Unfortunately
there are some nasty types out there who will take advantage of those
of us who are looking for work. Not all job offers are genuine, so it
is important to exercise some caution and here we have some basic
measures to take. Even more important than being scammed by a fake job
offer is avoiding the risk of something more serious:-
1. Be very careful with how much information you give out.
2. Research the prospective employer.
3. If the interview is through an agency, make certain they are reputable.
4.
Ensure that the interview is taking place in a secure or public place.
Never agree to meeting in a private dwelling, even your own.
5.
Make certain that a friend or relative knows when and where the
interview is taking place, if you are at all concerned about any aspect
of the interview have someone drive you there and back from the venue.
6. Never pay up front for anything, also if the advertisement uses a premium rate number then avoid - like the plague.
7.
If the job is offered online be extra vigilant; there are all kind of
scams out there. Most of them ask for money up front but there are
scams that actually get you working at something and then, either never
pay up or pay derisory sums for your efforts. Often a Google search
will reveal that others have been stung. The search terms 'Scam,
followed by the name of the company will often be enough to bring up
complaints by people who have been scammed.
Other things to be careful about:
The interview should take place during working hours, if the
conversation is straying too much into personal matters the alarm bells
should be ringing. They could simly be after information to be used for
sales and marketing or more likely identity theft which is reaching
epidemic levels.
If
it is a live-in job then it is even more important that thorough
research is done on the organisation and individuals concerned
Finally, if it seems too good to be true it probably isn't genuine.
Kenneth Simpson