfied we would offer a full refund, nothing of the sort was received within 30 days so we can only assume the client was happy.  Unfortunately we are well beyond the initial 30 days and have delivered on everything we said we would in the partnership agreement we both agreed to.  We also have a no refund policy after ***************** our agreement.

  Customer response

  10/23/2024

   
  Complaint: 22450379
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I did in fact complain to **** ****** on August 5 stating 30 days in I dont feel Ive received much value yet. Trying to remain positive that I will get there. The information in the videos is useful but i still have yet to have my LinkedIn page updated, my resume revamp has yet to be seen if its helpful. 
  

  Problem is, 30 days in and I hadnt even received most of the services. When I spoke to ***** by phone and complained i no longer had the money to invest and was unhappy so far, on August 19 she assured me that i just needed to give it more time to see the benefits. Unfortunately, I did and found it repetitive and a time waste. Why do you have a 30 day guarantee if the member cant even use most of the services into 2 months in? I have emails as proof. I see the other complaints and this just seems to be the way they operate sadly. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

  

  Business response

  10/23/2024

  BBB,

  We do offer a 30 day satisfaction guarantee if a client completes all the action items and sees no value.  To qualify for this the client needs to be engaged daily in activity and when that doesn't happen the clients usually don't get results as those who have left similar reviews.  We are very upfront and clear in our partnership agreement of exactly what we are responsible for and the client. 

  We have stopped future ******** for this customer for the remaining balance. I have uploaded the partnership agreement where the client agreed to the below, unfortunately this was not followed:

  What We Need From You:
  
  We can only guarantee success with your participation. We need YOUR HELP to achieve this
  You need to be in constant open communication regarding your job search
  Follow the exact steps laid out for you on our success checklist
  Attend weekly calls to further your knowledge of approaching the salary and negotiation phase (as your work schedule permits. These meetings are recorded if you cannot attend live)
  Stay organized using your tools regarding all interviews and offers
  You came to us because of our expertise, follow the advice of the coaches
  Don't cancel interviews or stop the activity until you've signed an offer letter
  Don't stop working through the program until an offer is signed

   

  Customer response

  10/24/2024

   
  Complaint: 22450379
  
  I am rejecting this response because its literally impossible to do everything the company requires we do for the money back guarantee within the 30 days. Whike i made my first payment July 5th, it wasnt until July 9th that i was onboarded. When i emailed **** 30 days in (email attached) I complained i had received support. he had to contact the brand person to do my Linkedin. I hadnt started the automation process or set up.I hadnt had a mock interview yet and only had 1 total during the entire program.  Secondly,  I never said I set up automated system that the customer says generated a interview and more. Thats a lie. I never had even 1 interview. This is a bait and switch company. They require a ton of things and dont even really start the personal coaching until 30 days in. Attached is a letter i sent to **** on Aug. 12 saying i wanted to discontinue the program because I couldnt afford it anymore due to an unforeseen financial obligation. This triggered **** to have ***** contact me by phone. In that conversation i told her not only could i not afford the program, that so far i was not satisfied and she said its because I hadnt even scratched the service and t give it more time. She explained that it takes time to see results and made me feel obligated to stay in the program. She said they would set up the remaining payments monthly to give me time and make it easier. Im very dissatisfied and feel i should receive at least a partial refund. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  09/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  they made all kinds of promises for a fee of $10,000 they said anytime as we were going through the process during the first 30 days, I could get a full refund of any of the $385 every 2 week payments I made. I ask to cancel 2 weeks in and they come back and say we reviewed your resume and charge $1,200 but will consider the $385 you paid payment in full. never refunding my money and nothing close to what they claim they offer.STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY

  

  Business response

  09/03/2024

  BBB,

  This individual joined our program over *********************************************************************************************** his search.  This client failed to remain active in our program doing what they needed to do to be successful.  They failed to attend several meetings, complete required training, and more.  The client financed $10,000 to be paid bi-weekly every 2 weeks for 12 months to work with us, unfortunately the client defaulted 2 weeks in due to insufficient funds in his account.  Despite this we continued to work with the client for an additional 45 days with no payment as initially agreed upon.

  Last week we had to remove this individual from the program due to lack of payment.  We did complete his resume, LinkedIn, and more during our time together which would normally cost $1200+.  Client is now demanding the only payment he ever made to us while getting started of $385, until we removed the client from the program last week we didn't have any negative feedback from him.  We will not be processing a refund of the initial payment nor will we try to recoup for services rendered.

