Trans Continental
Talent Scout Employment Opportunity
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Investigation ISBN 0-9687133-3-5 directly from Amazon.com using
this link.
Fairly recently I attended a "group interview" for a talent
scout position at Options Talent Group located in a Chicago suburb.
The initial interview process ran a few hours, with individual interviews
conducted after by exceptionally adept salespeople who were pitching
the talent scout position to about 40 individuals that day, ranging
from college age to the late 40's.
The job sounds real good on paper. In addition to the relatively
lax working environment a talent scout has, let me give you a general
breakdown of their talent scout compensation program.
1. Training program (30 days or until the scout acquires approx
20 new clients)
- Straight commission
- $10-$100 per candidate depending on how many clients were signed that
period.
2. Trial Period (Additional 90 days)
- $600 per week
- Plus commissions (after 5 new clients)
- minimum 5 new clients per week
3. Full Time
- $750 per week
- Plus commissions (after 5 new clients)
- minimum 5 new clients per week
That's definitely good money but unfortunately the $595 client start
up fee has to be paid by the aspiring model in order for the talent
scout to receive credit and compensation. That is asking a lot from
the general public, and is not practical for the talent scout to
accomplish. When I asked the interviewer what to say if the cost
issue ever came up, he specifically told me not to mention it.
It is my personal belief that Options Talent Group does not intend
for new talent scout hires to reach the subsidy stage in their compensation
program. Even if the talent scout only manages to bring in two new
clients before quitting, that is still over $1000 of new business,
with just $40 going to the talent scout. Very shady, but apparently
legal.
Needless to say, I passed on the job.
"XL" 07/08/02 (RM)
Scouts start as independent contractors relying on commission, after
being led to believe they are applying for full-time salaried employment.
Taking into account the amount of time new scouts could waste on
this "dream job" compared to the amount of money they would
make at a real job, it is possible that the scouts are greater victims,
losing more than what the models would spend over a year. ($595 +
12 x $19.95 = $834.40).
I received this email from Options after responding to a Yahoo!
ad online for a Talent Scout. After applying online on the options
website, I did a search online to find out more info about them.
I was going to go to the interview and was actually kind of excited,
but after what I have read I am so glad that I am not going to waste
my time! I also don't like that they appear to rip off aspiring
models and actors...as I have quite a few friends who are aspiring,
and wouldn't want to see that happen to them.
Kim White
--- Options Talent <scouting@optionsmodels.com> wrote:
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Talent Scout and joining
the Options team.
After reviewing your application and questionnaire, I feel that you
may be just what our company is looking for as we continue
to revolutionize the entertainment industry. I would like
to schedule you for an interview at our Los Angeles office.
We can see you at 10:00am on Wednesday, September 4th. Please be punctual.
The interview process can take several hours so you should plan on being
available until about 5:00pm. At the interview, you will receive thorough
information on the entertainment industry, Options Talent Group and the
position and responsibilities of an Options Model Scout. One-on-one interviews
will be conducted.
Dress code is professional. I do apologize for the short notice,
as this is the only open time that is available in the next several
weeks.
Please reply directly to this email stating that
you will be at the scheduled interview. Please include
the personal confirmation number LA0904a and your telephone number
in the body of the email.
Should we offer you a position, you must be available to start immediately.
Please bring at least one copy of your resume and a copy
of this letter to your interview.
The office address is:
5670 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 1620
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Sincerely,
Susan Matthews
Human Resources
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Talent Scout and joining
the Trans Continental team. I have reviewed your application and
questionnaire. Based upon the information you have provided me to
date, I feel you may be a tremendous asset to the company and would
like to schedule a time for you to interview at our Las Vegas office.
I can arrange a time to see you at 10:00am on Wednesday, October
9th. Please be punctual.
The interview process can take several hours so plan on being available
until around 4:00pm though the interview process will hopefully not
be too strenuous.
At the interview, we can discuss the entertainment industry, Trans
Continental Talent and the positions responsibilities as a TCT Talent
Scout. The office dress code is professional.
I do apologize for the short notice and any difficulty this may
cause but this is the only open time available in the next several
weeks.
Please reply directly to this email confirming the time so that
I can let the receptionist know to expect you. Please include your
telephone number in the body of the email in the event I need to
get a hold of you prior.
Should we offer you a position, I hope you will be available to
start immediately as I have a strong need for a few Talent Scouts.
We can discuss any issues with your current schedule at the interview.
During the few hours before your interview, take a look around wherever
you go (i.e. the grocery store, the strip, a sporting event, etc.).
Just walking down the street, candidates for modeling, acting and
music. Undiscovered potential exists in more places then you yet
know.
