You browse the online job classifieds and spot an ad that seems too good to be true. A firm, hiring through an agency, is searching for an employee with your exact skills and offering a great starting salary. All you have to do is apply through the recruiting company to learn your eligibility.
If you have been affected by the recent economic downtown turn and have experienced difficulty finding substantial work, it stands to reason you're willing to reach for any opportunity. However, it's important to enter every potential job situation with a clear head. These days, especially with the rise in Internet job banks, it is sadly common to discover many of these job listing are too good to be true. A simple e-mail reply through Craigslist or a similar site, for example, could result in a prompt to join a fee-based website that yields little, if any, legitimate career options.
How does one avoid fraud on the job search? Most times it's easier than it looks, while sometimes you need to be vigilant. Here are a few simple ways one can tell if an employment ad is dubious:
1) The ad is really not an ad for an actual job. Some fraudulent companies will tease specific job vacancies to lure seekers in to the true nature of the ad - which is to opt-in to countless, useless e-mails or to pay a fee for a job bank site that provides the same information one could find free elsewhere. If any job ad clicks through to a site that requires registration and you're not familiar with the site (or if it's not affiliated with the actual company hiring), best to pass.
2) The ad "guarantees" an outrageous amount of money for little work. Yes, as much as we would like to get rick quick for little effort, most times it doesn't pan out. Any ad that claims you can make an executive salary on part-time hours should be view with skepticism.
3) The ad/site offers little information about the company. Does the place of employment have a physical address? Is there any information on the people who work there and what they do? Are they affiliated with the BBB or the local chamber of commerce? If a company looks suspicious to you, research what you can before giving them your personal information.
The more you know about the ads calling for new hires, the more informed you will be when you send off your resumes. Be watchful of fraudulent ads that seek to take advantage of your needs.
Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on jobs in Virginia Beach and Virginia web design.
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