Did you know that the Better Business Bureau recently reported that ~14M Americans are subjected to employment scams each year? And it causes nearly $2B in financial losses? Don’t become a statistic!
Here are some tips to help you avoid being a victim of scammers:
- Don’t pay anyone for the “hidden job market;” the longstanding approaches to job searches including networking and responding to postings on organization websites still work.
- While many people want remote work, beware of job postings seeming to offer remote work that request that you pay for training, equipment, or promise high salaries for minimal time and effort; these may well be scams.
- Make sure you’re communicating with a legitimate organization. Many scammers use email addresses from Gmail or Yahoo rather than a corporate email. And sometimes the email looks legitimate but may have an extra number or letter in the corporate “name,” or be from a different country (not .com or .gov). Look for a physical address and an organization phone number on the website. Be suspicious of communications through personal messaging aps. If an organization’s online presence is minimal, beware!
- Even if you’re interviewed, the organization may not be legitimate. Pay attention to the platform used for the interview, the questions asked (are they seeking personal information or did they say something inappropriately personal).
- Do your research. Look at the organization’s website (don’t just use the link provided); look for the organization on LinkedIn, check out the people contacting you on LinkedIn, read reviews of the organization on Glassdoor and elsewhere. If you are connected to someone who works for the organization, reach out to verify the person contacting you and the organization.
- Have you been offered a job you did not apply for? Be cautious; it is not typical to receive a job offer unexpectedly, without applying, or without engaging with the organization first.
- Is there a real opening? Some private sector companies post jobs to increase brand recognition or “to see what’s out there” without a real job opening. Despite policies prohibiting this, even legitimate job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Indeed, etc., can fall prey to this. While this isn’t a scam from the perspective of the applicant potentially losing money, it is a waste of time. Federal government postings clearly articulate (if appropriate) whether or not there is an actual position available with language like this: “This direct hire public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection.”
- Trust yourself! If something feels “off,” it may very well be. Proceed with extreme caution.