The job post you have stumbled upon has caught your attention. Why? Because they were meant to attract you. However, be vigilant and notice signs that it is a scam online job post. Below are some of the unnoticed signs that may deceive you.
Get Rich Quick
Do understand me when I say that legit online jobs are not get rich quick schemes. You could earn as much as you want with hard work and patience. However, expect that in your first months, you will not earn as much, or worse, will not be hired immediately. So if an online job post says that you could get rich quick? Don’t believe it.
Job Post Not Specific (Description and Requirements)
A scam online job post is not clear and specific. Read the samples below to compare fake and real job posts:
Sample 1:
$1000 (Php50,000.00) payout in just three days!
No experience required.
Legit Work at Home job.
PM me for Details.
Sample 2:
We are in need of Customer Service Representatives with 1-2 years working experience with BPO companies. Candidates with relevant training and skills are preferred. You must be fluent in both written and verbal English. Willing to work from 5:00PM to 2:00AM PDT. If interested please e-mail your CV at: hrmanager@companyname.com.
Which one looks strange? Reminder: job posts are unique and scammers are very creative. Samples shown above are just to give you an idea of what a scam online job post or invitation may look like.
Grammatical, Spelling and Punctuation Errors
Legit online employers usually hire an HR Manager (with good writing skills) to do the crowdsourcing, interviewing, screening and hiring of employees. However, some would prefer to do the process themselves. I admit that I have already encountered some clients who do not give much attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation when creating their job posts.
Yes, these types of errors are indications of fake online jobs especially when sent to your e-mail but, some online working platforms allow such. What you should do is to background check the client. Read his feedbacks from previously hired freelancers, check for payment verification, or search his name or company on Google.
Informal Interviews (Yahoo IM, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, etc.)
What type of online work would allow an interview on instant messengers? If you do not personally know the person, do not fall for “pretending-to-be-legit” companies who would like to interview you online through instant messaging. Professional online interviews happen through other video calling or messaging platforms such as the company’s own web application or those from legit online job websites like Upwork.
Incomplete Company Information
Legit online job companies usually have a website where they post their products and/or services. Most of them have an About Us page or similar. Others do not but you can read some information about the founder, physical address, contact details such as phone and e-mail, and links to social media accounts at the bottom or footer the webpage.
No Company e-Mail
Professional company e-mails bear the company domain name after the “@” sign. Authorized hiring managers are allowed to use their emails created on the company website. For instance, I have a company with a website called http://www.motherantph.org and I have assigned a hiring manager named Theresa Yap. Her company e-mail would look like these examples:
Personal and/or Confidential Information Required
Scammers who collect personal information such as bank account and photos of identification cards have already victimized many aspiring freelancers. They would say that it is part of the interview or hiring process but no, do not believe this. Confidential information remains to be confidential so keep them for yourself. Be aware of a scam online job post and never ever be a victim of such.
Membership Fees Required
As an online freelancer, I recommend you to sign up to free hiring platforms. Upwork do not require you to pay a membership fee. You will only pay them when you withdraw your earnings. So, if you have no earnings yet, you will pay nothing.
The Company is More Excited to Hire You
Does the “hiring manager” sound too excited to hire you even if you have not submitted your credentials yet? You should be the one to feel that, right? If this sign of online job scam is obvious, ignore it.
Unexpected High Salary
I say, there is no “easy money” in work from home jobs. Programmers earn much but they experience lack of sleep often. Writers are also paid depending on the quality of their contents. No legit online career says you will just sleep today and tomorrow you will be paid. There may be some administrative tasks that are easy to do but do not pay much.
In short, you receive high salary depending on your skills and the quality of your work. It can also depend on how hard and how many hours you have worked.
No Experience Whatsoever Needed
I would be the happiest job applicant if the “owner of the company” says I am hired on the spot without doing anything. No interviews, no submission of application letters and resumes, no education, no training, nothing required! Just me? So, what is my job?
Please start doubting if a job post does not require the most important information an applicant should possess. A scam online job post may lead to some criminal activity. Cybercrimes happen a lot every minute and every second. Do not be a victim.
Company Has No Record on Google
For sure, you have an internet connection (because if not, you would not be reading this J). Do your own research before applying for a job post. Google is free, just type in the name of the company or the hiring manager to check if there is information about them. They must have an online presence. If not, how could they send you an e-mail or post the job?
Have you read the FREE e-book Online Freelancing 101:How to Work from Home yet? now.
They Require You to Finish Irrelevant Tasks Before Proceeding to the Next Step of the Hiring Process
Many employers take advantage of new online freelancers. They would send you tasks to do in between the hiring process. Some are reasonable because they test your capabilities through it. However, if the task is too complicated and time-consuming already, ask for a test payment. Otherwise, do not continue the process. You deserve a better online job opportunity.
You Received the e-Mail Offer Out of Nowhere
Someone sent you an e-mail saying you are hired as a writer for his or her company called “Blah Blah”. First, ask yourself if you have applied to such job posting or indicated in your blog or social media accounts that you are accepting writing jobs. If you did not, reject the offer immediately. If yes, do your homework and research about the company. Finally, check if it has the other scam online job post signs indicated above.
Trust your Instincts
I always trust my instincts but not before I was scammed. I have already experienced wasting time and money on fraud jobs. I wrote numbers of articles for a client and I was not paid. I joined a writing platform and used most of my time managing my profile to earn and the website crashed.
If you sense that something is wrong in the job post, believe that there may be. I hope this post has helped you in your search for a legit home-based job.
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