Sincerely,
Susan Matthews
Human Resources
Las Vegas Trans Continental Talent interviews held at:
3530 East Flamingo Road, Suite 105
Las Vegas, NV 89121
I just read the part about Trans Continental Talent ( tctalent )
while I was waiting for the call back from the company to place my
pictures on their web site for the price of $595.00 + $19.95 a month
and $15.00 dollars per picture! What I want to know is are
there any viable agencies out there or do you suggest that I market
myself on my own?
Christy Wendt 09/13/02
I finally went to a talent scout interview with the newly-named
Trans Continental (formerly Options Talent) yesterday. Though the
email stated that if you don't show up for the scheduled time she'd
be too busy for weeks to see you, I arrived late the week before
and was told to just show up next Thursday, same time.
I have to say that when I received the interview email I was impressed. The
seventy others who attended must have been equally impressed. While
we waited they showed Happy Gilmore.
Our first activity was to pick from 15 comp cards the three models
we wanted to represent "our agency" and then explain why
we picked them. Then, after being given measurement and height requirements
for models, we were asked to pick from the same 15 cards the three
models we felt would be the most profitable. This was the extent
of our "pre-training" on how to scout.
We were shown videos where celebrities praised Lou Pearlman for
being a visionary and representatives from Universal Studios, Wilhemina
Modeling, BCBG, and other big names claimed to use and love the service
offered by the company.
The saleswoman/office manager went on and on about how easy our
job would be. All we had to do was go flatter a person for about
1 minute on their looks, give them our scout card and tell them to
come to the next open call with the card. Not only were we doing
these people a favor, we were paying them the highest compliment
As a scout that is all we did. Hand out a card and say nice things.
When she explained the pay, it sounded great, ranging from $25-100
per signing (meaning the person has to commit to the $595 plus $19.95
a month fee). You even can get a $600 a week base pay after your
first 25 sign.
I thought this was easy work because all I would do is hand out
cards - though I only get paid if they sign - while the company's
talent executives are the ones closing the deal. They even
promised residual income forever on signed talent after you reach
250, even if you leave the company. Wow!
But they couldn't tell us the turnover rate for scouts or even
how many scouts were receiving the "residue" checks. I
had to wonder, if this was the dream job why is it that there were
only 15 scouts employed in their office.
I still felt good about the interview and when they offered me the
position I said yes. Their next statement was "You will start
tomorrow. Wear comfortable shoes because you will be scouting all
day." I went home and decided to look more into Trans Continental.
I had visited their website and it all looked great. I also read
several news stories on the company and I started feeling uncomfortable
about working for them.
When I called back to the office this morning asking about their
refund policy they said I would learn everything when I came in,
so I did.
Nearly everyone from the day before was there to start. Even a
guy who slept through the interview, several that didn't bring resumes
or dress professionally as the email required, and even a girl that
lived 3 hours from the office (how is she going to be successful
at getting people to drive 3 hours to give up $595, and a woman I
ate lunch with that didn't even have a car.
I realized then that I wasted my time so I walked out. Don't waste
4 hours and $14 for parking like I did.
Tanesha Gill 10/04/02
The following story chronicles my experiences and thoughts with
and about a company called Trans
Continental Talent after I was "discovered" two
nights ago, and had my interview last night.
I was singin' some Slayer on a karaoke stage in a biker bar called
Whisky Bill's out on West Colfax in Denver. When I hopped down
to leave, this guy with an Xtreme mullet (completely shaven head
and a really long rattail) comes up to me and says "I don't
know about your voice, but you've got a look we've been looking for." Then
he tells me he's a model scout and hands me a Trans Continental Talent
business card with an appointment time written on it.
So I went to the appointment, which was in an office downtown. There
were maybe 10 - 15 of us there, all with little appointment/business
cards from scouts. Eventually they began a presentation, which
went like this:
First they told us how expensive it is to be a model, and they assured
us that everyone in the room was there by invitation only and that
their scouts are trained and experienced to find the right people.
Then they took our measurements and some photographs, giving everyone
just enough attention to make us all feel special and think about
how much fun it must be to be a professional model, and then they
told us some more about how expensive it is be a model. (This
part of the presentation included the equation 2x50x5=1000.)
Then they told us that through the miracle of modern technology,
they are revolutionizing the modeling industry. They told us
again how expensive it is to be a model, and then they asked us all
for $600.
Now this is usually where I'd end the story, having hit the punch
line, but for the benefit of anyone in the same situation, I will
continue with some more detail:
They told us that if we qualified, we would be scheduled for a phone
interview. If, at the end of the phone interview, we were accepted,
we would then have to pay $595 on the spot as a start-up fee (to
be followed thereafter by $20/month for the duration of our membership). If
we were to decline, we were warned that they only interview each
person once per year, due to their busy schedules.
In exchange for my $595 + $20/month, they keep a database of models
at the above website, which talent agencies can search through to
find people.
