Is It Too Good To be True? Four Signs a Job Description Isn’t What It Seems
With so many people currently looking for work, scammers looking to take advantage of the unemployed are on the rise. Here are five of the most common things to look out for when you’re trying to find employment:
“We just need something from you first.”
You should never pay a fee to apply for a job. You shuld never have to give out sensitive personal information like your social security number or your bank account number during an application process, either. If you’re hired, you’ll need to fill out tax forms and you may need to initiate direct deposit, but if someone is asking for that upfront, it’s probably a scam. Don’t fall for anyone who asks you to “invest” your money in an offshore account, either.
“Work from home! Start your own business!”
While there are jobs out there that allow you to telecommute, many advertisements that promise work-from-home opportunities aren’t quite what they seem. Whether it’s medical billing, envelope stuffing, or selling beauty products, you’re usually required to make an upfront investment for training or supplies, and these jobs almost always are on a commission basis instead of a reliable hourly rate. It’s best to avoid schemes like this at all costs.
“Talent needed for entry level marketing!”
Marketing is a field that has grown quickly thanks to online shopping. What else has grown quickly? Advertisements for marketing jobs that are actually something else entirely. Companies are taking advantage of the demand for marketing opportunities by advertising entry-level sales jobs as marketing jobs. While this isn’t a scam, necessarily, it is dishonest, and you want to avoid working for a company that misrepresents themselves like this.
“Get rich quick!”
Any company promising you wealth is atomically suspect. If you’re in doubt, try Googling the company name as well as the word “scam” and see what comes up. Chances are there will be a negative report about them at the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, or somewhere else.
Looking for job listings from reputable companies? By partnering with a recruiter at Contemporary Staffing Solutions, you’ll have access to unlisted opportunities from great companies.