Warning to Chicago Audio Engineers

[BlueRadio]

Guys,


About a month ago, I was offered a part-time engineering position with an ad agency known as the Gavan Group. They built a small studio in-house, and needed somebody to help run it.

Long story short: I had a great interview, was offered the job on the spot, and have not heard from them for over a month despite repeated phone calls and emails.

Thank goodness I didn't have another job to quit or put in two weeks notice. They post on CraigsList, among other places. Be very wary of this company. Super shady!

[Prime Tire]

Stupid question, but you didn't give them any serious personal info, did you? Because that would be bad news.

[toasteh]

Originally Posted by Prime Tire

Stupid question, but you didn't give them any serious personal info, did you? Because that would be bad news.

And now he's going: 'oh O'. There was a scam like that here in northern Europe. These people were using fake job interviews as sources to collect identities for identity theft. Dont mean to scare ya, but be careful.

[BlueRadio]

Nope, no personal info. They don't know more than my last name and phone number.

[George Necola]

Originally Posted by toasteh

And now he's going: 'oh O'. There was a scam like that here in northern Europe. These people were using fake job interviews as sources to collect identities for identity theft. Dont mean to scare ya, but be careful.

wow

[Prime Tire]

Well that's good.

[Plush]

This is an EARS matter now.

These people have been reported to EARS.

(Engineering and Recording Society), Chicago

[XARTRH]

John:

It's great that you posted this and it sounds like you may have or could been a victim of an ID theft plan? I know few, to none, who have found anything of value on Craigs List in our industry, but I've never used it to job hunt. But, the fact that you met with this party, makes me believe it was not a scam and you simply did not get the job as promised. This business is NOT for the weak of heart! Being told yes one minute and no the next or not even getting a reply is common place... especially when dealing with major labels... or shall I say what's left of them! Bottom line is that it's great that you brought this up, didn't quit what you had going for you and that EARS is behind you and making this public... All Good! But, at the same time... Welcome to the real world of the music / recording industry! As Hunter S. Thompson stated:

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."

...and so it is!

Cheers!

Reid Hyams
the X-ART Entertainment Management Group
Music Industry Consulting | Production | Management
7706 N. Eastlake Terrace
Chicago, Illinois 60626
V (773) 274-0248 | F (773) 274-8077 | C (312) 371-2916
E-mail: reid.x.art@gmail.com | Site: X-art Entertainment
Skype: xartent
LI Public/Pro Profile: Reid Hyams - LinkedIn

[RTR]

Originally Posted by BlueRadio

Guys,


About a month ago, I was offered a part-time engineering position with an ad agency known as the Gavan Group. They built a small studio in-house, and needed somebody to help run it.

Long story short: I had a great interview, was offered the job on the spot, and have not heard from them for over a month despite repeated phone calls and emails.

Thank goodness I didn't have another job to quit or put in two weeks notice. They post on CraigsList, among other places. Be very wary of this company. Super shady!

ummm...or maybe they changed their mind and forgot to inform you?
There is no proof of a scam or wrong doing here, it could not be that they found someone they liked better could it

[Funk Dracula]

The Gavan Group is run by somebody who used to do work for RJ Dale, a very successful African American run agency. He also manages several R&B artists in Chicago. Hardly "super shady."

You got your panties in a bunch cause you thought you had a job, but in reality, got rejected. His ignoring you after what you perceived as a great interview happens all the time in this industry. This does not make it a "scam."

But hey, maybe you had it coming to you? Maybe you came in all cocky and said something arrogant, like how you refuse to work with black people who can't speak proper english (as you've publicly stated on this board previously), and he toyed with ya. Karma.

Shut the alarms off, the threat is clear. This company is not a scam.

[Teddy Ray]

Originally Posted by Funk Dracula

The Gavan Group is run by somebody who used to do work for RJ Dale, a very successful African American run agency. He also manages several R&B artists in Chicago. Hardly "super shady."