  Customer response

  09/04/2024

   
  Complaint: 22217538
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  the information is a complete false statement. I have in writing from his sales person, that I can cancel for any reason within 30 days. I requested cancellation 2 weeks after receiving the useless information they provide. even though I requested cancellation, the company kept trying to take more money from me. I had to put a stop on my account. I just filed a fraud charge with the ***************** today as well.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  

  Business response

  09/10/2024

  BBB,

  See previous response, we never got an email saying to cancel our services we actually continued to serve this customer despite him defaulting for an additional 45 days due to insufficient funds, we also delivered a new resume and LinkedIn as stated previously and at this time are not going to seek reimbursement for the products we delivered.  Eventually we had to remove this individual from our program at the 60-day ***** after multiple insufficient funds for payments he agreed to.

  Since then, the customer has continually commented negatively on our various social media channels, been abusive to our staff and clients via email.  Further attempts will result in us sending his account to collections as well as taking legal action which we hope doesn't come to.

  We truly tried to help this professional and made every attempt to, we had to part ways due to failure to pay as agreed upon and still wish this professional continued success in their career.  This will be the final response from Executive Career Upgrades for this past customer.

  Customer response

  09/11/2024

   
  Complaint: 22217538
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This complaint is against ECU, for not honoring their contract terms and adding undisclosed conditions.I enrolled in ECUs program based on their 30-day satisfaction guarantee, clearly stated in the contract. I met the following conditions within 30 days: Finish the Courses: I completed the course. Finalize Resume: Resume was finalized in time. Setup Automation: I set up automation after finalizing my resume. Interview/Networking Certification: Completed Interview Certification / Networking Certification. Attend "Weekly Wins Call": Attended/watched the recording of Weekly Wins Call. Attend ****************** I participated in one live coach clinic per week.Despite meeting these requirements, I'm dissatisfied with the program. According to the contract, I am eligible for a full refund since I met all conditions within the 30-day window and notified ECU within this period.ECU has refused to issue a refund. The *** stated: "We will not be refunding the $1153.86 you paid. I saw the emails where you were happy with your resume and LinkedIn delivery. Here at ***, we charge $1200 for that service so you will not owe us the remaining $46 as if you purchased that service with us."This claim is not in the contract. During onboarding, I confirmed my understanding of the program, requirements, contract, & 30-day money-back guarantee. I would not have signed if I had known about additional conditions not disclosed. Satisfaction with the resume and LinkedIn was never mentioned as a dis-qualifier of the guarantee.The VP of Client Success stated that completing the requirements disqualified me from the refund because "It is not a checklist to complete and then say no thank you I'm not interested." This is absurd since completing the requirements is necessary for the guarantee.ECU's actions are a breach of contract and unfair business practices. I request the BBB to intervene and ensure ECU honors its contract by issuing a refund of $1153.86.

  

  Business response

  06/25/2024

  BBB,

  We refunded this customer the remaining $8,850 for our satisfaction guarantee. We have provided a email below stating how much the client LOVED their resume and ******** optimization process so we can only assume the client was "satisfied" with the results of that part of the service.  Additionally the client has uploaded and been utilizing those documents as well.  Because of this we refunded the portion besides if you utilized our resume & ******** services and we believe this to be fair stating they had a more than positive experience with our writers and get to take those documents with them to aide them in the search.

  Additionally while servicing this client their power went out for a week and we even extended our satisfaction guarantee beyond 30 days because the client was panicking about not completing certain items to qualify for the satisfaction guarantee even though we have emails stating he had positive experiences.  Unfortunately as a business we feel this consumer came in, utilized all our services and quickly as possible, then simply left our program with our intellectual property, stating they are unsatisfied which was not the intent of this service.

  We have this guarantee because we know our product and service works and it has for thousands of clients and for those that truly aren't satisfied we absolutely want to refund them and get the help they need so they can land a new role as quickly as possible.  In this specific instance we feel it to be fair to refund all of the money besides the services they said they loved.  We believe that to be fair.

  Customer response

  06/25/2024

   
  Complaint: 21899535
  
  I am rejecting this response because Though:I appreciate the release from the $8,850 that remained, I must reiterate that ECU has not honored the full terms of the contract and the 30-day satisfaction guarantee. The contract clearly states a 100% refund if all conditions are met within 30 days and dissatisfaction is reported. I fulfilled all requirements, as detailed in my original complaint: My actions were fully compliant with the terms and conditions laid out in the contract. Here are key points that address your concerns:
  
      Compliance with Contract Terms: I engaged with the program thoroughly, meeting all stipulated requirements within the 30-day period. My participation was in good faith, with the intent of leveraging the program to its fullest potential.
  
