17.9 Job Scams
In addition to all the other warnings, caveats, challenges, and frustrations associated with the job search, there’s something else that we should mention here – as you navigate through the process of searching, recruiting, and interviewing, you need to remain vigilant about the risks posed by employment scammers.
If the job search seems incredibly frustrating, and incredibly inefficient, that’s because it is. The frustration and self-doubt engendered by the entire process can give way to feelings of desperation. Unfortunately, scammers know this, which is why they sometimes prey on job seekers.
Here are some sure-fire signs that a job posting or job offer is not legitimate:
- A company has extended an offer to you, without an interview;
- A company’s “interview” merely involved some basic questions, posed through Zoom chat, or any other format in which you did not see the interviewer directly and/or hear the interviewer’s voice;
- A company has asked you for money, either directly or indirectly;
- Someone claiming to be working inside a particular company is using a commercial email domain (like gmail, yahoo, or hotmail) for their official correspondence with you;
- A company has asked you for a co-signer who could be financially liable in some way, as a condition of employment.
Modern scams can be fairly sophisticated, and a talented scammer can even use LinkedIn profiles to mimic real people inside of real companies. Sometimes, the best way to check is to ask someone else for an opinion. A third-party, such as a friend, a colleague, relative, or professor, is much more likely to be able to review the situation objectively.
Above all else, remember this – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.