Pongoresume Reviews
11 Reviews for Pongoresume.com
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I very rarely do reviews of service but after reading all of these comments, I just have to say that some people just do not take the time to read anything. This company is a great online resume service. I have used them off and on for 5 years. I've created my own resume as well as my sons and some friends as well. The people that say you cannot do anything unless you pay for the program. Ummm...it is a company and they are providing a legitimate service. It's $9.95 people!!! Once you pay that you can then save your resume to your computer and you can save it in all types of files so that they will work with whatever program is required by the company application process . I.E. PDF / Word / Text. After that...just cancel if you do not need to use any of the other tools. Cancelling is very very simple. Just either call in and cancel or go on the site and click cancel and "poof" just like that...it's cancelled. You will still have full access for your whole 30 days even though its been cancelled. Then if you need to return and use the service again...just log in again and pay your $9.95 and you have immediate full access. And the best part of this service is no matter how long it is before you return ...they store your resumes and cover letters. So you will not have to start from scratch...just click update and you're done. Like I said...WONDERFUL SERVICE!!!
Thank you Pongo, I had been out of work for about a year with no real leads. Then went to Pongo built a resume and got all my questions answered by their support team. Landed my dream job 2 weeks later, keep up the good work guys : )
This service does nothing more than what a simple word template does.
They do not provide a professional review like they claim (they don't catch grammatical errors, do not suggest a different, more appropriate categories for your input in resume, terrible attitude when you ask for review after a few changes.. ). So not very professional at all.
No money back guarantee within 30days that most people offer if you are not satisfied.
Apparently what they don't tell you upfront is that, sure, you can use one of the templates for free and spend all your time painstakingly puting all your information in, and polish up everything in your resume for free, you just can't send it in an email, print it out, nor even cut and paste it to your own word program. So what's free? Getting to fiddle around on the computer for two hours for nothing?!
I think you can tell a lot about a company by the way they advertise for open job positions. Here's a recent job posting from Pongo Resume on Monster.com:
http://jobview.monster.com/Software-Development-Manager-Job-Northborough-MA-US-93962349.aspx?fwr=true
I don't know too many professionals who would take such a job seriously.
Lol very funny...yeah not a good job.
Open your eyes people. It says PRINT under the $10 upgrade area. It's a business not a non-profit so if you miss it it's YOUR fault.
http://www.pongoresume.com/content/11/subscription-options.cfm
I agree that the conditions are as you say. I took a look at this one and there are several places in which printing is listed as a feature of the paid service. And it's not unheard-of for free trial software to produce a document or file that can't be saved. It's rarer than it used to be, but not impossible or unreasonable.
I don't agree with your comment entirely, though, given that this business is aware that people are misunderstanding and it would cost nothing to correct that by, for example, making the important line more prominent or giving it a different color from surrounding text. It may not be deceit, but it's borderline.
However, two other observations: firstly I've been around the web and web practices since before the millennium and I probably see things that others may not, and have different expectations of web service providers (i.e. I am less trusting and may look closer). And secondly, I don't agree with this site expecting a potential client to create an account using their personal information, and to agree to newsletters and maybe other spam, even before having the opportunity to trial the product. If the product is good enough, and given that it doesn't create hard copy output, I can't see why anyone should be expected to hand over personal information at this stage. Not good practice at all IMO and the result is that the business has attracted a number of complaints here that it might not otherwise have done.
Ok, you make a few valid points Chris. However, the way people were bashing this site you'd think it's snake oil salesmanship going on over there or even a non-obvious place to put the benefits, which is simply not the case to the experienced or educated online consumer. Besides, if you weigh the free advice you get via the blog, newsletters, etc they're giving away a lot of value-added information for the job seeker for $10/month or 60 bucks for 12 months. That cost-benefit ratio is worth it if you get a job based on their advice I'd say.
I'd suggest job seekers consider these reviews (including mine) for what they are but visit the site and form your own opinion. Think big picture: sure there are 5 unhappy people crying about it on this complaint site - just think of all the happy customers they've had. I can give pongoresume.com a genuine testimonial because their advice helped me get a good job - for which I'll gladly pay a nominal fee.
See, the problem with this is that we don't see any happy customers, except yourself. So that's the big picture. Five to one, against. Unless you know differently, but then people would question how you know.
The blog you mention and the other admittedly useful services offered by the site are all freely accessible, not part of the subscription. That just leaves the "newsletters, etc" for $10 a month and we don't know what the "etc" is anyway, or what it's worth in monetary terms. We've seen no benefit for the cost-benefit ratio, just the cost.
These are the actual facts, not unsubstantiated claims.
And as one customer observed, the resumes themselves are so simple that they could be prepared with MS Word. A library book on writing resumes, or the valuable information in the site blog, in fact, would be all else needed.