      Contractual Guarantee: The 30-day satisfaction guarantee is clearly outlined in the contract. The guarantee promises a full refund if all conditions are met and the customer remains dissatisfied. My fulfillment of the contracts requirements entitles me to this guarantee.
  
      Intellectual Property: While I did express satisfaction with certain components like the resume and LinkedIn optimization, my overall dissatisfaction with the program remains valid. The satisfaction guarantee should cover the entire service, not just parts of it. My use of the documents provided does not negate the guarantee.
  
      Intent of Service: The guarantee is designed to protect consumers who, despite engaging with the program, find it does not meet their needs. My use of the services offered, followed by a legitimate claim of dissatisfaction, aligns with the guarantee's intent.
  
      Fairness and Transparency: The claim that I utilized services quickly and then left the program implies an intent to misuse the guarantee, which is not the case. I gave the program a fair chance and fulfilled all requirements, expecting the company to honor the guarantee as written.
  
  In conclusion, my actions were in line with the contracts terms. I respectfully request that ECU honors the full 30-day satisfaction guarantee and provides the remaining refund of $1,153.86. This request is based on the terms of the contract and the promise made to consumers
  
  My expression of satisfaction with specific components, such as the resume and LinkedIn optimization, does not negate my dissatisfaction with the program as a whole. The satisfaction guarantee is a comprehensive assurance for the entire service, not segmented parts.
  ECUs argument that my positive feedback on certain elements disqualifies me from the full refund is unfounded. This condition is not stated in the contract nor was it disclosed during the onboarding process. The contracts terms should be honored as written, without additional, undisclosed stipulations.
  Furthermore, the extension of the guarantee period due to my power outage, while appreciated, does not address the core issue: the guarantee is a 30-day satisfaction promise contingent upon meeting specific requirements, which I did. My dissatisfaction is with the overall service, not just isolated components.
  In light of this, I respectfully request the BBB to ensure ECU provides the remaining refund of $1,153.86, as per the contracts terms. The integrity of the satisfaction guarantee should be upheld to maintain trust and fairness in business practices.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************
  
  

  

  Business response

  06/26/2024

  BBB,

  The client stated they were satisfied with the product of the resume and LinkedIn, we provided the documentation of the client showing he was thrilled therefore that that does not fall under not being satisfied.  We wish the client the best of luck in landing a new role and glad they liked the resume and LinkedIn product and are proud of the accomplishments we were able to highlight about their background.

  Executive Career Upgrades

• Initial Complaint

  03/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Im filing a complaint against Executive Career Upgrades, LLC (ECU) for failing to meet their professional development promises and for imposing undisclosed costs. Key issues include:1.Unfulfilled *************** of Tailoring: Despite promises of job offers within 90 days, Ive seen no results after 8 months, and the programs focus on group sessions over personal coaching has been ineffective. My roles as a consultant, student, and caretaker made their promised one-hour-a-day commitment unrealistic.2.Hidden Costs: ECU mandated the use of Esferas for LinkedIn messaging, leading to poor outreach and extra charges, including the cost of LinkedIn Sales Navigator and printing extensive materials, significantly increasing the financial burden.3.Pricing Transparency: The programs high fee ($12K or $450/monthly), coupled with additional, undisclosed costs like Esferas and material printing, has raised concerns about ECUs transparency. The discovery of pricing discrepancies among participants further exacerbates these concerns.4.Outdated Strategies: The provided training, including resume writing and rebranding efforts, feels outdated and out of touch with industry standards. The reliance on generic scripts and Esferas has yielded no tangible results.5.Lack of ******************* Issues: Initial one-on-one coaching was absent, and support sessions were inconveniently scheduled. Interest-heavy financing terms were not clearly disclosed. My request for a $2K refund from the $4K spent was met with resistance, highlighting their non-refundable policy and blame-shifting ****************************************** The program ****** focuses on the founders, detracting from actual development. Group calls fail to address individual challenges effectively.ECUs approach appears more profit-driven than success-oriented for participants. My efforts to resolve these issues directly have been fruitless, leading me to seek BBBs intervention for a resolution.

  

  Business response

  03/18/2024

  BBB,

  We have been in contact with this customer recently and already provided factual evidence on why they have not had results in our program as well as the partnership agreement they agreed to upon enrolling in our program, unfortunately even providing this evidence client disagrees with facts.  So I wanted to provide some clarity again to the client and also new information to the BBB to insure we provide the same high standards.

  In regards to client's comments:

  1 - Client has scheduled 2 calls since July 2023 and has completed a little over 35% of course material, client has not completed most steps, been active in our community, gotten with our coaches and advisors to follow our program, or responded to the 32 emails we have emailed him (once) each week asking where he needs support and how we can best assist.  When the client originally partnered with us he agreed to the below and it is included in the partnership agreement attached.