You got your panties in a bunch cause you thought you had a job, but in reality, got rejected. His ignoring you after what you perceived as a great interview happens all the time in this industry. This does not make it a "scam."

But hey, maybe you had it coming to you? Maybe you came in all cocky and said something arrogant, like how you refuse to work with black people who can't speak proper english (as you've publicly stated on this board previously), and he toyed with ya. Karma.

Shut the alarms off, the threat is clear. This company is not a scam.

or maybe it is a scam.....there we go with the racist stuff again..Christ almighty.

this is 2009.

[jeremy.c.]

Originally Posted by Teddy Ray

or maybe it is a scam.....there we go with the racist stuff again..Christ almighty.

this is 2009.

wow. yeah, black prez = racism dead...
not.

[jeremy.c.]

Originally Posted by XARTRH

John:

It's great that you posted this and it sounds like you may have or could been a victim of an ID theft plan? I know few, to none, who have found anything of value on Craigs List in our industry, but I've never used it to job hunt. But, the fact that you met with this party, makes me believe it was not a scam and you simply did not get the job as promised. This business is NOT for the weak of heart! Being told yes one minute and no the next or not even getting a reply is common place... especially when dealing with major labels... or shall I say what's left of them! Bottom line is that it's great that you brought this up, didn't quit what you had going for you and that EARS is behind you and making this public... All Good! But, at the same time... Welcome to the real world of the music / recording industry! As Hunter S. Thompson stated:

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."

...and so it is!

Cheers!

Reid Hyams
the X-ART Entertainment Management Group
Music Industry Consulting | Production | Management
7706 N. Eastlake Terrace
Chicago, Illinois 60626
V (773) 274-0248 | F (773) 274-8077 | C (312) 371-2916
E-mail: reid.x.art@gmail.com | Site: X-art Entertainment
Skype: xartent
LI Public/Pro Profile: Reid Hyams - LinkedIn

pithy, but actually that's a quote mis-attributed to the music biz, it's the tv (and journalism) biz he was talking about. I guess if we all accept it's a shady craphole, then we get what we deserve... carry on!

The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason.
-Generation of Swine 1988

You're in good company though, I see that quote misused constantly on GS...

[Dean Roddey]

Maybe they are actually aliens. Did you by any chance feel a little sore around the rectal area after the interview? Was there any unexplained lapse of time that you can't account for while you were there? You may have been probed. This has happened to me numerous times when I've gone to job interviews from Craigslist. I've been repeated probed.

[Teddy Ray]

Originally Posted by olivia_nb

wow. yeah, black prez = racism dead...
not.

if it isn't, it is in part due to idiots on web forums furthering it.


get over it already...that's what I am saying.

[jeremy.c.]

Originally Posted by Teddy Ray

if it isn't, it is in part due to idiots on web forums furthering it.


get over it already...that's what I am saying.

I doubt people calling it out on web forums is the real barrier. I get what you're saying and it's not a bad idea to get over it, but...

[RockStarMel]

I similarly was offered this same job ...pretty much on the spot... back in April. I was told in light of his recent successes developing/managing/signing artists that Tony Williams wished to build out a full service studio and that I would be asked to do post production work in the meantime while the studio buildout took place. After not hearing anything further for a week, I tried calling both the office phone and Tony's admin's cellphone... the office phone was disconnected, and initially I just got no response to messages left for the admin, but eventually that was disconnected as well.

If I was rejected, hey, that's fine... I can take it. But don't go around promising folks jobs and then never calling them again. Personally, I just assumed that they ran out of money and went under (given the phone disconnect). Hearing that someone else was offered this same job smacks of scam to me. Though I can't seem to figure out what they gained from it outside of a copy of my reel, none of which is previously unreleased.

[Chrislpp]

Originally Posted by RTR

There is no proof of a scam

He didn't say it was a scam, others assumed that....

He was just telling us facts.