Capitol Honda/National Auto Academy Sam/Roger/Chi Li wasted time, took my money, didn't deliver what was promised San Jose california

You say she wasn't ripped off for various reasons.  So please explain why this company is still doing the very thing it was accused of.  I applied for the position of Internet Sales Manager, with a salary of $40,000 a year plus bonuses.  I was called in for an interview.  All the woman mentioned was her name, not where she worked (which is clear now that it was National Auto Academy).  I didn't apply for a position with them!  I applied for a position at a local dealership!  

During the "interview" with the person I was set up to see, things went normally as one might expect in an interview.  He only mentioned that the company hired him to set up interviews and training.  Okay, not too alarming at this point as third party recruiters are used frequently.  Oh but he made it sound wonderful.  Was I ready to start a great career?  All my previous employment had been jobs...(gee thanks for insulting years of hard work and education of which I have plenty already).  So fine, fair enough.  He's trying to get me to see this job as a wonderful opportunity, I am just wanting to work and make money.  

I reiterated in the interview that it was for the Internet Sales position I had seen online with the salary, and he is all "yeah, sure, of course, you are going to make lots of money."

So still thinking this is a salaried position, which I have the education for, I show up for the training.  At no time was it referred to as classes.  It was always referred to as training.  Three days later, he wants MONEY for what he is now calling classes!  Classic bait and switch!  But...the manager had promised us all positions because they needed so many.  So...I put off paying as long as I could but to get the job I had to pay.  All the while thinking I'd get this back easy because its a salary position!

I show up for work...bam no salary.  Commision only.  Bam it's not in any way a management position I was going to be a salesperson.  Bam I get less than minimum wage monthly salary for the hours I am expected to work.  Bam I have to go through two months of training...which I still don't understand.  Double training?  Why did I need the three days training if I was going to be training anyway for two months?  Oh and the kicker!  I can't get a day off to keep an appointment made months ago unless I sell a car.  I can't sell a car because I am in training!  Bait and switch bait and switch!  They are little more than con artists and will be happy to speak to the media!  Unlike naa, who avoids them.  If you have nothing to hide, come out and say everyone else is lying but YOU!  Innocent people don't have to hide and make vague statements!

I am responding to author Joseph in this report. Let me rebutt this guy's logic:

7. You state that you were not given anything by the school, but didn't you sit through class for three days and receive an education which got you an interview at Honda?  Again, it seems like services were rendered.  (Attend school, get educated, go on an interview to get a new job in that profession).

People do not come to Chi Li and his company to "go to school and receive an education." People came to him for a JOB, NOT SCHOOL! The fact that Chi Li hid that getting a job would cost money all the way up to the middle of the first session shows his dishonesty and shady mindset. At the interview to even attend the class, no such thing was mentioned. Why? That's a classic scam artist right there. Bait and switch, something this company and Chi have mastered but as they say in life, the truth comes out sooner or later and your honest - or dishonest in Chi's case - ways catch up with you. 

6. The dealer stated that they have additional processes that you must go through besides the interview to hire you and it's going to take some time.  Most likely they are talking about a drug test, background check, and other normal procedures companies do.  How is this the instructors fault?  Any company you go to these days is going to wait for you to clear your background checks before they officially hire you (especially places where you have access to large sums of money, credit cards, and credit reports like in a dealership).

Nope. Chi clearly (and repeatedly) stated that we would begin work by Monday. He NEVER mentioned any 2 weeks or higher of background-check nonsense. This is called lying. To say one thing will happen but something else happens. Go look up the definition of a lie in the dictionary.

"Liar liar, pants on fire."

This is how this company and Chi work. That is their motto. Lie, bait and switch, make promises until you collect money, and then say you are not responsible for any of the words you had said. STAY AWAY lest you be scammed of your hard-earned money.

The real truth to this "rip off" is that Jessica Houk of Merced, CA signed up for a course out of her own free will, paid for the class and was ultimately offered a position at Honda as a direct result of her education at the academy.  What happened next is priceless and shows Jessica Houk's true character.

As part of the hiring process, Jessica Houk had to take a drug test before starting.  One can assume that Jessica was worried about passing the drug test because she quickly ran down to the nearest drug store and proceeded to purchase anything she could find to clean out her system.  She wasn't shy about the drug use either -- she even told her classmates what she was doing and proudly posted her pursuit to rid her body of these illegal drugs on her social networks (including posting pictures)!

The attached pictures and her comments below them clearly tell the real side of the story.  Jessica Houk couldn't pass her drug test, was pissed off that she had to take one, and decided to lash out at the school and Honda to make them seem like they ripped her off because she had no other way of explaining why she didn't get the job to her family.

The real truth is, as Jessica Houk posted herself, is that she uses drugs and could not pass a drug test without cleaning out her system first and is ultimately not working at Honda with her other classmates as a result.

I commend Honda on their hiring processes.  Those hiring processes are in place to keep dishonest people and habitual drug users from being hired and potentially causing damage to the company and its reputation.  All one can do is hope that Jessica has learned from this experience and stops using drugs.  And any future employers who happen to come across this post while doing a background check on Jessica Houk should drug test her immediately to make sure she is clean.  You can easily identify that this is her in the photo by her tattoo.

The real truth to this "rip off" is that Jessica Houk of Merced, CA signed up for a course out of her own free will, paid for the class and was ultimately offered a position at Honda as a direct result of her education at the academy.  What happened next is priceless and shows Jessica Houk's true character.

