Sorry to join the party late, but I just wanted to post my experience with London Global Investments...
I saw an ad in the paper advertising for Trainee Forex Traders, the request for "strong academic background preferred but not essential" sounded dodgy to say the least, but I was in the process for applying for some other jobs, so I thought what the hey and sent my CV to them. Literally one minute after me clicking send, Natasha Page from LGI called me and said i was exactly the kind of person they were looking (despite the fact my background's got nothing to do with trading and I've no financial services experience), she invited me to come to an interview in a few days time and said hopefully they could arrange a start date then....YES, all she's done is look at my CV and she's already talking about start dates before they've even met me! She then proceeded to tell me about how they were realistically hoping to be London's busiest trading floor in less than a year....hmmm!!!
Partly because I wanted to know just what this company was about and partly because I had some interviews for proper jobs coming up I agreed to go to the interview. Their office was a few rooms rented in an office in Liverpool St, and the company appeared to about 8 people. I met James Davenport and Natasha, then interview last maybe 15 minutes if that, James went on about how he had over 500 people a day applying for these roles but i was exactly what they were looking for and if I was interested they'd take me on. He then went on about the STA diploma they were offering, saying it was a good start towards getting the CFA qualification and making a career in the city (hmmm!). I said I would think about it, and I would need to consider very carefully as I wasn't sure I wanted to leave my permanent job behind, I said I'd get back to them in a week or so and they said fine.
The very next day - BAM! Contract of employment e-mailed straight to me! Yes, I hadn't even agreed, had said I was a bit wary about the job and needed time to consider, but out of these 500 people a day they had applying they'd gone straight for me, someone with no relevant experience, who hadn't even said they wanted to work for them! Although worth noting was the £1000 non-refunable deposit they asked for as part of accepting the contract.
A few days later Natasha rang me, I said I didn't think the role was for me and I wanted to stick with my current career, she then tried to hard sell me the job, by suggesting I could maybe still do my current job and do the training with them in my free time or before work, I'd need to pay them the non-refunable £1000 asap though.....after careful consideration I declined!
Somehow I think I did the right thing....