Heather Hernandez

There is no better teacher than personal experience, so when I almost fell for a recruiting scam I thought I better share my experience with you. First, you need to know that because you are in a job search, you are more susceptible to scams than others. That’s because you want to find a great job, and scammers can easily identify exactly what type of “great job” you are looking for and use it as a lure to “hook you” and get you to give them private information that they can use for nefarious purposes.

I got a message on LinkedIn from a recruiter (that I didn’t know) asking for a phone call to discuss a contract opportunity at a company I was targeting. My first reaction was to get excited because I really wanted to work at this target company. So I called and was immediately pressured to send my resume within the hour and fill out a short application. The company the recruiter worked for was unknown to me, but I felt like I didn’t have time to research them because I needed to send my resume and application as soon as possible. Next, they wanted to set up a second phone interview for the next day, supposedly with the client. So now I had time to research the company the evening before my second interview. I didn’t like what I found because the copyright on the website was for the wrong year, the parent company was in India, and they primarily did technology-related work (and not staffing). I was officially suspicious but proceeded with the plan. The next morning I asked some questions, mainly who I would be having this second phone interview with. I was told it would be two people who work at the staffing agency (and not the client) as a screening interview. So now I am even more suspicious and I tell my friend who is also in the middle of a job search. He tells me it sounds like a scam, and it’s like I needed to hear that from someone else in order to believe it myself. I reviewed what I knew, and I saw lots of red flags and came to the conclusion it was a scam. I proceeded to block the recruiter on Google, report him as spam and also report him on LinkedIn as “I think this person impersonates someone”.

Here are some “red flags” to be aware to help you spot a recruiting scam:

• • Were you contacted about a job out-of-the-blue (for a job you never applied for)? Be aware that it is unlikely that a recruiting agency stumbled across you on the internet. And if they did, you better triple check their credentials.
  • Was the interview setup quickly? Be on the alert, recruiting scams like to move rapidly to decrease the chance of you checking the legitimacy of the job opportunity.
  • Have you heard of the recruiting agency? If not you need to search for them to see if they have a legitimate website or a sketchy website.
    • Here are some things that would alert you to what I consider a sketchy website
      • Copyright is not the correct year
      • Parent company does not primarily do staffing
      • Domain name redirects you to another domain name
      • Redcruiting agency is established in another country
  • Does the job appear to be exactly what you’re looking for? If it’s too good to sound true, then it probably isn’t true.
  • Just because they don’t ask for your social security number or for money at first, doesn’t mean they won’t eventually. The way these scams work is they first try to build your trust. They might do this by specifically telling you something like “no social security number required” to convince you not to be suspicious of them.

I was in shock that I went along with the scheme up to the point of a second phone interview. I mean I was already aware of job recruiting scams, and even shared How to Spot a Job Scam after my friend almost sold all of his possessions to accept a job in another country (only the job never existed). But here I was, learning first-hand how easy it is to fall for these scams because your optimism is taken advantage of by the scammers.

Did you almost get scammed by a job that didn’t really exist? Please share your story in the comments!

Since I’m conducting a job search again, I thought it would be a good time to update this post! Many people I meet don’t have networking business cards, or they’re using cards from one of their “side hustles”. I recommend creating a business card specifically for your job search.

Networking is a powerful tool for your job search so you want to hand a Career Networking Business Card to the new people you meet. I had business cards that identified me as a blogger, but this wasn’t the impression I wanted to leave on people during my job search. I wanted my new contacts to see me as a prospective marketing employee rather than just a blogger. Blogging is part of my work experience, but I’m not making it my job description. So I created a new business card to leave exactly the impression I wanted on my new contacts!

Think of your networking business card as the image of what type of professional you want to become. Highlight your relevant experience (but not all of it) and make it clear what type of job you’re looking for.

 

• Master’s in Marketing student
• Professional Engineer licensed in Texas
• Social Media Influencer

* Email ~ obviously, this is my preferred method of contact

* Phone ~ just in case a new contact wants to talk to me in person

* LinkedIn URL ~ on the back of my card to encourage people to connect with me on LinkedIn

* Blog URL ~ also on the back, to encourage visits to my blog for entrepreneurs HeatherHernandez.com

* Blank Space~ people like to write on business cards, so half of the back of my card is blank space

************************************************************************

What’s on your Business Card?

A benevolent is someone who gives without waiting to receive much in return. It’s a good thing to strive towards in all chapters of your life, but especially during your job search. The reason is that acting benevolently leaves a lasting impression on people. When they benefit from your advice or help, they are more likely to remember it and return the favor when they can. That favor could come in the form of a new job or a new connection that may lead to a new job. Plus it just feels great to help other people!

Being a benevolent is all about paying it forward. When you talk to fellow job seekers do you have any tips to share with them? Are there people in your network that might be able to help them? Do you know anyone who works at companies they are targeting? Have you learned any resume tips you can share with them? I can tell you from personal experience that all of the interviews I’ve been on so far in my job search have all been thanks to someone in my network who is paying it forward by helping me get an interview.

I founded my own business (my frugal lifestyle blog Freebies 4 Mom) on the basis of wanting to help moms save money. I get a thrill every time I hear back from one of my readers about how I helped them save money, win a prize or learn something new. There is nothing more rewarding than receiving thanks from someone you helped. It makes you smile on the inside!

So during your job search, even though you are looking for people who can help you find a job you need to be a benevolent and help your fellow job-seekers in any way you can! You just never know when they’ll return the favor and they might just help you land your next job!

How are you paying it forward?

Networking is so important that I actually created a Networking is Valuable video about it for Brookwoods, the staffing agency I used to work for.

How important is networking for your job search?

I knew that networking would be important during my job search, but I didn’t realize exactly how important it would be until I was several months into my job search. Once you start actively expanding your network by attending networking events, you’ll realize that networking is actually a lot of fun!

How do you think you’ll find your next job?

I’ve learned that I am most likely find a job through my network either directly or indirectly. That’s because personal connections mean everything in a highly competitive job market. Networking is also how you access the hidden job market which has jobs available that are not advertised and you can only learn about through word-of-mouth.

How can networking help someone looking for a job?

Here are a few ways that networking could help you in your job search:

• You discover a staffing agency the would love to help place you in a position
• You meet a hiring manager who would love to interview you for a position
• You make a new connection and they know about a job position that would be perfect for you to apply for
• You become friends with a new connection and they are able to personally recommend you to a hiring manager they know for a job you’re applying for
• You are considered for a position that normally you wouldn’t be considered for based on just your resume because someone gets to know you better

What are some other benefits to networking other than helping you find a job?

Some of the other benefits to networking other than finding a job such are:

• Making lifelong friends in your profession
• Getting out of the house to attend a professional networking event is good for your self-esteem and mental health
• Events you can look forward to attending is important during your job search
• Get support from total strangers, you will be surprised by how much others want to help you!

What types of groups can people become involved in to expand their network?

Here are some ideas for the types of local groups that you could join to help expand your professional network. Remember to add any volunteer positions or certifications from professional organizations to your resume!

• Professional Organizations in your Field (i.e. I joined the American Marketing Association since I am looking for a job in marketing)
• Chamber of Commerce (there are probably several near you if you live near a big city)
• Special Interest Groups (i.e. I joined the NW Houston Business & Professional Women so I could connect with business savvy women who live near me)
• Non-Profits (i.e. local churches or any non-profit where you can volunteer and get to know more people in your community)

How are you expanding your professional network?

It’s been 6 months since I started my job search for a full-time marketing position in Houston or remote. It’s been a wild ride but I’ve learned a lot about myself and about the current job search process!

What has your job search taught you?