1Never...Ever...Pay to Get a Job!

There are job offers both online and offline that look like the real deal and then they ask you to pay for a training or information packet. Don’t do it. When you think about it, would a potential employer who is legitimate ask you to pay to get an interview? Of course not. If there is some training involved would they ask you to pay for training materials? No. Most legitimate companies budget for training their personnel if necessary.

2Government Job Scams

There are offers that will tell you that there is an influx of federal government workers retiring and they will need to fill a lot of positions by the year 2011. Be careful of these claims as many scammers use them to take advantage of people who are desperately looking for jobs. When you respond to the ad they ask you to take a fraudulent practice test and purchase materials for exams that are not legitimate. If the job is a real federal government job the government will provide the testing procedure usually at no cost to you.

3Personal Invitations by Email

Many scammers will send you a personal invite in your email claiming they saw your resume online and they are interested in your skills. The email addresses you by name and then provides a link for you to proceed with the application process. Don’t take the bait. First of all, scammers use special software that is designed to address each recipient by name and often they will send out this type of email to see how many people they can get to fill out an application. Secondly, it is highly likely they will use the information you provide for identity theft purposes.

4Responses to Your Resume

If you have posted your resume online be careful with who responds to your resume. Many scammers will scour the job sites looking for resumes and then they will contact you pretending to be legitimate a company. When they speak about your resume this is a ploy to win your trust and then they proceed to ask you to verify your identification. They sometimes will ask for your bank account number claiming they need it to deposit your paycheck direct. Always check out the company they say they are from by contacting the human resources office in the company, if indeed it exists. Most companies will not ask you for this type of information before your interview or even before you are hired.

5Bait and Switch Job Scams

These are actually posted by companies who are legitimate; however, you eventually find out that the position is not what you applied for. It works like this: You respond to a job posting that advertises for someone with your skill set. You send in your resume and you are called for an interview. When you arrive at the company the interview turns out to be for a job that no one else wants and the company figures they can fast talk you into taking the job that no one else will.

6Overseas Job Scams

If you are looking for employment overseas there are scammers in this avenue of employment as well. Some companies will offer overseas employment placement services and they claim they will match your qualifications with an overseas company who is seeking your skills.

The employment placement company leads you to believe that they have definitely located employers that need your skills and are prepared to hire and then they charge you a fee of a few hundred dollars to obtain their services. They also claim to refund your fee if the job does not work out. What happens is they have you contact the company and then it turns out they are not currently hiring. The placement company refuses to refund your fee or they disappear off the face of the earth altogether depending upon how bad the scam is.

These are only a few of the job scams that are out there to give you a place to start. As a general rule, here are some of the things you should do to ensure the offer and the company is legitimate:

• Request References: If the company is requesting your information you have the right to do the same in return so ask the company for references.

• Do Your Homework Online: If the company is being vague with their information, look them up online to see if they have a legitimate street address and phone number. Even if the company seems to have a name that sounds official, check them out because many scammers are very crafty with making their company sound like the real deal.

• Ask Questions: Don’t be afraid to interview the company. After all, if it is legitimate they will be happy to answer your questions. If they beat around the bush, move on.

• Take Time to Make a Decision: If the company is pressuring you to “act now” then you can bet that it is a scam for a business opportunity you have to purchase. Real companies will give you time to make a sound decision.

• Get Everything in Writing: Even if the opportunity turns out to be legitimate always get everything in writing so there are no misunderstandings. It will also ensure that you get started off on the right foot with your new employer.