  What We Need From You:
  Working with us does not guarantee you a job by itself. We need YOUR HELP to
  achieve this
  You need to be in constant open communication regarding your job search (client never did this)
  Follow the exact steps laid out for you on our success checklist (client never did this)
  Attend weekly calls to further your knowledge of approaching the salary and
  negotiation phase (client never did this)
  Stay organized using our tools regarding all interviews and offers (client never did this)
  You came to us because of our expertise, follow the advice of the coaches (client never did this)
  Don't cancel interviews or stop the activity until you've signed an offer letter 
  Don't stop working through the program until an offer is signed (client never did this)

  What the client agreed to he didn't action on which is why the client has not gotten results.  Since July we have had nearly 800 professionals hired, many in the same industry and some above the clients level.

  2. You will see under the attached agreement that the client actually did initial directly under the costs associated with using the automation program and it was clearly described in the agreement and during onboarding.  30.3% of all clients we serve are hired from this system, individual did one set up call then never met with a coach again on optimizing the system and therefore got no results.

  Taken from agreement:

  If you choose to utilize a powerful automation system to accelerate your search and save you 70 hours a week the cost of that software is $39.99/mo, it is month to month, and you cancel at any time, additionally to utilize this software you need access to Sales Navigator, a product provided by LinkedIn to accelerate your search, which is $99/mo This is not a requirement of the program, but highly encouraged.

  3. You will see see the costs were clearly communicated multiple times where the client did inital and sign.

  4. Client hardly went through material, hardly scheduled calls, was never really active in program so how could client say our program did not work or was outdated?  We have hundreds of verifiable clients who have gotten hired since his time in the program.  Client did not action the part he agreed to in the partnership agreement and therefore did not get results.

  5. Client states lack of support but that is simply not the case.  We respond in 2-3 hours if a client emails us, clients can scheduled 1v1 calls within ***** hours, and we have multiple group calls per day where clients can get there questions answered.  Client did not apply himself like he agreed to.

  Because of this and we already communicated to the client we have a no refund policy that client agreed to prior to partnering.  In certain circumstances we make exceptions to policies but ALL exceptions are within clients first 30 days, client has been with us for 8 months and we haven't heard from client since October.  Inaction does not qualify client for a refund.  We protect our intellectual property, proprietary information, and network of high level professionals.  We are still committed to providing the same high level of service to this client as stated in the agreement.

  Customer response

  03/18/2024

   
  Complaint: 21447525
  
  I am rejecting this response because I am compelled to articulate and reinforce my complaint against Executive Career Upgrades, LLC (ECU), highlighting the profound disparity between the services promised upon enrollment and those delivered. The response from ECU mischaracterizes my participation and fails to acknowledge the structural and communicative issues within their program that have significantly impeded my professional development.

  
  1.Engagement and Personalized Support: Contrary to ECUs portrayal of my engagement, I have actively sought to leverage the program, only to find the support provided was generic, failing to accommodate my unique professional needs and personal circumstances. This lack of tailored support directly contradicts what was implied during enrollment.
  2.Misleading Communication: ECUs Weekly Wins emails and reliance on Slack groups, presented as personalized outreach, are in reality broad communications lacking any form of personal attention. This method falls short of the individualized support promised, placing undue responsibility on participants to seek help in a non-confidential, group setting.
  3.Unexpected Financial Burdens: The program necessitated the use of additional tools like Esferas and LinkedIn Sales Navigator, introducing unforeseen costs. Ive incurred over $1000 in additional expenses atop the financed program cost, a significant financial strain not disclosed transparently at the outset.
  4.Outdated Content and Strategies: The methodologies, including resume writing and networking strategies provided by ECU, are noticeably outdated. Such approaches have not only been ineffective but have also risked my professional reputation.
  5.Privacy and Support Issues: The programs overreliance on group calls for individual challenges fails to provide the confidential, supportive environment needed for discussing personal job search strategies, diminishing the utility of supposed support.
  6.Pricing Inconsistencies: Discovering pricing discrepancies among participants has further eroded my trust in ECU, raising concerns about the programs billing practices and fairness.
  
  Moreover, ECUs claim that refunds are considered within a 30-day period starkly contrasts with the programs structure, which suggests a minimum engagement of 90 days to realize potential job offers or progress. This policy misalignment makes it humanly impossible to adequately assess the programs efficacy within the timeframe that allows for a financial recourse, placing participants in a precarious position once the programs full inadequacies come to light.
  
