There are definitely two opposite opinions on the subject on whether or not you should post your resume on online job boards. Instead of offering you an opinion, I would like to present you with the pros and cons and let you make your own decision based on the facts.
No matter what you decide about posting your resume online, make sure that it is only one way that you go about looking for a job. This type of passive, wait and see approach to job hunting will only prolong the process. Make sure you are networking, searching for active open jobs, and researching companies in your industry as well as waiting for recruiters to find your posted resume.
Pros of Online Posting
• Some recruiters are of the mindset that instead of posting their jobs and receiving hundreds of resumes that they have to sift through, they would rather conduct a targeted search on a resume database. Recruiters do a key word search on resume databases to find potential candidates.
• Posting your resume online makes it easier for you to apply to jobs when you find one in which you are interested on the job board where your resume is posted. This can save you time in applying to open jobs and will also enable you to respond quicker to job postings.
• Industry-specific boards such as www.dice.com for IT jobs and www.hcareers.com for hospitality jobs are the best bet for posting your resume online. You lessen your chance of spammers and scammers on these types of sites.
Cons of Online Posting
• As soon as you post your resume online, you will get a ton of spam. I helped a gentleman who specialized in accounting and was not very tech savvy post his resume online last year. Within minutes he had 6 emails offering him interviews. Unfortunately, they were either to open his own insurance agency or participate in multi-level marketing companies. If you post your resume online your email account will get spammed.
• It used to be that in order to access resumes on a job board you had to have an employer account with that board. That is no longer always the case. Today, all it takes is a credit card to access resume databases. Beware that you are opening yourself up to identity theft when you post your resume online. Never post your social security number, date of birth, or driver’s license number. You may also consider using a P.O. box or just listing your city and state in the address section of the resume.
• I often say there is no such thing as a generic effective resume. In order to do its job right, a resume must be targeted to a specific, industry, job, and company. How can you hope to achieve this when you are posting your generic resume online?
Showing posts with label job posting scams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job posting scams. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
5 Sure-fire Indicators of Job Posting Scams
The economy is at low and layoffs are high. The increased numbers of job searchers has also increased the number of job search scams. Some scammers are looking to steal personal information and money. Others are just looking to waste your time and make money on your online activities. Here are some ways you can identify whether or not a job posting is legitimate.
Requests for Personal Information
These types of postings are most likely phishing scams that are looking for information they can use for identify theft. Never submit your social security number, date of birth, driver’s license, or bank account information to anyone without verifying their authenticity. Very few legitimate companies will require your bank account information in the hiring process.
Unrealistic Promises
Many scammers offer outrageous promises to lure people into submitting their information. Work from home, earn up to $10,000 per week, set your own hours, no experience necessary, and start today are all promises that should prompt you to do research. If it sounds too good to be true, it just may be.
Request for Registration on another Site or Web Conferencing Service
This strategy is a way for scammers to make money from your actions. When a scammer sends you to a site that asks you for a membership or to sign up for a conference service, they are setting up a system to earn affiliate money from web traffic. There is not necessarily a danger to your identity or personal information with this scam. However, it is a huge time-waster and uses you to earn money for someone who is not being honest with their intentions.
Obvious Spelling or Grammar Errors in the Posting
Scams that are generated from foreign countries are often evident due to the fact that their grammar is not quite right. Everyone makes mistakes and even top companies may misspell a word or have a typo in their posting. However, you should take precautions when the entire posting is full of errors.
Overseas Contact Information for Local Job Postings
If you have submitted your resume to a local position and the response you receive comes from an overseas email account you should beware. Also avoid inquiries from employers in a foreign country looking to hire people in the United States to handle accounts payable or receivables. They often ask you to open a bank account and collect checks (that will bounce) and make payments to vendors. When the account becomes overdrawn, you are liable for the money because you opened the account.
Use common sense, take precautions, and always do your research before moving forward with a company. Use the Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov/) and the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org/) to conduct research.
Requests for Personal Information
These types of postings are most likely phishing scams that are looking for information they can use for identify theft. Never submit your social security number, date of birth, driver’s license, or bank account information to anyone without verifying their authenticity. Very few legitimate companies will require your bank account information in the hiring process.
Unrealistic Promises
Many scammers offer outrageous promises to lure people into submitting their information. Work from home, earn up to $10,000 per week, set your own hours, no experience necessary, and start today are all promises that should prompt you to do research. If it sounds too good to be true, it just may be.
Request for Registration on another Site or Web Conferencing Service
This strategy is a way for scammers to make money from your actions. When a scammer sends you to a site that asks you for a membership or to sign up for a conference service, they are setting up a system to earn affiliate money from web traffic. There is not necessarily a danger to your identity or personal information with this scam. However, it is a huge time-waster and uses you to earn money for someone who is not being honest with their intentions.
Obvious Spelling or Grammar Errors in the Posting
Scams that are generated from foreign countries are often evident due to the fact that their grammar is not quite right. Everyone makes mistakes and even top companies may misspell a word or have a typo in their posting. However, you should take precautions when the entire posting is full of errors.
Overseas Contact Information for Local Job Postings
If you have submitted your resume to a local position and the response you receive comes from an overseas email account you should beware. Also avoid inquiries from employers in a foreign country looking to hire people in the United States to handle accounts payable or receivables. They often ask you to open a bank account and collect checks (that will bounce) and make payments to vendors. When the account becomes overdrawn, you are liable for the money because you opened the account.
Use common sense, take precautions, and always do your research before moving forward with a company. Use the Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov/) and the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org/) to conduct research.
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