Youth Incorporated Magazine

In today’s digital world, everything is done online and almost everything is virtual. Whether that is job interviews, job searches, or even job offers and postings. With so many opportunities out there, it is often difficult to differentiate between a legitimate job offer or a posting and a fake one. Even though sometimes you just can’t know, there are a few significant traits that a fake job posting has. These aren’t as common as you may think, but it isn’t impossible to come across. So, here are a few things to look out for if you have any suspicions that a job posting may be fake. 

You never applied

When you’re on the job hunt, you give your number to a lot of people while applying. It is possible that your number may have been circulated and you receive a call from a company that you never applied to. The recruiter may say that they found your resume online and were interested. You may think that you just got lucky, but it is quite unlikely. You can hear them out, but make sure you do your research afterwards.

You get an offer instantly

If a company is ready to offer you a job over the phone without any sort of interview, or test, then it may be a scam. Legitimate companies always conduct interviews and even screening tests to determine whether or not a candidate is a good fit for the company. These conversations help the company understand your personality and get to know you more than what you’ve put in your resume. 

A vague job description

Real job opportunities have specific and detailed job descriptions with the roles and requirements. However, in illegitimate job offerings, you may notice that the details and requirements are quite vague. For instance, be careful of job offers that only require candidates to be of legal age, be literate, be able to type and other simple and other ambiguous criteria that pretty much anyone could qualify for.

The pay seems too good to be true (P.S. It probably is)

If you notice that the description mentions an unusually high-income level for the position, it may be a warning sign. It is advised that you do salary research to see what is the average salary for your role. If you’re a fresher, it is highly unlikely that you are paid higher than your average payroll.

The company asks you to pay

Be careful of any company, recruiter or job offer that requires a form of payment from you. No legitimate job opportunity will require you to pay to work for the company. While you should budget any expenses related to your job search—like gas for travel or professional attire—you should never have to pay for an opportunity to interview or accept a job.

Communication seems unprofessional 

Another big warning sign that a job may be illegitimate is unprofessional communication. For example, in a job offer email, look for inconsistencies in grammar, syntax and how the employer or recruiter communicates with you in writing. If it feels more than a little unprofessional, consider researching the position further and finding out more about the company.

The company asks for confidential information before you’re hired

When a company hires new employees, it’s usually a requirement to fill out tax documents, submit bank information for direct deposit and other processes that require confidential and personal information. However, this only becomes necessary once you sign an employer’s offer and start your new job.

There are a lot of ways to protect yourself while searching for a job online. The simplest way to do that is by doing your research. If you get a job offer that you’re not entirely sure is legitimate, go online and search for these things:

• A professional company website

• Relevant contact details and a precise address

• Professional profiles of the recruiters you’ve spoken to

• Company reviews on Glassdoor or Indeed