  ECUs insistence on a no-refund policy, despite these significant service delivery discrepancies, underscores a failure to recognize the programs shortcomings. My attempts to resolve these issues have been met with unwarranted blame and an inflexible adherence to policies that do not account for the programs fundamental flaws.
  
  Given these circumstances, I seek the BBBs assistance to facilitate a resolution that acknowledges the significant disparity between the services promised by ECU and those rendered. Specifically, I request a partial refund to compensate for the unmet expectations and additional financial burdens imposed by an inherently flawed program.
  
  I appreciate your attention to this matter and am prepared to provide further documentation to support my claim.
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  03/18/2024

  BBB,

  1 - Client had unlimited access to support emails (average response time of 2-3 hours), unlimited access to 1v1 calls and had calendar links, multiple groups calls per week to get questions asked, in addition we check in each week and email out the form the client indicated.

  2 - We gave client as much access to individualized and personnel attention he needed.  If client didn't want to share his information via group sessions client could have emailed or scheduled 1v1 calls for client privacy.

  3 - Client signed agreement attached in previous message and did initial right under where costs were listed acknowledging additional costs for automated systems to accelerate their search.  We have shared this multiple times, unsure if client is reading these messages?

  4 - Client rarely sought help and completed a small portion across 8 months, inaction does not constitute refunds several months later.
  
  5 - Stated previously client did not have to attend group calls, client had unlimited 1v1 access to coaches and advisors.  Client scheduled two calls in 8 months.

  6. Everyone pays the same price when enrolling, however, if clients finance it through 3rd party vendors they incur finance charges,
  
  This individual had access to our network, coaches, and program for over 8 months.  Client could have secured a job through our network and it would not be known to us which is why we have a no refund policy which the client agreed to last July.

  We will not be processing any type of refund for this client since we would be way out of integrity for our current clients using the material to land new roles and to further protect our intellectual property as an organization.

  Customer response

  03/19/2024

   
  Complaint: 21447525
  
  I am rejecting this response becauseI need to further clarify my stance and the core reasons behind my dissatisfaction with Executive Career Upgrades, LLC (ECU), countering the points raised in their response. My intention is not to *undermine* ECUs practices but to factually represent why this program was never a fit for me.
  
  1.Program Disengagement Reason:
  My decision to disengage was not due to inaction but a deliberate choice after realizing ECUs methodologies, especially the automation tool, did not align with my professional values nor produce favorable outcomes. Despite sending over 100 messages through automation and attempting to connect within their network, the results were overwhelmingly negative, leading to dead ends and no progress in my job search.

  
  2.Unfavorable Approach:
  By January, it became evident that the programs strategies, particularly the reliance on automation for networking, were ineffective for me. The impersonal nature of automated messages and the lack of meaningful engagement from the network led to my decision to cease using these methods, as they negatively impacted my professional reputation and job search efforts. Additionally, during this period, I was burdened with caring for a cat with terminal cancer and a spouse with limited mobility, further complicating my engagement with ECUs methodologies.

  
  3.Financing Misrepresentations:
  Initially, it was communicated that a commitment of $6K was sufficient until employment was secured. However, I was required to engage in special financing for $10K, with a structure heavily burdened by interest. This not only misleading but also imposed an unexpected financial strain. Moreover, I was concurrently managing significant personal medical expenses exceeding $20K for my cats care. These combined financial pressures significantly stretched my resources, impacting my ability to engage with the program as intended. I am prepared to provide documentation of these expenses to substantiate the comprehensive financial pressures I faced while enrolled in ECUs program.

  
  4.Lack of Effective Personalized Support:
  Despite ECUs claims of offering unlimited access to support and one-on-one calls, the provided support did not meet the programs promises or my needs. The generic nature of group calls and the limitations of the platform for individualized assistance contributed to my decision to disengage.

  
  5.Response to Programs Defense:
  ECUs emphasis on their no-refund policy and the purported accessibility of their network and coaching overlooks the fundamental issuesthe programs methodologies and support structures were not conducive to tangible job search progress or professional development for me.
  
  In light of these concerns, I reiterate my request for a fair resolution to this dispute. A partial refund is warranted and immediately ending  the financing, given the substantial gap between the services promised and those delivered. My decision to cease participation was based on a thoughtful evaluation of its effectiveness and the negative impact on my job search, compounded by the financial pressures introduced by the programs financing model and my personal circumstances.
  