As part of the hiring process, Jessica Houk had to take a drug test before starting.  One can assume that Jessica was worried about passing the drug test because she quickly ran down to the nearest drug store and proceeded to purchase anything she could find to clean out her system.  She wasn't shy about the drug use either -- she even told her classmates what she was doing and proudly posted her pursuit to rid her body of these illegal drugs on her social networks (including posting pictures)!

The attached pictures and her comments clearly tell the real side of the story.  Jessica Houk couldn't pass her drug test, was pissed off that she had to take one, and decided to lash out at the school and Honda to make them seem like they ripped her off because she had no other way of explaining why she didn't get the job to her family.

The real truth is, as Jessica Houk posted herself, is that she uses drugs and could not pass a drug test without cleaning out her system first and is ultimately not working at Honda with her other classmates as a result.

I commend Honda on their hiring processes.  Those hiring processes are in place to keep dishonest people and habitual drug users from being hired and potentially causing damage to the company and its reputation.  All one can do is hope that Jessica has learned from this experience and stops using drugs.  And any future employers who happen to come across this post while doing a background check on Jessica should test her immediately to make sure she is clean.  You can easily identify that this is her in the photo by her tattoo.

I don't understand how you got ripped off by this school or company?  Let me explain (and I'm going by everything you wrote, I wasn't there)

1. You went to an interview that was conducted by an academy in which they were holding job training classes for a profession that you are interested in.

2. When asked if you were interested in taking the course, I'm assuming that you agreed, paid, and went to class.  Obviously the instructor was present for three days and taught the class. (I realize you paid in the middle of the course, but you still paid.  If you weren't being taught anything, I'm sure you wouldn't have come back for the remaining days, and you can't be mad at the instructor charging your card after you completed the course.  If anything he shouldn't have let you attend without paying first.  That just seems weird).

3. Who had money and who didn't have money to attend the class is irrelevant.  Was is relevant is that you had money and paid for the class that was being taught.  Services were rendered.  And of course you weren't getting paid to go to school, you were paying to go to school.  Since when do people get paid to attend classes???

4. After you finished the class, the instructor set up an interview for you at Honda.

5. You had the interview, but it seems like you did not like the manager at Honda because of your "chauvonistic pigs" comment.  Correct me if I am wrong but the school is a seperate institution from the Honda, isn't it?

6. The dealer stated that they have additional processes that you must go through besides the interview to hire you and it's going to take some time.  Most likely they are talking about a drug test, background check, and other normal procedures companies do.  How is this the instructors fault?  Any company you go to these days is going to wait for you to clear your background checks before they officially hire you (especially places where you have access to large sums of money, credit cards, and credit reports like in a dealership).

7. You state that you were not given anything by the school, but didn't you sit through class for three days and receive an education which got you an interview at Honda?  Again, it seems like services were rendered.  (Attend school, get educated, go on an interview to get a new job in that profession).

8. And this just made my mouth drop... It sounds like they actually offered you a job but you got mad because it was in a different department!  What more could you ask for?  Building on what I said in #7: Attend school, get educated, go on an interview, and get offered a new job!!!  You said they "insisted on putting me in their BDC (Business Development Center AKA Internet Department) to begin so I could get experience."  I'm speechless after that and cannot see how anyone even remotely ripped you off here?!?

It seems that your problem is with the Honda's hiring process (and maybe the position they offered you).  I was curious about school so I looked them up.  They offer job placement assistance for people who complete their courses, so maybe you should contact them and ask them to set up additional interviews for you with other manufacturers?  Maybe try Toyota?  And it also sounds like you're upset that you had to go through training.  I seriously doubt any car dealership will just hire anyone without any sort of training.  That is like flagging down a random person on the street who sells shoes to fix your electrical problem at home.  That's a disaster waiting to happen.  Could you imagine the complaints they would have?!?  The school trains you, Honda trains you, either way you still need training, and obviously the training worked -- they offered you a job in that BDC department.

I just want to address one last thing you said.  How can the instructor gaurantee you a job and that you'll start right away for a company that he doesn't work for?  When I looked them up, the school's website even states they can't do that and that they are only a school that offers job placement assistance (probably setting up interviews) to those who complete their courses.  It just doesn't make sense.  Maybe you misunderstood him?  The website is extremely clear about this.

Anyway you look at it, you paid for training, got the education, was sent on an interview where you could showcase your newly learnt skills, and was ultimately offered a position in that field (as long as you passed the additional hiring steps).  If someone else sees the ripoff here, please explain it to me.  Seriously.

I wish you the best, and my personal advice is go on a couple more interviews, either through the school or on your own.  You have the training now, so I'm sure you'll find a job in the department you want to be in!  And don't publicly call people who interview you for jobs pigs... they might actually see this and not hire you at all now or even worse -- maybe try to sue you or something.  I would really try to delete that because you actually named them, where they work, and their positions.  Even if do accept that BDC position, they'll probably end up firing you now when they see this.  And I could be wrong, but it seems like you are newer to the work force.  Jobs aren't easy to come by these days with this economy, and you were lucky enough to get offered one with your new training.  Think about that next time someone offers you a position at a dealership and you turn it down.  Remember, getting in is always the hardest part... Promotions happen every day.  Good luck with everything!

NAA has mended the situation by refunding the fee back to me in a timely matter. I am attempting to remove this post now as a requirement of the refund.