5 Ways To Avoid Job Search Scams

5 Ways To Avoid Job Search Scams

Looking for a job can be a nuisance, and life can get so hectic sometimes that many people end up relying on online job boards. You apply to about 10-15 jobs a day, you’re tired from whatever life tasks are in your daily routine, it takes you about a good hour to find a job you would be interested in and is hiring, and the last thing you think about before hitting that submit resume button is, “Is this job posting a scam?”

It’s hard enough to get any callbacks from online job postings, so wouldn’t you like to save some time and submit your resume to a real company that is actually hiring? If your answer is yes, here are some tips to help you spot any red flags in a job posting. Use these rules to avoid job search scams from chewing up your precious time as you look for your next job.

1. There Isn’t A Company Name In The Job Posting

This may not be true for all job postings, but it’s one you should consider. While companies use blind job postings for their own protection, there can be a negative side to it. This type of job posting can be used to gather personal information about you as part of an identity theft scheme.

It might be in your best interest to not include too much information about yourself when you apply for jobs without a company name just in case. If you happen to get contacted for an interview, ask for the company’s name so you can do some research before agreeing to anything. How else would you ace that interview if you know nothing about the company?

2. The Email Address Ends In @yahoo, @gmail, @hotmail, Etc.

Man on laptop avoids a job posting scam

Not all companies have a company email, especially if they’re just starting out. However, if there’s a company name in the job posting, you’ve done your research, and they’re a well-known company, not having a professional email might be something you should consider looking into.

It should be concerning if a job posting includes a company name, but has an email address that is not a primary domain. You might want to put on your investigative hat and see if you can find a phone number for the company so you can verify the job posting as well as the legitimacy of the company.

3. The Contact Person Can’t Be Found Through A Google Search

Woman and man looking at laptop avoid a job search scam

Not everyone can be found through a Google search, but if you’re an employer, chances are you can be found on the internet. Whether it’s on social media sites like LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok, there should be some type of information about your employer somewhere.

4. They Offer You The Job Within 24 Hours Of Sending Your Application

Man on laptop researches a company to avoid a job search scam

While it would be nice for an employer to immediately recognize your many talents, you have to remember that there is a process to go through, and because the job market is so competitive right now, it’s easy to get excited when a potential employer wants to hire you.

I once applied to a job for a feature writer position for a publication that turned out to be in Canada. The publication was real, but the job posting wasn’t. The recruiter offered me the job and payment within a day without even discussing my first assignment. Though I felt I was qualified for the position, it seemed too good to be true that someone wanted to pay me without using my services first. The lesson here? Any company worth working for will want to get to know you before offering you a paycheck for your skills.

5. They Want To Pay You Before You Even Start Working

Woman on laptop thinks about her job search

Some scam artists like to send checks to their victims as a way of getting into their bank accounts. How does this work? Well, they mail you a check—sometimes overnight—then you are asked to deposit the check and send a portion back to a third party. It may seem like the check has cleared, so you send the portion requested to said third party. By the time the bank learns the check is bad, the check bounces, leaving you out of the funds you were asked to send back.

Remember, looking for a job takes time and your time is valuable. So the next time you are searching for a job online, scan the job posting thoroughly before sending off your resume to avoid any job search scams. Good luck and stay safe out there!

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20 Things You Can Do To Help Your Career (In Under 5 Minutes)

20 Things You Can Do To Help Your Career (In Under 5 Minutes)

Are you ready to make a career change or begin your hunt for a new job? Then these 20 quick yet high-impact actions will give you a boost! In case you don’t know where to start, this list of quick and easy ideas will get you on your way to building your brand, nurturing your network […]

The post 20 Things You Can Do To Help Your Career (In Under 5 Minutes) appeared first on Career Sherpa.

Why Most People Choose The Wrong Career Path

Why Most People Choose The Wrong Career Path

Most people who choose the wrong career path fall into what I call the “first job that comes along” syndrome. It’s a classic mistake where you’re so relieved to land a job that you don’t pause to think about whether it’s a good fit.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever taken a job simply because it sounded good or paid well, only to realize once you’re in it that it’s not the right job for you. You quickly discover exactly what you don’t want in a role, but by then, you’re already in it.

The “First Job That Comes Along” Syndrome & The Importance Of Self-Assessment

The problem with this syndrome is that it leaves you with a “rock” in your career journey. I keep a rock on my desk as a reminder because, for many of us, these experiences—like taking a job that wasn’t the right fit—can weigh us down, making us doubt ourselves. But let me be clear: You didn’t make a bad decision. At the time, you simply didn’t have enough information to make an informed choice.