  I am prepared to provide further evidence, including documentation of all messages sent through automation and my communications with ECU, to substantiate my claims.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******

• Initial Complaint

  12/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up to receive professional training and coaching from Executive Career Upgrades on May 26th, 2023 for $10,000. They falsely advertise their expertise in the fields that they offer support in, including resume building and LinkedIn Automation. I had them review my resume that had already been reviewed by many professionals. They added many more words and an extra page to the resume - something that is not considered best practice. I confirmed this after speaking with a couple of talent recruiters who review resume's for large companies. I reached out to Executive Career Upgrades after I figured out the resume they sent me was getting me rejected from job opportunities because of the lack of professional etiquette displayed on the resume content writing. I reached out to request a refund in September 2023. I shared my reasons and they promised to work with me to get things right. I just got off the phone with one of their representatives ************************* and she acted like she didn't know the situation that I was in. I had sent my materials to a different person named ******************* a month prior for review. These are scam artists and I would like to get my money back. Do I need to file a claim in small court?

  

  Business response

  12/16/2023

  BBB,

  We have a recorded call from this customer yelling consistent foul language towards one of our employees trying to help this individual just a few days ago. We have personally contacted this individual notifying him he is removed from our Career Acceleration program and community and we are cancelling the loan he took out for the services effective immediately, so the client has no fiscal responsibility moving forward.  We are unable to work with professionals who mistreat our employees and that was stated in our original partnership agreement the client agreed to.  We still wish this individual the best of luck.

  In regards to his participation he enrolled last May and over the span 7 months he scheduled a total of 4 calls, showed up minimally to the events required to get hired, and had no completion on the video training modules to aid him in landing a new role.  We had a small hiccup recently when the client wanted his resume updated after he finalized it months prior, we lost a key team member and had some services issues which we truly apologize for.  However, not warranting the behavior this individual showed.  Again, we wish this individual the best of luck.

  Customer response

  12/19/2023

   
  Complaint: 21013055
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  The claim that I was yelling consistent foul language towards one of their employees is a false claim. Please have them provide the recording to you so you can hear the nuances of their scheme. They broke the law by recording our conversation, that an example of the poor quality of service this business provides and their lack of professioanlism. According to ******* Statute ****** (2)(d) it is a criminal offense to use any device to record communications,whether theyre wire, oral or electronic, without the consent of everyone taking part in the communication. Please have them also share my conversation from September with their employee *************************, who made strong commitments about fixing my resume and setting me up for their LinkedIn automation. In that conversation with *************************, you will hear me share that I did complete the Career Acceleration Program within the first month of joining the program, but their systems do not update correctly. In my first two months, they canceled nearly 30% of the weekly events they scheduled for several different reasons. It is baffling how easy it is for someone like *******************, who is trying to create such a positive public presence, to lie this easily about what has transpired in the last 7 months with me and his company. Its a real shame.

  
  It is a sigh of relief that I will no longer be charged monthly the $367.70 by the company named Specialfinancing but I have paid a total of $2,941.60 since May to this company. I would like my $2,941.70 refunded.

  
  I will be looking into how to file charges for illegally recording our conversation. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  

  Business response

  12/20/2023

  BBB,

  We gave this individual access to our product, services, and community for 6 months.  I attached the partnership agreement on what we agreed upon, so we relinquished him from the loan he took out to pay for our services.  We record our calls for quality assurance and to provide recordings to professionals when we do interview prep etc to benefit the client.

  Based on servicing this customer for over 6 months we will not be processing a refund for this client for payments already made.  Completion of the resume, LinkedIn, and other services we provided this client are well over the amount paid towards the financing loan but we are willing to take a loss on that to split ways with this customer who has been yelling at our staff.  If customer wishes to enter into court action we can provide the address of our attorneys.

  Customer response

  12/21/2023

   
  Complaint: 21013055
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I am not satisfied with the response.
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up for ECU services back in the end of last year. I am a ************** executive with a strong track record and profile. I was attracted to ECU program based on their claim of generating multiple better job offers in a reasonable period of time. I paid 80% of the fee upfront based on their requirement and sincerely followed the program. I spent a lot of time and effort as well using their methods. So, far after 6 months, their methods have not produced any results so far. I have not received any useful response from the prospective employees so far to my outreach, which is the first step in the process. Further, some of my outreach (done as recommended by ECU) seems to be producing negative results, i.e. some of the contacts just stopped responding. The only concrete deliverable I received so far from ECU are resume and LinkedIn profile review. Some of my friends that looked at my new resume commented that it was not of great quality. The updated LinkedIn profile hasn't generated any desirable response either. On the whole I paid a lot of money and received very little value and no results so far. I request BBB to help me get refund for the large payment I made. It has been more than 6 months and not progressing in the first step with employers is very disappointing for the program. Forget about multiple offers, I did not receive a single offer!

