As more of us go online to search for jobs, there has been an increase in applicants falling for employment scams and finding themselves in debt rather than landing their dream job. With an estimated 10% of job hunters now falling victim to employment scams, it’s more important than ever to know what to watch out for when you’re searching for your next job. Here are 6 red flags to look out for during your job search to ensure you don’t become a victim to an employment scam!
If you’re asked for money
If a hiring manager is asking for money to help improve your employment prospects, walk away! No recruiter should be asking candidates for money to simply apply for a job.
No names
It’s a big red flag if an employer refuses to give you the name of the company they work for. Although many recruiters won’t initially provide the name of their client, they should still be able to give you the name of the agency they work for. If you’re ever unsure about the legitimacy of a recruiter, try googling them.
Unnecessary personal details
If a hiring manager asks you to supply them with personal details that are not relevant to the recruitment process then there is a big possibility that you’re being scammed. You should never be asked to provide any bank details, your national insurance number or your date of birth over the phone.
Lack of job details
If the job description is really vague it’s always best to contact the hiring manager for more information. If they refuse to answer questions about the job, take it as a warning sign. Any legitimate employer will be happy to provide more information on a role you’re applying for.
Pyramid Schemes
Work from home opportunities can be very risky. Although there are some great ‘work from home’ opportunities out there, there are lots of pyramid schemes, often related to selling beauty related products, that will cost you way more money than you’ll actually earn. If you’re planning on ‘buying in’ to a work from home scheme do your research or you could find yourself with a big bill and a giant pile of unwanted products. If the job description sounds way too good to be true, it often is!
Badly written job descriptions
One major indicator of an employment scam is a poorly written job description. If a job description is hard to read, contains no capitals, has lots of spelling mistakes or looks as though it has been badly translated it could be part of a scam. Contact the employer to make sure the job is legitimate before you apply.
Baxter Personnel Ltd is a member of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation, and in addition a licensed Gangmaster. Check out all our job vacancies here: /current-vacancies.aspx.