Otherwise I still agree with you that all the information that people need to understand the terms and conditions are there on the site, and I wouldn't say that they're hidden, myself. I didn't have to look far for them, but I did visit the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy pages, since it would be foolish not to, if a company provides them.
However, and this is opinion now, not facts, I feel no company can afford to simply dismiss the bad feelings of even one customer, and we have five here already. Whether they all have valid arguments or not, they are unhappy customers and they want their money back. It's disrespectful to ignore them. Pongo could make an effort to learn from this, and give these people - who you suggest are a mere drop in the ocean of general happiness anyway - their refunds even if it doesn't think they deserve them, as a one-off act of consideration. And then, the Pongo team could make some very minor and inexpensive alterations to the way their site is presented, so as to put a stop to the embarrassing complaints. I'd say the cost-benefit ratio would be worth it.
Well I'd venture to guess you're not going to find too many testimonials on a complaints website, so that may explain the 5:1 ratio. However, I'm sure many people have benefited from using Pongo in the past. They have over 1k followers on twitter so unless they are masochists or competitors, I'd say at least a % of those followers find pongo to be useful.
As far as providing a refund to those disappointed customers? Your point is valid. It's hard to say whether they've been taken care of or not unless they come back here and tell us the update ie still waiting or all resolved. I agree with you a company should treat every customer well but again, this is a complaint site. How do we know those customers have not been refunded? We don't.
They can certainly update their privacy policy / T&C page if that will make people more happy. But at the end of the day it's a business. If you're convinced a free Word template (which I thought were crappy btw) and a book on resume then more power to you. Do that in the first place, the resume template would allow you to add in your job info etc. If you can't print out the resume you've built on pongo, at least you've done the actual work. Just copy and paste it into your Word template, take out a free library book, and have at it.
Good exchange of views, thank you. Better than expected given the first posting. You are off track though, about Sitejabber being a complaints site. It's certainly not intended to be one, I know the mission of management is to do much more, and I've been around here long enough as a voluntary reviewer to believe them. The vast majority of my reviews are positive, and I have my rating here in part as a result of the interest and trust given to them. If you took the time to look around, you'd see that people have more to offer than complaints. At this instant, looking down the first page of the recent reviews list, it's 50/50 between the 1-2 star and the 3-4 star ratings.
So I would hope that if thousands of people do have a great experience with this or any other company, that sooner or later we'll get them reviewing here, too, and not just the complainers. And readers will judge for themselves who to believe, if anyone, and I hope that we will continue to be able to have open conversations like this, where there may be doubts and disagreements. To be honest if this ever turns into one of those complaints sites where people go to cut-and-paste the same text they've dropped into every complaints site they can find, I'm off.
Easy to use, but nothing's free. Waste your time writing a resume on the free trial only to find out you won't be able to print it or do anything unless you cough up the cash. Then be careful if you do because it's just like magazine sales - they'll sign you up for recurring billing, whether you like it or not. Companies do this because they know many people will either miss the disclosure (and they try to make sure you will by how they locate it on their website) or forget they are being billed all together. The benefit? Collecting huge profits they wouldn't have otherwise had, whether you keep using the service or not. And forget about getting a refund if you miss it, just consider yourself another sucker, and try not to get caught again. It's business practices like this that convince me to use other companies. Just read the consumer reviews by those who have actually used the website and check the 17 BBB complaints in NC alone. That's more clear than their billing disclosure, to be sure.
I understand that you’re upset because you thought you were getting something that you did not get.
However, Pongo is in business to help people get jobs, and we offer a whole suite of products and services to help make that happen. I’ve worked here proudly for almost five years, and I can tell you from the heart that my bosses, my coworkers, and I are honest people who feel really good about the ways we help people improve their resumes, interviewing skills, and job search knowledge. We’re not some faceless conglomerate; we’re a small, dedicated group of people trying to run a successful business that helps job seekers get hired.
We offer the free trial because we want people to be able to see what they would be purchasing, before they make a financial commitment. It’s not to secretly rope them into some never-ending payment scheme.
You seem to imply that we’re hiding the subscription terms in a mysterious “billing disclosure,” but we actually try very hard to be clear and upfront about what’s free and what’s paid on our Subscription Options page. Here’s a link to the page, which is where you would have signed up:
http://www.pongoresume.com/content/11/subscription-options.cfm
As you can see:
• The box in the left margin talks about the free trial, and says: “…you can upgrade your trial account anytime to a monthly or annual subscription for unlimited printing, sending, activity tracking, and more…”
• Next to the monthly subscription price, it says: “Automatic Renewal, Cancel Anytime”
• The Subscription section also says: Get all the free tools PLUS: Printing, E-Mailing, Faxing, Word, PDF, HTML, Text, Document Tracking, Task Scheduling, Interview Tips and More!
