Fake Job Listings are Everywhere; Here's How to Avoid Them

Job hunting can be a huge hassle and it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the processes, and to make matters worse, a lot of listings are flat-out fake or unreliable, which can complicate things even more. Instead of risking your personal information or wasting your precious time with fake jobs, learn how to spot them and only apply to the ones that will actually lead to something real.

Look Out for Generic Website Names

A lot of companies will use third-party websites or recruiters to handle their application processes, and while these can be reliable, it’s important to know which ones are legitimate.

Many job listings on places like the Google Jobs tab which shows local openings will link to sites with generic-sounding names to try and pass as real recruiters. You may encounter a listing taking you to a site called “JobsPostings.com” or something similarly vague.

These sites often ask for your email address, phone number, or other personal details to begin sending you marketing emails or recruitment scam links. Listings for jobs at places like post offices or retail stores are common fodder for these kinds of sites, and the job they claim to be offering may not even exist at all.

To avoid this, it’s best to go through the official career sites or stick to recruitment sites like Indeed or ZipRecruiter that have established reputations. Make sure you look at the domain name and research sites you may not have heard of before to avoid having your information sold or given outright to third parties looking to profit off of it.

Check For the Date Posted

While they may not be outright scams, a lot of listings that appear online may be old or outdated, which can lead to wasted time if you’re applying for a position that has already been filled.

It’s important to check the date on an opening and see how long it’s been up, since the older they are, the more likely it is that your application will be overlooked or never reach anyone at all. These listings will usually still let you fill out the application in full, regardless of age, so you’ll want to make sure it’s fairly recent before committing the time.

Old job listings can also be a sign of a potential scam, as fake recruiters will often leave their postings up for weeks and even months at a time to maximize their exposure. While it is not a surefire sign of deception, sticking to listings posted sooner rather than later is also likely to save you a lot of time anyway.

Avoid Quick Interview Schemes

Another way certain parties will try to gain your personal information is by making unreasonable promises about how quickly they can get you an interview. Some apps will promise users that they can get an interview in a week or less, without even submitting a resume.

The hiring process for most jobs tends to take longer than that, and without a resume, there is little reason for employers to consider you for a position. In fact, some of these services have faced criticism in the past for failing to properly inform the employers they claim to work with about new applicants.

These sites exist to take advantage of the fact that getting an interview can take a while sometimes, and they prey on those looking to score a job quickly. Be cautious when a listing starts promising interviews before you’ve even applied or without asking for your resume.

Sometimes, a recruiter manages to get your information one way or another even without a full-on scam, which can lead to a sudden flux of emails, calls, and texts offering all sorts of opportunities.

These can range from fake job offers, requests for interviews or links to openings that are not from any official recruiters or companies. Before you consider these, look into the company or organization they claim to be from and see if similar openings actually exist and avoid giving them any personal information.

It’s always best to go through official avenues when looking for work in almost every instance, but especially when employers you never contacted start reaching out to you.

If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be a recruiter from a job you never applied for or gave your information to, it’s more than likely a scam, and it’s best to hang up straight away and block the number.

As for emails and text message scams, they often come with a degree of perceived urgency to encourage you to hand over your information. A lot of phones will automatically screen these in case of spam, but if not, it’s best to avoid giving them any significant attention so you don’t accidentally divulge something important.

Be Wary of Lofty Promises

Some listings make a lot of lofty claims about what they offer to applicants, even outside promises of unrealistically quick interviews. For instance, if you find one claiming to let you choose your own schedule or work from home, but doesn’t indicate itself as being a freelance position, it may be too good to be true.

Some other claims made by these parties can include offers of unrealistically high pay or insurance benefits despite not being listed as full-time work. Make sure you temper your expectations and know what’s typically offered for similar positions in the field so you can spot when promises are too good to be true.

Trust the Process

Real, honest jobs can take a while to get, and that’s just the reality of things sometimes. It’s easy to fall into traps of lofty promises of quick interviews for high-paying jobs, but organizations that actually value you as a candidate will have to take the time to review your qualifications, which can take some time.

It may be frustrating to wait days or even weeks to hear back from a potential employer, but the result is likely to be a more fulfilling and honest experience. Scammers and fake listings are aplenty, and while they can sometimes be tempting, it’s best not to give your precious time to parties that don’t value it or applications that lead to nowhere.

When you’re out looking for the next step in your career or even just looking for a side hustle to make some extra money, keep some of these things in mind to avoid wasting your time. Not everything is always a scam, but sometimes a recruiter hasn’t updated their listings or a posting has already been filled before it’s been taken down, so it’s best if you choose your battles and stick to the ones that have real potential.