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October 9, 2003

Editor Crain�s Chicago Business

To the Editor:

We were disappointed to see the article about the alleged unscrupulous practices of certain career consultants (Warning to Jobseekers: Scams Abound, October 8, 2003).

As the President of ACP International, a global organization with over 2000 members in over 30 countries who provide life-long career related services, I would like the opportunity to respond to your article to assure your readers that the vast majority of career professionals are honest, ethical individuals who truly care about their clients.

ACP International members are bound by a defined set of Ethical Standards to help ensure that clients receive the best possible services and that our profession is held to a high standard of professionalism, ethical business practices, and quality service. For over 20 years, the Career Services profession has provided assistance to thousands whose lives are improved because they have made positive career transitions. Our organization also offers credentialing for our members and a Professional Certification is available through our professional and industry associations.

In the article, Attorney General Lisa Madigan says the alleged victims were told of a �secret job market� and advised to not conduct their own career searches. These are certainly not accepted practices in our industry, and we recommend that any individuals receiving such advice to conduct more research, ask for references, and interview other career professionals to identify alternatives to any pitch that sounds �too good to be true.�

In fact, ACP International is available as a resource to the public in this area, and we encourage anyone with questions about career professionals to contact us at 202-547-6377 or visit our Web site at http:\\www.acpinternational.org. The site contains a link called �Find a Career Services Expert� that lists ACP International members who have agreed to abide by our ethical standards.

I am confident that as the Editor for a publication with the reputation of Crain�s, you would respect the need to fully represent all perspectives of an issue. Therefore, I encourage you to contact me at ACP International for information to support a follow-up article that will fully represent the Career Services profession.

I can be reached at (612)202-0739.

Teresa Daly President ACP International