Each of these jobs you’ve taken has taught you something, especially what you don’t want in your next job. The mistake many of us make, however, is that we continue jumping from job to job, just trying to avoid those unwanted aspects. This leads to a cycle of career dissatisfaction. You realize you chose the wrong career path, but you don’t know how to choose the right one.

Here’s where I want to stop you. Let’s clear the slate and drop those “rocks” for a moment. Instead of focusing on what you don’t want, let’s figure out who you are as a professional. How do you like to create value? What excites you? What kind of work would make your day feel less like a grind and more like fulfillment?

To get this clarity, we need to explore several key areas:

  • What role does your career play in your life? Is it just a way to pay the bills, something that brings satisfaction, or a calling that defines you?
  • What are your work preferences? Your communication style? How do you learn best on the job?
  • What types of tasks energize you, and which ones drain you?

Most people don’t take the time to assess these things—and unfortunately, it’s not something we’re taught to do in school. Instead, we end up following what others suggest, which often leads us down a path of trial and error. That’s why so many people hit a career crisis two or three jobs in, wondering how they ended up in a field they despise.

One of the biggest hurdles to making a change at this point is career continuity. Employers often hire based on your past experience, which makes switching careers feel like starting over. And let’s be honest, who wants to start over—especially if you’ve built a lifestyle around your current salary?

So what’s the solution? Deep self-assessment. And I have two free tools that can help you do that right now.

Tool #1: The ISAT (Interaction Style Assessment Test)

Work It Daily's Workplace Communication Style (ISAT) Quiz free resource

This quiz is going to tell you what your dominant communication style is in the workplace. Are you a Contemplator, a Commander, an Energizer, or an Empathizer? Understanding this about yourself can help you figure out why some jobs have been a better fit than others. Plus, it’ll shed light on why you get along with certain co-workers but struggle with others. You can take this free quiz here.

Tool #2: The Career Decoder

Work It Daily's Career Decoder Quiz free resource

Back in 2015, we developed this quiz after coaching thousands of professionals who didn’t know what kind of work they wanted to do. This quiz asks a series of “would you rather” questions that reveal your top three workplace personas. There are eight workplace personas in total—eight ways people like to create value in their jobs—and while we’re capable of doing all eight, we don’t enjoy them equally.

By identifying your top three workplace personas, we can match your natural strengths and preferences with job roles that are a better fit. You can take this free quiz here.

When you combine the results of the Career Decoder with your ISAT results, you’ll start to see a clear picture of the types of jobs and environments that align with who you are as a professional.

Start Your Journey Today

In just a few minutes, these two quizzes will give you powerful insights into why you’ve enjoyed certain roles more than others—and, more importantly, they’ll help guide you toward the jobs that will truly light you up, getting you on the right career path. You can find both quizzes here.

If this resonates with you, it’s time to shift your focus from what you don’t want in a job to discovering who you are and what kind of work brings out your best self. Start unlocking your professional potential today!

Good luck! Go get ’em.

3 Workplace Signs You Need Today

3 Workplace Signs You Need Today

The working environment can be potentially filled with hazards and dangers. It is little surprise that hundreds of thousands of accidents take place every year in workplaces around the world. These can range from simple slips, trips, or falls that only result in minor injuries to catastrophic accidents that can lead to the death of […]

The post <strong>3 Workplace Signs You Need Today</strong> appeared first on Jobacle.com.

5 Skills to Succeed in Internal Communications

5 Skills to Succeed in Internal Communications

Effective internal communications serve as the cornerstone for cultivating workplace culture. Aculture is enhanced when information flows openly, clearly, and transparently, fosteringemployee trust. This trust forms a solid groundwork for other key components of a robustworkplace culture to flourish. When employees feel confident that they receive information promptly, openly, and truthfully,they are more likely to […]

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Best Careers for People With Physical Disabilities

Best Careers for People With Physical Disabilities

Many individuals with disabilities seeking employment often inquire about the optimal jobchoices and the most lucrative positions. The straightforward response is that individuals withdisabilities can excel in a wide range of similar roles. Certain occupations may better suit individual talents and capacities based on whether oneexperiences a physical, mental, learning, or sensory disability. Despite the […]

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Struggling to Concentrate? How to Stay Motivated During Long Study Sessions

Struggling to Concentrate? How to Stay Motivated During Long Study Sessions

Staying focused during long study sessions can be tough. It’s easy to get distracted or feel overwhelmed by the amount of material you need to cover. However, with the right strategies, you can improve your concentration and make the most of your study time. Create a Productive Study Environment A good study environment is essential […]

The post <strong>Struggling to Concentrate? How to Stay Motivated During Long Study Sessions</strong> appeared first on Jobacle.com.