Pongo Resume’s got some pretty awesome features that can help shorten your job search, so I hope you’ll consider giving us another try if you’re still in the job market.
Sincerely,
Julie O’Malley, CPRW
Pongo Resume
P.S. We actually have an excellent BBB rating with only 17 complaints nationwide (not just in NC ) in the past 3 years, all resolved or dismissed. And that’s out of hundreds of thousands of users.
First of all, all the "free trial" does is allow you to spend time building you're resume, without telling you that once done, if you want to use it, you can't unless you pay. So many people, like myself, will spend sometimes hours creating a resume, only to find out that's where things end unless you cough up some money. They likely will at that point because they've spent so much time already and don't want to waste anymore. The site was designed that why for a reason.
Secondly, I still submit that companies put in an automatic renewal because they know, by the numbers, how many times people miss it or forget about it, and what that means to their bottom lines. If a company were truly honest and not be trying to use that as a money maker, they would have no problem with a refund if a mistake was made and the product or membership clearly wasn't used. That is rarely the case. And to further that, if it is not your intention to profit off of auto renewals, then why is automatic renewal mandatory when you sign up? Why not make it an option to check a box if you DO want the "convenience" of automatic billing? Then people can chose right up front and won't accidentally get caught being billed for something they didn't intend to or for that matter, forget.
Your company may have helped some people. I don't deny that. And I don't deny that your resume builder isn't easy to use. But I do take issue with the way you, or any other business that employees the same practices to get people to sign up for their products, memberships, magazines, or whatever, use.
You are a business, in business primarily to make money, and your website is designed to do just that. And I believe some of those ways are not truly designed for the good of the customers you are so adamantly saying you are there to help. You can try to sugar coat it all you want, but those things are designed into your website for a specific reason, which is to get clients to sign up and keep them signed up as long as possible in order to make the most profit. If that were not true, they wouldn't be designed in. They are not there for the convenience of the customer, I can guarantee you that, and people should be more aware of it, which is why I am taking the time to write this.
And frankly, you shouldn't be concerned about having this pointed out, if it's not something you're trying to hide anyway. My point is to help other consumers be aware before they travel down the same path and encounter the same pitfalls. In the case of your company, the last anyone trying to find a job needs is to be enrolled into an ongoing payment plan for something else. And that can easily happen when you have so many other important things on your mind. There's a simple solution, as I've pointed out above. I know I'll certainly be more careful in the future, and I'll chose to do business with companies who chose to do business in a more consumer oriented manner.
This web site was a scam. After you spend all your time putting in your info for the "FREE" trial, you can't print the resume or email it until you pay them. To cancel, you have to pay the full month also. A scam.
Hi Nicole,
I'm from Pongo Resume, and I wanted to respond to your comments. First, we're sorry that you feel misled -- that's definitely not the customer experience we try to achieve! Our free trial is intended to be like a test drive. You can use the tools, access our online tips and advice, and get a feel for all the services Pongo has to offer. If you like it, and want to subscribe, you know exactly what you're getting. If you don't like it, you're not out any money.
Maybe you didn't read this, but everyone who signs up for a free trial sees the Subscription Options page: http://www.pongoresume.com/content/11/subscription-options.cfm
which shows exactly what you get for the free trial and what you get for a paid subscription (top of the list = Printing). For your $9.95 you have a full 30 days of full access to all the tools and services.
You can create, print, edit, store, and send unlimited versions of your resume, write cover letters to accompany them, choose from dozens of professional designs, track what you've sent to whom, and get followup reminders. You can take our Interview Tips interactive training, read our blog, newsletters, and articles, talk to a certified professional resume writer, and lots more. And you can log in to your account from any computer, any time.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Pongo Customer Support at 866-486-4660.
Again, sorry for the misunderstanding. I hope your job search is going well, anyway.
Julie O'Malley
Pongo Resume
I think that I was foolish for signing up for this service. Yes, the free trial allows you to build a resume for free, but once you're done you can't print it, or access it anywhere outside of the website. You have to then "subscribe" in order to print or have the option to email your resume...and let's be honest...the options for "customizing" your resume are pretty much the same as a Microsoft Word template that you can download online for free, only Microsoft's graphics are far superior to those of Pongos, (not to mention, once you use a Word Template, you can print it, fax it, or do whatever you want with it. What a concept--making a resume that you can actually use to apply for jobs--not just login and stare at! Unheard of!!)
The Pongo service is pretty useless, and again, I feel like a complete dope for giving them my credit card number. To be honest, I only signed up because I wanted the ability to print out the damn resume I had just spent several hours creating!
