How do you spot a fake job on social media?
We are all looking for jobs at one point or another and the worst mistake you can make is to apply for a non existent job. In a country where con men should be paying taxes by now you have to be extremely weary before trusting anything you see on social media. Save your precious time and energy by being on the lookout for these simple signs that something just isn’t right.
1. The company doesn’t have an online presence
Proper companies always have an online trail especially in this day and age. If you happen to find them but it is linked to one person that has no professional profile then you need to ask yourself why. If you cannot find anything about them online, especially their contacts or find other people on LinkedIn who have worked for them, then please step back and don’t waste your time.
2. The recruiters email doesn’t match the company
The email needs to have something like theircompany.com, if all their emails end with Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc then there’s cause for alarm. Here’s the thing, the company might have asked someone to advertise for them, however you should only be asked to send your official documents like your CV or payslip to their official email and not some random email.
3.They tell you to pay a fee for interviews
No one should ever ask you to pay to apply for a job or to book a spot. If any form of money exchange is involved then you need to put that job offer to the side and don’t apply. Always apply for a job at a credible site that doesn’t charge you for anything and leads you to the recruiters site.
4. They claim that “no experience is necessary”
Which job doesn’t have qualifications? Unless it’s internship? Maybe they offer training. But if the posting leads with NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY, you can be almost certain that there’s a catch you won’t like. Most jobs want you to come equipped with some skills. You’re always required to have some sort of skills that will come in handy, whether it’s typing or research skills.
5. Sounds too good to be true
Does the package look too good to be true? If it says things like “first come first serve” or “no need for an interview” then you have every reason to believe that perhaps it’s fake. If the salary is ridiculously high for that position then that’s also cause for alarm. Don’t look at the salary and think wow I want this then you end up sending unnecessary information to con men.
6. They ask for an interview via chat or text
It is very common for interviewers to do online interviews or emails, however, eventually they will definitely want to call you or even have a sit down with you. A typed conversation can never really get you a job, so if someone confirms you for a job without calling or wanting to meet, you should be worried.