I was then called in to the first "interview," which consisted
of me setting up a time for a phone interview, and signing a piece
of paper saying that they could post the pictures they took of me.
Then I went home and wondered what to think of all this? Here
are some thoughts:
1) I liked my scout, and I talked with him and some others quite
a bit. I asked them about their jobs as scouts. They
said that they do, of course, get paid on commission, and that this
commission is based, not on how many people come in, but on how many
people sign up (read: pay $600). So, one might be led to believe
that the scouts are not just looking for pretty people -- they are
looking for people who look like they can cough up $600 on 3 days'
notice.
2) It occurs to me that there are enough people actively trying
to be models and actors that going out and scouting for people is
really unnecessary. So, why do they scout instead of just placing
ads? Perhaps it's for the "Really? Me? A model?" effect. That
is, if you believe you've been hand-picked, you'll be more likely
to invest a hefty sum than if it was your own idea.
3) Once we were in the door, I saw no evidence of anyone actually
being screened. I never felt like I was being judged in any
way -- I was being sold to. They took pictures, but never looked
at them; that's as close as they came to any sort of evaluation.
4) I am probably most disturbed by their warning that if we pass
up this opportunity now, they won't see us again for another year. This
is obviously unnecessary, and would be bad business for any legitimate
organization. Why don't you want my $600 a week from now? Could
it be to force you into a snap decision before you have time to think
about it?. (I heard a televangelist on TV yesterday asking
for donations using a similar tactic: "When you have second
thoughts about making a 'pledge of faith,' that's the Devil talking
to you. You have to shut him up and send that money anyway." In
either case, the intent is to prevent people from taking the time
to logically and rationally weigh the pros and cons of the decision. "If
you don't do it right now, you won't get another chance."
5) A karaoke bar is probably a good place to find people willing
to shell out $600 for something like this -- people with no talent
(let's face it, if I could sing, I'd be in a band) but who like to
be in the spotlight anyway. Tell someone like that that he's "got
the right look," and he's gonna be very interested in what you
have to say.
6) The equation I referred to went like this: $2 per comp
card (see elsewhere on this page for definition of comp card) x 50
cards per agent x 5 agents nationwide = $1000 per month to promote
oneself as a professional model. Now, if you're playing along
at home you know that 2x50x5 = 500. I don't know if he simply made
a mistake, or if he inflated the number on purpose because he didn't
think anyone would notice. I only know two things: that's what
he said, and he said it as part of a presentation that he gives 4
times a week.
7) When I asked why a phone interview would be useful for judging
a potential model, I was told that it was to ensure that I have the "right
personality." Right now, I don't know what the advantage
would be of a phone interview over a face-to-face interview. I
expect I'll find out when they call.
I haven't had my phone interview yet, but I'm considering rigging
the phone to record the conversation, and asking some tough questions. If
I get anything interesting from such an endeavor, I'll pass it on.
Jim Turner 09/27/02
Over a week ago, I applied for a job online through a major online
job seeking website. The application to become a talent scout with
Trans Continental Talent stood out from the others, stating "Dream
Job" in bright yellow bold print.
I thought it would be a "dream job," so I filled out
the questionnaire and received an e-mail the same day asking me to
come to an interview the next day at noon and be prepared to
be there until 4pm. Excited, I went.
It turned out that there were a lot of people who were being
interviewed for the job of becoming a talent scout (approx.
50 total) so we all sat through a promotional video, and hours of
talking about Trans Continental Talent. After that, we were all given
a short, private interview and told to go home, and at 6 pm,
we will be e-mailed to let us know if we got the job.
At 6 pm, I checked my e-mail to find I had gotten the job as a
talent scout! I was told to report at the office for training the
next day from 1 pm-7 pm.
I went, only to find out that almost everyone was hired though
I just figured they were in serious need of talent scouts.We
all listened to the instructor (again) and went through a mock scouting
approach with each other. Then, after only hours after becoming part
of the company, we were sent in groups to go out and "scout."
We were supposed to approach potential talent and flatter them
by saying, "Hi, I'm so-and-so. I'm a talent scout with Trans
Continental Talent. I think you have the look we're looking for.I
would like to schedule you an appointment to meet with our Office
Director, to see if he/she thinks you have the potential." Most
people were so flattered, they eagerly accepted the business card
with the appointment time on it.
The next day was the first open-call for the new scouts. This
is where the people that were scouted show up for their chance to
be the next supermodel. About 40-60 people are herded into a little
room to fill out applications while watching the promotional video.Then,
they are sent to get snapshots and measurements taken.
After that, they each get sent back into the small room to wait
for their interview. The whole process takes about 2 hours or more.
Then, each potential model, actor, or musician is told whether
or not they are invited for a second interview.