  

  Business response

  06/20/2023

  BBB,

  I just spoke to this customer via telephone and we are set to get him back on track tomorrow at 10am EST.  This customer hasn't been responsive to ** for nearly 6 months via email etc so I personally called him to resolve this and was able to get ahold of him.

  He has not been following our methods and automated systems which has caused this frustration and we hope to have this resolved immediately.  Additionally this customer did sign our partnership agreement which is attached which stated:

  Once give access to our community and products there is a no refund policy that the client agreed too

  Additionally the client signed next to these items and has not held up what he said he was going to do which has significantly prolonged results.

  Working with us does not guarantee you a job. We need YOUR HELP to achieve this
  You need to be in constant open communication regarding your job search (Client has not done this, and has not been in contact since Jan even after repeated contact attempts)
  Follow the exact steps laid out for you on our success checklist (Client has not followed program)
  Attend weekly calls to further your knowledge of approaching the salary and
  negotiation phase (Has not attended calls)
  Stay organized using our tools regarding all interviews and offers (
  You came to us because of our expertise, follow the advice of the coaches
  Don't cancel interviews or stop the activity until you've signed an offer letter
  Don't stop working through the program until an offer is signed

   

   

  Customer response

  06/20/2023

   
  Complaint: 20209839
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  - ECU's claims are absolutely wrong. They have not sent a single email or text message enquiring on the progress. I have checked all my spam folder and seen none. This seems like a false claim from ECU. I receive all of their other emails and text messages. So, it appears like they did not send any of the aforementioned text messages or emails. It appears like they are doing this to discredit my complaint.

  - I have completed their course, set up needed sessions with their coaches etc. on time. ECU is not addressing my key concern, that their first step itself is not working. There was no need for me to purchase and set up their automation since I was manually following up on all the outreaches.  So, ECUs claims are utterly wrong and irrelevant here. If their program does not achieve any progress on the 1st step of getting initial responses, what is the point of talking about salary negotiations etc.? ECUs response is very misleading here.

  - The sessions with their coaches are very repetitive and not particularly useful. I can not spend huge amount of time knowing this well.

  - ECUs claims are very dubious in the retrospect and their business practices are very questionable. Taking 80% of the payment upfront, with tall claims of getting multiple offers in short period of time and then putting fine print in the contract says it all. 

  - I will attend the zoom call tomorrow with ECU. I want to point out very clearly that this case should not be closed.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************************

  

  Business response

  06/20/2023

  BBB,

  We have put in the attachment the emails for the past 3 weeks asking the client for updates etc with our program and sharing times to connect.  We are happy to share more emails if the client wishes but we have emailed him since January with no response.

  Client claims he is not receiving our emails but did while working together in Nov and Dec?  Then client just emailed us today and it worked fine and we immediately replied.  So we are making a claim that the client did receive these emails as we have proof they were sent.

  Client has not followed our program and got with our coaches as outlined as his responsibility in the partnership agreement, not completed our certification programs etc.  2nd, we never received one negative response while working with the client last year until he disappeared then months later filed a BBB complaint?

  6 months later client is now being hostile towards us and upset about his lack of results.  We are still committed to work with this client to get him the help he needs but if he continues to be hostile we will remove from the program with no refund as agreement states.

  Customer response

  06/20/2023

   
  Complaint: 20209839
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The emails copies attached were for group calls called "Weekly wins calls". Please look at the body. They are not directed to me nor asking me about the progress/lack thereof. IMO, it is very misleading for ECU to claim that these were emails sent to me asking me about the progress. Further, I am not comfortable discussing my progress/lack of it in group calls. Lot of personal information to expose to other people.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************************

• Initial Complaint

  02/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I signed up for *** last June with the promise of multiple job offers within 90 days. It's been almost 8 months, and I have not received multiple job offers. In fact, I haven't even secured an interview NOT ONE. After I joined, I was forced to use their in-house automation tool, Esferas. Esferas sends automated messages from your ** account to executives within your industry, with the intent to get them on the phone. There is also an EXTRA monthly charge for Esferas that is NOT included in your initial fee. ***, who is the owner of ECU, ALSO owns Esferas.I started networking with others in ECU & soon discovered I was charged more than others! Additionally, many others are dissatisfied with ECU & have yet to secure an offer, even after a year!I reached out to *** in December, and said the program wasnt working. He immediately put me back on Esferas. I gave it another try, and once again it still didn't work. I also used ECUs scripts doing my own direct outreach with my target companies, and that didn't work either.I finally reached out for a refund. *** responded that it's non-refundable & then proceeded to blame me, since I didnt take action, such as attend his weekly sessions. I work 60+ hours a week & cannot attend the sessions, which are all held during the day. Most importantly, I did go BACK on Esferas for the second time to give it another try. As the owner of both ************** *** needs to take accountability and admit that sometimes his program doesnt work for a particular client. I have no other option than to issue this BBB complaint. When you first meet ***, who is a US veteran, he comes across as very genuine & trusting. He is also a compelling salesman with his promises multiple offers in 90 days. Therefore, I write this to warn others with the hope that I can prevent at least one other person from joining & making the same mistake I did.

