Scammers on Hiring Platforms
Unfortunately there have been situations in which scammers prey on those applying for a new job. Verblio recently found people using their company and employee names to run a scam on job seekers. They suggest looking for the following "red flags" if you are applying for a position:
Closely inspect the domain name because scammers may use one that is slightly misspelled. In this case, the domain was spelled Verblio instead of Verblio. This slight difference may be hard to spot for someone that isn't paying close attention.
The scammers conducted interviews over chat instead of in-person or over Zoom. Typically a company wants to have a live conversation with the prospective employee.
They requested the job applicant send money over Apple Pay to cover the cost of equipment or services. The promise, in this instance, was that the money would be reimbursed later but the check provided at that time was fake. If a company is asking you to provide them money, beware! This is a huge red flag and you should thoroughly investigate before providing any funds.
Additional tips for spotting a potential job scam include:
Receiving an email about a position you didn't actually apply for should make you wary.
Some scammers express that they are VERY interested in hiring you but need some information first and then request you provide a copy of your driver's license, your social security number or your bank account information.
It may appear the email is real because they use the right logo or the email address seems valid but you need to be cautious and suspicious.
If you have had no contact with this company before, do not send them personal information based on an "out of the blue" email.
Remember a company hiring you will communicate with you about the job specifics before they ask you to provide personal information for tax purposes.
The job seems to good to be true. If the pay is amazing and the hours are minimal, it probably isn't a real job. Any job that promises you will get rich quickly is likely a scam.
It is not written professionally. If you receive communication that is filled with typos or worded strangely, it is likely a fake and should be ignored. If they do not provide contact information for the company or a way to research the company, be skeptical.
If you aren't sure if the position is real or not, do some research. Search the company website to see if they list the opening. Make sure you are dealing with a real company by researching the company history and what they do. If you can't find information, it is a sign the company is a fake.
Illegal Interview Questions
You should go into any interview knowing your rights as an interviewee. Certain questions are not allowed to be asked during an interview. Your ability to obtain the job can not depend on answers for the following topics:
Marital status
Pregnancy
Age
Sexual orientation
Veteran/Military Status
Gender
Race
Religion
Disability
National Origin
What happens if a question about these topics is raised during your interview? You have a few choices.
You can just answer the question if you want to. In some cases, the interviewee isn't bothered by the question. You shouldn't feel obligated to answer a question along these lines, however.
Attempt to re-direct the conversation to another topic. But, be aware they may still come back to the same question again later.
Ask the interviewer the question that they just asked you.
You can let the interviewer know that they aren't supposed to ask a question about that topic. This has the potential to make the interviewer defensive, however.
You can provide a polite answer that doesn't necessary provide the information they are requesting. For example, provide a general answer about the topic but not specific to you.
Ask them why they are asking you this question. What is it they are trying to learn?
For the last possibility, instead of directly asking, you may want to consider why they are asking you the question and provide an answer that tries to reassure them that you are able to handle the job without providing an actual answer to the original question. The interviewer may not realize they have asked an "illegal" question but instead think they are asking a question that will help them determine if you can meet the job requirements. Reassuring them that you can work the night shift or you are willing to travel for the business may be why they are asking the illegal question in the first place.
Hopefully, you will not encounter either of these issues as you seek a new job! However, it helps to be armed with information in case you do. Should you run into any other questions about the job application process, reach out to Revision Resume. We help clients with resume critiques, resume creation, cover letter writing and more! We are knowledgeable about the job hiring process and are here to assist you!
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