Watch Out for Job Search Scams…..
Because I work on the wild and exciting world of recruitment I often find myself being asked industry related questions from friends, family and yes the out of work job seeker. Over the last few weeks I have found myself answering the same type questions over and over – at an alarming rate. It’s the nature of this question that has now become the subject of today’s blog.
The Question: “When I am looking for a job is it okay to pay for an interview?” or “Do I need to pay for job leads?” NO and not only that it’s absolutely NOT okay.
Folks, you are looking for job a place where you will earn a paycheck, a company that is going to pay you for your wisdom and experience. Let me make myself clear……YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY ANYONE FOR A JOB!
Example of a possible scam:
“Help wanted: International development firm offers once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity. Enthusiastic team leaders from any professional field are encouraged to apply. We have already won several government contracts and are looking for adventurous self-starters like you! Six-figure salary. Send resume and $500 application fee to secure an interview today!”
Everything up to the send $500.00 to secure an interview is probably okay, however I personally hate the six figure salary comment, but this alone isn’t cause for alarm. In case I haven’t made myself clear you never have to pay for an interview and yes folks I used the word NEVER.
Red flags that should alert you to the presence of a job scam include:
1. Request for bank account numbers. Never give personal bank account, PayPal, or credit card numbers to an employer.
2. Job applicants are asked to fax a copy of their driver’s license to the “employer” as proof of qualification.
3. A contact email address that is not a primary domain. For example, an employer calling themselves “Employment Guide” and they have Yahoo! email address. This could be a sign.
4. Misspellings and grammatical mistakes in the job ad
5. Asking for upfront money….never ever a good sign.
Staffing Agencies: In case you are wondering how staffing agencies work generally a company who is seeking employees pays the staffing agency to find employees. The money is only exchanged between the staffing agency and the employer NOT the job seeker.
As a general rule of thumb if it feels wrong it probably is wrong. Good firms would never ask you to send or pay money. In my experience of job search I have never had to pay to get a job. So adopt this policy if anyone asks you to pay for an interview then politely or maybe not so politely decline. I assure you there are better opportunities to be found just about anywhere but of course start your search at WiserWorker.com.
Tags: job scams, job seekers