Unemployment being one of the biggest challenges facing the youths currently provides a gateway for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting individuals defrauding them or even worse. Here are some of the signs to look out for when job hunting to tell if a job posting is fake or likely a scam;
- You’re required to pay for something
No reputable company or organization will ever ask you to pay any amount whether small or large to facilitate your interview, training or employment. Whenever asked to pay something completely avoid the job posting, it’s definitely a scam.
- Personal Information is a Requirement
Personal information like bank account details should not be a requirement on the early stages of a job application process, desist from sharing personal information online at all costs as it allows for fraud. Legitimate potential employers only require your contact details to reach out in case you qualify for the job advertised.
- Ambiguous job description
The job description should be straightforward, easy to understand and relevant to the job title. Job postings that lay emphasis on the salary or wage but have little to no job description are likely a scam. The job description should effectively detail the roles and responsibilities of the advertised position being relevant to the job title.
- Suspicious URL
Most reputable companies and organizations have fully functioning websites with links to a career tab where vacancies are announced. Avoid clicking links with URLs that are too long, filled with grammatical errors and not accessible from a quick google search of the company/ organization.
- Unprofessional Communication (Grammatical errors and misspelled words)
A job advertisement full of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes is a big red flag only proving it wasn’t written by a professional. The wording of a job advertisement should be well detailed with minimum errors, easy to understand and with contact details provided in case of any inquiries.
Conclusion
Proper research is the best way to safeguard yourself from fake job postings and scams. Apply to jobs from companies or organizations with professional job websites and a social media presence to avoid being prey to job scams.
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