Here's the catch. Almost everyone is invited back. They are then
told to enroll and pay $575 to have photographs taken and posted
on their website for many agencies to look at. They also have to
pay $19.95/month to maintain the pictures. This is how Trans
Continental Talent makes their money. But as a talent scout, we only
get $25 commission for each person that pays the money and enrolls.
After only a couple days of scouting and two open-calls, I became
curious and asked my Office Director why the name changed from Options
Talent to Trans Continental Talent. I didn't get an answer. I also
was wary when a new scout asked "What do we tell the person
we're scouting if they ask how much money does it cost?" The
response from the office director was "Avoid it and change the
subject." I then started to suspect that Trans Continental Talent
was manipulating scouts by using them to manipulate innocent people!
The agencies we were told to mention that use our website to find
talent included Marie Claire, Wilhelmina, and many more. After becoming
suspicious about my new "dream job," I started doing research
and found out that this company has an unsatisfactory rating with
the Better Business Bureau, has had numerous complaints and lawsuits
filed, and that it is accused of using names of top agencies which
DO NOT use Trans Continental Talent to find models, actors, or musicians!
Considering that the only way Trans Continental Talent makes money
is off of the digital photographs (comp-cards), they appear to accept
anyone who will pay the $575!
I am no longer a talent scout with Trans Continental Talent though
that doesn't seem to matter to them for they will simply hold more
mass interviews.
This company may have offices throughout the world, but it lacks
the things I would expect in a professional business. I was only
trained for a few hours before starting to scout people. I thought
I had to be licensed or at least get more training than that!
To know that ANYONE can go out and scout people is scary! I had
so many questions, but no answers. I just kept quiet and did my job,
hoping to make money. Then I realized what kind of company I was
working for, and just stopped showing up.
Did I receive any phone calls asking why I wasn't at work? NO!
What legitimate company doesn't call an employee to find out why
they stopped showing up?!?!
I wasted my time, gas, and money on my "dream job," which
actually turned out to be a nightmare! To everyone that I scouted,
I am sorry. Please accept my sincere apologies.
Sincerely, Sara 10/09/02
Walk, Talk and Cast a Shadow. You're Hired!
I too was caught off guard by this company's scouting employment
tactics after I responded to the Monster Board ad for The Dream Job. As
somewhat of a seasoned sales representative, I normally pass by any
job ads that say "Dream Job" , "Become your own Boss",
or "The Opportunity You Have Been Missing"....
It bothers me that people stereotype salespeople as liars or thieves,
so I personally will only work for or with an opportunity that is
a true benefit for someone, win - win situations, never a win - lose. (Believe
it or not, you can be a successful salesperson with strong business
ethics!)
So anyways, when I clicked the apply button it sent me to their
website with the questionnaire. I filled it out because it wasn't
very time consuming and never expected to hear anything back
because I have no experience in that industry.
Then I got an email from them the next day. I was excited
for it sounds like a very fun job. I did a little more research
on their website and got even more excited. What a great opportunity
to help people and make money at the same time; though I figured
there would be no way they are paying even close to what I am looking
for in wages (the ad I read didn't boast 75k a year).
But I said to myself, they are requesting a 6 hour interview, what
the hell. I will probably never get the job but it could
be an interesting experience. I had to check the ad 3 times
to verify to myself that it did say salary plus commission.
So I began to rationalize to myself, I do have a pretty decent
resume and good documented sales records which I include in my job
applications.
Then it hit me, I never sent them my information! All
I did was fill out a 10 minute questionnaire, so they didn't
know anything about me. How could they possibly select
me for a 6 hour interview based on picking a couple of
pictures and using common sense on a questionnaire.
I was becoming much more skeptical so I did some research and find
a copy of the interview letter sent to someone in a different
state, different office, months ago.
Amazing to me is that Susan Mathews not only works for the Human
Resources Department in California, she also is the Assistant Director
of Scouting at an Office on the East Coast. Busy girl! No wonder she
can only see me once in the next couple of weeks.
Anyways, workforce and Models alike, beware. If it looks
like a dream job, walks like a once in lifetime chance, smells like
a golden opportunity, then it must be a scam. If they "hand
pick" their models the same way they "hand pick" their
scouts, the cover of Vogue will never be the same!
Todd Baxter 10/12/02
I recently left the Military and found Trans Continental Talent
looking for new scouts on one of the job search engines. They made
it sound like this was your ticket to be the next Carson Daily or
something. I can't believe I almost fell for helping them get
some poor young person who thinks she will become a model. It was
after my sixth day of doing this that I did a web search and discovered
the truth
They made it sound like it was so easy to get people to show up
to their "open calls" but I found out that it's not. Though
I actually got two girls to agree, they never showed up, thank goodness. I
would of felt like a piece of (excrement) if they had actually paid. I
plan to go to their open call tonight and warn the others about this
thing.
George Sagal 10/21/02
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