  

  Business response

  02/17/2023

  Prior to getting this notification from the BBB I just got off a call with another client, a VP of a Fortune 500 company that has been trying to breakthrough to the **Suite for over a decade, just after 60 days working with us she just accepted a offer for a CCO role and got an increase of 150K+ on the base annually, RSUs, equity etc.  Inside the next 3 years if this professional stays there she will get roughly *******K+ comparatively to what she previously made.  But this client simply put in the work and followed our process like 752 professionals we helped last year.

  The client who posted this review failed to follow our tactics and strategies and rarely took action, for one period while working together for several months we didnt even hear from this client for over 90 days, then scheduled a getting back on track call Dec 1, upon the completion of that call we did not hear from that client again until the beginning of February, stating that she wanted a refund because what we do wasnt working, even though no action was taken after our getting back on track call.  The main problem in this instance is the lack of follow through and not strategy.  

  We make no guarantees that clients will be placed, especially within a specific timeline because that is predominantly on the client taking action to complete the steps.  In our agreement though it does states:
  We work with you until you land a new role and working with us does not guarantee you a job. We need YOUR HELP to achieve this.  

  This client signed off on our partnership agreement.  On the agreement she also stated she would keep us updated weekly in regards to her search and while working together, for 7 months this was emailed to her each week, it had not been filled out once.  

  When we had the getting back on track call, I tried to instill that personal responsibility and success is required to excel in this program because we cant do certain things for you like go on interviews for you or answer emails sent to you since we do not have access.  

  We chose not to refund this individual because we gave her the access to the same materials and coaches that everyone else has had success with and spent a significant amount of time crafting resume & LinkedIn documents, setting up automated systems, and more.

  We highly recommend anyone considering our services to check our LinkedIn profiles which has 100s+ of positive reviews from other clients as well as our ******* channel with several hundred more video testimonials.

  
  

  Customer response

  02/17/2023

   
  Complaint: 19368124
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1) One of the coaches was terminated a month after I started & never replaced, so that is LESS service than I signed up for

  2) I did take action - such as a) using the automation, not once but twice b) I did direct outreach for 7 months using YOUR scripts c) networked with fellow ECU members d) applied for numerous jobs using 'easy apply' as YOU suggest

  3) I was charged more than others, so that is unfair pricing

  4) Not only did i not get any offers - I did not get any interviews from his strategy - NOT ONE.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  02/24/2023

  While you signed a no refund policy in the partnership agreement you signed, at this time we are willing to offer you a 50% refund if you agree that during the time working together you did not create any LinkedIn content as requested, did not fill out the weekly sheets asking where you needed the most help, then after Oct 5 waited 60 days to schedule a "getting back on track call with ***", then after still do not do what was requested of you then asked for a refund months later.  If you are willing to agree to that we are willing to process the refund.  If that is not met then we will stick with our original agreement of a no refund policy as stated in the agreement as well as everything we agreed to deliver which we did.

  1) One of the coaches was terminated a month after I started & never replaced, so that is LESS service than I signed up for
  2) I did take action - such as a) using the automation, not once but twice b) I did direct outreach for 7 months using YOUR scripts c) networked with fellow ECU members d) applied for numerous jobs using 'easy apply' as YOU suggest
  3) I was charged more than others, so that is unfair pricing
  4) Not only did i not get any offers - I did not get any interviews from his strategy - NOT ONE.

  Here are the responses to your above questions.

  1) We hired another more qualified coach 2 months prior to letting go of the coach you are speaking of.

  2) Automation was not running the whole time we worked together and responses were not managed correctly to drive interviews.

  3) Some clients you spoke to had 2021 pricing which was 6K, on Jan 1 of last year pricing was increased to 7K to get started then 3K when hired, in Jan 2023 the pricing was moved to 10K.  All clients during this time were charged the same price.

  4) During 2022 87% of professionals who worked with us where hired, the remaining 13% where not due to not following tactics and strategies set forth.

  Customer response

  02/24/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