But here's the real kicker....try to cancel your subscription. You can only cancel via phone, and every single time I have called to cancel their offices are conveniently closed. I've tried every customer service line available and can only get recording saying to "call back during business hours" (even if I call during the hours they specify in the recording) or a voice-mail box to leave a message. This also tells me that their "live support" option that they boast about is nothing but hot air.
Not a good company!!! Do not buy!!! You'll get a better resume by using a Microsoft template--I promise you!!!
Hi Unhappy P.,
I'm from Pongo and I wanted to let you know that we think it stinks that you've had so much trouble trying to cancel! Our offices are in Massachusetts, and our Customer Support team is on the phones and available for Live Help every Monday through Friday 9 to 5 eastern time. If that doesn't mesh with your schedule, or if it's after hours, you can always leave a message and a Customer Support rep will call you back the next business day (or e-mail, if you leave a message via the Live Help button). Really!
I've alerted Leslie, our Customer Support Manager, about your issues and you are welcome to call her directly at 866-486-4660 extension 3828 (and again, if it's the weekend or after hours, please leave a message so she can call you back!)
Take care,
Julie O'Malley
Pongo Resume
I think this website absolutly sucks large monkey $#*! because people who need resumes take time to build them on this site and need to pay and subscribe to bul$#*! your not even going to use in the future anyway.
Hi Nicholas F.
As I said to Thomas T. above, I had replied before but it disappeared. Anyway, I'm from Pongo Resume, and we're sorry it wasn't clear to you that our free trial is not a full-access subscription account. We have changed the wording to try and make it clearer. Our mission at Pongo is to help job seekers with every step of the job search (resume writing being the first). We offer a variety of tools and services that many people find extremely valuable in helping them advance their careers. Oor free trial is meant to be a convenience to undecided potential customers, not a bait-and-switch! We're sorry about the misunderstanding. And just for the record... we would never commit those unspeakable acts on an innocent monkey! ;)
Take care,
Julie O'Malley
Pongo Resume
OU subscribed 2! - Pongoresume.com discloses the terms of service after you have decided to get your resume done with them. I am told by Pongo it is located just above where you put your credit card information and is also on the 3 page terms of service in print that's to small to read. I missed the terms of service (my bad). When I called to cancel, they admitted to me on the phone that they get a lot of calls from people like who have made the same mistake. Sound familiar? Even though it is is my mistake, it is their deception. They told me they were considering changing the subscription to a one time purchase but have not done that yet. They see nothing wrong with not giving a credit, even though I used the service only once. This is not a "user friendly" web site, I would advise against using this service. "Buyer beware."
HI Thomas T.,
I'm from Pongo Resume. I had posted a comment to you awhile back but it has disappeared. So I wanted to let you (and others reading this review) that we're sorry it wasn't clear to you that our free trial is not a full-access subscription account. We have changed the wording to try and make it clearer.
Basically, we offer the free trial so that people considering our services can see what it is they'd be subscribing to -- like test driving a car to decide if it's the one for you. You're wise to be skeptical about businesses on the web, but Pongo Resume is a very legitimate company with a staff of people who are dedicated to helping job seekers throughout the job search process. We certainly don't set out to deceive anyone, and we're truly sorry you had a bad experience.
Take care,
Julie O'Malley
Pongo Resume
This is the response I sent to Pongoresume:
Pardon my skepticism, but I do not believe you ever posted a comment and that the comment "disappeared". I think you're covering for the fact that it is a year later. In addition you did not address the point of my complaint. I mean, I am out the money or am I wrong about that? Like you said, I am wise to be skeptical. Pongoresume is indeed a legitimate company that won't own up to it's mistakes except to say "truly sorry for the bad experience". However, your comment does validate my complaint as legitimate just like your company is legitimate because you have changed the wording to "try and make it clearer". I still have a legitimate complaint and I am truly sorry my opinion has not changed. You can find this message posted on Sitejabber.
Is there anyone out there who is satisfied with Pongo resume who does not work for them or has anything to gain by speaking well of them? I think giving them one star is too kind. They are in the minus zone. -thomas t.
I have often wondered why sitejabber doesn't give a negative rating to certain sites myself... at least after reading these reviews other people won't even bother with pongo
I can only imagine they think any news is good news. Pongoresume subscribed to this site after I posted my complaint. There response was a bland denial with a hint self promotion describing how great they really are.
While I'm on the subject here is another web site with a complaint that seems to be similar to mine:
http://complaintsbbb.com/2009/08/21/pongoresume-com/
Here is another site that gives a thumbs up for Pongoresume and claims that they got a "free" resume with out having to give any credit card information. Of course that's not true.
http://www.effectiveresume.net/Effective-Resume-Review-of-Pongo-Resume.html
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