KirstenL4W

Snoskred had a great post today about an internet friend who was this close to getting sucked in by a scammer. Although she didn’t lose any money, she lost her kids spots at the daycare she works at, which, as anyone who has ever dealt with daycare knows, daycare wait lists are a mile long, so if you lose your spot the kids might be in high school by the time it comes back up.

Since this particular scam involved the job boards (online job postings), and I have some experience in that arena, I wanted to talk about that. Not only have I searched for a job using the major job boards (Monster, CareerBuilder, etc.) but I have also worked in the recruiting industry and it was a daily task to search the boards not only for resumes but also what other jobs were available that were in our specialty.

Having been on both ends of it, I know that there are 2 likely scenarios when you post your resume online. The first one is that you apply for jobs, and a hiring authority from that company either will or won’t call you back to schedule an interview. The second thing that can happen is that you will start getting random emails from people saying that they saw your resume on (insert internet job board here) and they would like you to call to set up an interview.

How Can I Protect Myself?

When you’re looking for a job, the internet is an excellent resource, and that includes the job boards. Many legitimate employers post jobs online, so it’s worth the time to check them out. But be sure of who you’re contacting. When you read the job posting (not just the title in the results), make sure you can identify which company it’s for. The legitimate jobs will usually tell you who they are, so you can do your own research. And if you’ve never heard of them, do a search. This is useful because not only do you want to know who you are applying to, you also want to be armed with information about the company should you be called for an interview.

Also, don’t discount using a recruiter. Never pay a fee to a recruiter, but if they like you and they’re sure they can place you somewhere, they are usually specialists in their field or the industry they recruit for - even the temp agencies, who recruit for clerical, administrative, light industrial and manufacturing. If they’re advertising online, chances are they have plenty of positions, even if the particular job they listed isn’t available. (A side note about Appleone - my personal experience, and word on the street, is that they are “resume farmers.” I don’t know anyone who has had a decent experience with them.) No matter who you apply with, be sure to keep records so you can keep it all straight. If you’re hunting on the boards, chances are you’ve been putting in a lot of resumes. Being organized is a definite advantage here.

Now, since Monster and CareerBuilder, and to some extent HotJobs, are the most popular job boards out there, be aware that there are a lot of unscrupulous people out there paying the fees to be able post jobs and search resumes. There are lots and lots of work at home “opportunities” listed. These are the scams. One website I subscribe to, I’ve Tried That, makes a point of listing scams of this sort. Their viewpoint is that there are basically no legitimate work at home jobs being advertised online. If you want to work at home, there’s no easy way to do it. You must either be in a position to telecommute, or be enough of an entrepreneur to build something yourself. The rest of us are working for the man.

A special note about Craigslist: While here, too, are many legitimate job postings, there are just as many that are not. Craigslist makes it even easier for the scammers because it’s free, which is always a bonus, and it offers even greater anonymity than traditional job boards. Here’s a few ways you can find the legit jobs on Craigslist:

• The posting will list the approximate location within your metro area along the posting title. Example: Administrative Assistant (Downtown)
• The pay scale will be DOE (dependent on experience), competitive, or will give an actual dollar amount that is low to reasonable for the job.
• The job ad will list duties involved and experience needed. It might be very detailed, like you see on the big boards, or very light, like in the newspaper. Either way, the job description is not vague.

Like I said before, don’t discount the recruiters. Most of them are specialists in their fields, so they can be a valuable resource - just don’t ever pay a recruiter. Their pay should come from filling the job, not taking your resume. And if you’re still shy about the big job boards, do a search for smaller, more focused boards. If you’re in the technical/engineering field, Dice.com is the leader there. There are job boards for medical, government, banks, even temps! Do a search and see what you can come up with. I’ve also searched on the specialized job boards and found a lot less spammy job postings than the big guys.

A good job can be found through the job boards. I found my current job through CareerBuilder. I applied to a job posted by a recruiting firm (Accountants, Inc.) and was called for an interview. It’s interesting to note that I do not have an accounting background, but I found out during the interview that they will take “outside the box” job orders from established clients. I wasn’t considered for the original job posted, but a week later I was on an interview for another job, which I am still in. I’m still there on a contract basis, but the requisition was filed with HR to make me permanent, so I’m hoping for a long career here.

In Summary

• Know who you’re applying to
• Keep track of who you’ve applied to, and through what resource
• Vague job descriptions are not worth applying to. Know what job you’re applying for.
• Job salaries should be reasonable, possibly on the low side. “DOE” and “competitive” are also found in legitimate job postings.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it is!

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