How to Identify Misleading Job Postings

Over the past few months, my LinkedIn feed has been full of people open for work; I know how challenging the job market is. At the same time, my TikTok feed has been full of victims who have received job offers, only to find it was a scam after either giving them personal data or worse, having money stolen from them. For those of you in the job market, I want to offer a few tips: -- If someone reaches out to you directly about a job, do everything you can to verify that they are employed by the company or search firm they claim to be. Check their LinkedIn profile to make sure they have verified their workplace (Verifications are located directly under the summary section). Make sure the email address they provided has the correct company domain; check the domain spelling carefully. --If someone reaches out to you about an entry/mid-level role that typically has many qualified applicants, be suspicious. In this job market, those are not roles where recruiters need to actively recruit; they can find great candidates simply by posting the role. -- When applying for jobs directly, try to do so from a trusted source (e.g., the company's career site, LinkedIn.) Be wary of small career sites. If you find a job posted that looks interesting, check on the company's career site to see if the role is posted there. If it's not, walk away. -- NEVER give personal data (e.g., date of birth, driver's license/passport/social security number, etc.) over the phone or through a non-secured email exchange. --NEVER EVER transfer money or use your own funds to purchase anything needed for the role. They often "wire money" or send you a check to deposit in your Zelle account that ultimately bounces after you have transferred funds back to them. A legitimate company will ship required equipment to you directly. If you are asked to go buy it, walk away. -- If the job sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you get the sense that something is off, don't be afraid to visit the company website, find a email address for general inquiries & ask them to verify that the role is legitimate and that XX recruiter is working on it. Job scams enrage me because criminals are preying on incredibly vulnerable people who can't afford to lose money. I know the emotional toll job hunting can take on a person. To think you have finally made it to the other side only to realize it was all a con is gut wrenching. I don't usually ask this, but please share this on your feed and add additional tips that I haven't mentioned. Recruiters are a community; we have to look out for job seekers, treat them with respect, and help them find real work.

Alerts from a bank you don't have an account with. Winning a contest you never entered. These raise suspicion, and they should. Navigating multiple interviews and getting a job offer for better pay or more flexibility doesn't. But maybe it should. Why? Sadly, when people are vulnerable, that's when others take advantage. I recently heard a story from a industry peer of mine that an individual quit their job to accept an opportunity that never existed. They handed over their social security number for employment verification. They handed over their bank account for direct deposit. And the job never existed. This is recruitment fraud. Scammers prey upon the aspirations of job seekers to build a better life, and they steal their identities, their confidence, and their livelihoods. If you're on the job search... 🔎 Look for inconsistencies, be it in their outreach or the information they provide you during the interview experience. Ask questions they should know the answers to (e.g., team structure, day-in-the-life, benefits). 🤨 If something seems off, it probably is. Be wary of requests for personal identifying information, including completing a background check, too early in the interview process, or for purchasing expensive equipment prior to starting. 🖥 Research the company and those who work for it. Reach out to the company to verify the job's legitimacy. ☕ If they have local employees, request to meet for a cup of coffee. If the opportunity is legitimate and you're truly their top candidate, they likely would be open to doing so. 🤝 If it sounds too good to be true, or if something is off, talk it over with someone you trust. A second data point is always beneficial. 📧 If you're an employer, respond to people that email you, call your sales line, etc. and let them know whether they're in your applicant tracking system or if you're even recruiting for the job they're inquiring about. We've all heard that the interview process is a two-way street. You're interviewing each other to determine if there's a fit. Recruitment fraud is just one more reason to ask the questions you need answers to to make such an important decision as accepting a new job.

The hard part about job hunting is the number of scams that look real. I fell into a few of them last week. Here's how to avoid as many of them as possible. (and it's hard, because scammers are getting more and more savvy as they get more information.) 1) If they ask you to send your resume on to a second person whose company was not the company you applied to? Be really careful and look at the email domains that are sending and receiving things. Delete the email/message/etc. If they're on LinkedIn, report it. (A lot of the messages I've reported have led to those accounts getting shut down. Help out your fellow job seekers.) 2) If the job description seems too good to be true or the person posting the job description wouldn't typically be the person (CEO/Founder/etc.), do you due diligence and research. If it looks legit, proceed with caution, but if they ask you to do anything or say that you have the job without you interviewing, sorry, but not legit. 3) More due diligence - Easy Apply is super easy, but even then, double check as much as you can on the company website. Google that! (also, research is good. Use that soft skill!) If the company doesn't have the job opening listed, reach out to a recruiter to confirm OR report the listing. 4) Make sure as much of your PII (Personal Identifiable Information) is scrubbed off your resume. You'll need some things, like your name or your email, but your address, your photo, etc - keep it off of your resume, because that gets used by scammers. (Also, the photo could be used in possible EEOC violations so unless your work requires an acting headshot, keep it separate.) 5) Remember, this is a point where if it's too good to be true definitely applies. Most administrative roles don't go for $75/hr. And gang, I know it sucks hard when that dream job is right there. But also, if it's too good to be true, make sure you're thinking critically and double checking before you put your working life in the hands of a scammer. 6) Look at the person listing the job. If they have a lot of contacts and look to be active? They're probably legit. I say probably, because some scammers have been hacking into accounts and using legit, verified or older accounts to make their job listings look legitimate. Double check as much as you can. 7) MLMs are bad. If they want you to put down money to sell to your friends, it's not worth it. There's a wealth of information about MLMs, but take it from someone who grew up a kid in Amway: MLMs are bad. (Yes, I'm directly calling out Primerica, LegalShield, ProFinancial Group, etc.) I'm not going to stop you if you want to do them, but also, if you don't have the money to put down for a side hustle. . . Point is, job seekers need to be safe, and make sure that we can do something against people preying on others who are vulnerable. What are some safe job seeking hints you have in your arsenal? #jobseeking #greenbannergang #jobseeker #greenbanner

One of my clients was so pumped when a recruiter reached out on LinkedIn. She said: The head recruiter at this massive company (I won't disclose) is going to call you! 5 minutes later (yes 5 minutes) - the phone rang. But instead of an interview? He launched into a sales pitch. 👉 Told her she needed a new resume 👉 Insisted she work with a “trusted” Fiverr writer 👉 Tried to convince her to pay for help before she'd even applied That wasn’t a recruiter. That was a scam. And sadly, it’s not uncommon. Between ghost job postings and manipulative hiring tactics, job seekers are up against more than just competition. One study found that 3 in 10 companies admit to posting roles they have no intention of filling. Why? → To collect resumes for later → To look like they’re growing → To pressure current employees → To see how low candidates will go on salary It’s a broken system, and job seekers deserve better. Here’s what you can do in a market full of fake jobs and sketchy pitches: 1️⃣ Vet recruiters just like companies vet you. If it sounds off, it probably is. 2️⃣ Watch for job postings that never get filled. If it’s been up for 6 months, it’s not urgent. 3️⃣ Ask direct questions. "What’s your timeline for hiring?" or "Is this a new role or a backfill?" Your time, energy, and effort matter. You deserve real opportunities, transparent timelines, and ethical hiring. 🔁 PLEASE share this to protect someone in your network. 👇 And if this has ever happened to you, drop it below. You’re not alone. Resume Assassin Resume Sidekick #resume #linkedinscam #jobsearch #gethired