P.T. Barnum famously once said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Well, this is the same view that some people take towards those who are seeking gainful employment. Individuals like this prey on the fact that we are at our most desperate when we are looking for a way to make ends meet. And the thing that has made this task easier for such con-artist is the Internet. The Internet affords the perfect opportunity for the less reputable among us to hatch employment scams. As the top-rated executive assistant staffing firm in New York, we would like to give you tips that will help you to avoid these schemes.
- Be skeptical and know the most common job scams: These kinds of jobs are the bread and butter of the Internet job scam community: Data entry (remote), envelope stuffing, rebate or forms processing, wire transfers or money movement, shipping management, craft assembly, etc. Keep your antenna up for jobs offers such as these especially if they offer what seems like an outrageous income for relatively simple work.
- Always research a company before applying for a job: In one sense the Internet has made it easy for job scam sites to proliferate. In another sense, they have made it difficult. Sites such as Glassdoor make it easy to do basic background on companies that raise a job seeker’s red flag. You can also do basic research on any company – which is highly recommended before applying for a position anyway – using Google or other search engines.
- Never, pay a fee to somebody who’s posing as an employer: Job scammers will often ask vulnerable job seekers to pay for things such as training materials, placement services, background checks, etc. This is a sure sign of a scammer. You should never have to pay to work for someone.
- Be cautious about where you’re job searching online: Unfortunately, major job boards post jobs from scammers whether or knowingly or not. Therefore, don’t assume that simply because the posting is on a site like Indeed, CareerBuilder, etc., that it is legitimate.
- Don’t respond to unsolicited job offers: Often, job scammers are also spammers as well. If you receive a job offer from someone you do not know, don’t follow up on it. It is more than likely a scam.
The best way to avoid scammers is by dealing with a reputable staffing and recruitment agency that specializes in placing applicants with top companies. That is one of the advantages to working with our executive assistant staffing company in New York. We have special relationships with some of the most prestigious companies in the city. If you are an executive assistant who is looking for a career, simplify your search by coming to us first.