What Can You Do If Your Employer Is In Breach Of Contract?

What Can You Do If Your Employer Is In Breach Of Contract?

“Always read the fine print.” Isn’t that what they say? It’s a vicious, dog-eat-dog business world and, more often than not, it’s the underdog who suffers. However, if that underdog is properly prepared and has a few tricks up their sleeve, the tables could be turned.

If you feel as though you’ve been mistreated by your employer and they are in breach of your employment contract, you can take action. With the right knowledge and proper foresight, you should never need to worry about being swindled by your boss or company.

It’s a sad fact, but most workers are simply not aware of their contractual rights. They very rarely take the time to read through their employment contracts. This is a dramatic oversight that is easily rectified by employees simply taking the time to read what they are agreeing to.

What Is Classified As A Breach Of Contract?

Woman reviews her employment contract

As with any formal contracts, contracts of employment are legally binding documents with the express purpose of establishing a written agreement between you and your employer. If any of the terms of that contract are broken, then it’s considered a breach of contract.

The problems arise, however, when the breaches are against terms that were not written down as they are far more difficult to prove. For this reason, it is always advisable that you make sure every term you negotiate with your employer is written down in your contract. It might seem a little paranoid at the time but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

What Can I Do If My Contract Has Been Breached?

Woman checks her employment contract with her boss

If you think your employer is in breach of your contract, first check the hard copy over and make absolutely sure. There could be clauses written in “legalese” that you may not understand (indeed, that’s essentially the point of legalese) so you might need to hire a lawyer or ask a friend from a legal profession to help.

Then, you should take the problem to your employer and attempt to sort it out face-to-face. If this fails, you may be forced to take legal action. Common breaches of contract that you could be able to claim compensation for include, but are not limited to:

  • A non-payment of wages or travel expenses owed.
  • A non-payment of holiday or sick pay that was negotiated in your employment contract.
  • Changes to the terms and conditions of your contract that you didn’t sign off on. (For example, if a term of your contract is that you are given a company car and the car is taken away from you.)
  • A non-payment during your “notice period” (the period between handing in your notice and leaving a job).

Remember that not all of the terms of your employment will be written into your employment contract. Some of the terms are your right by law and some of the terms such as work hours and the job description itself might be found on the initial job advertisement, so remember not to delete or throw that away! Pay slips, staff handbooks, and other particulars can also be used as legally binding documents in the case of a contractual breach.

Loopholes

Woman signs an employment contract after a job interview

It’s rarely straightforward when you’re dealing with matters such as these and, as you would expect, there are numerous commonly held misconceptions and “loopholes” that employers can and will use in order to legitimize their contractual breach. You may, for example, think that it is not in your employer’s power to force you to relocate against your will but there could be something called a “mobility clause” in your contract that states your employer has the right to move you and avoid paying you if you refuse.

There are also workarounds that they’ll use when it comes to bonuses and countless other specifics, so make sure that you have at least a vague knowledge of what you’re signing before you sign it. Really, it’s as simple as looking before you sign, something far too few people appear willing to do.

If you’re not familiar with the terms of your employment contract, get on it! Familiarizing yourself with it will make dealing with your employer far less stressful and, if you’re really clever, you might even be able to renegotiate terms in your favor! Stranger things have happened in business.

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What Customer Success Has Taught Me About Proximity

What Customer Success Has Taught Me About Proximity

Proximity is an essential tool in measuring the customer experience. The right mix of proximity could move a company’s customers from satisfaction to loyalty. The lack of proximity or the wrong mix could be the canary in a coal mine of a company’s fall from grace in their industry. CS professionals will benefit greatly in the SaaS industry when applying common sense measures to significantly impact the customer experience by leveraging proximity.

In this post, we will define proximity as it relates to customer success, its importance, and how two best practices can unlock improved business relationships and outcomes for your company.

What Is Proximity?  

Dictionary.com defines proximity as nearness in place, time, order, occurrence, or relation; closeness. In the mid-’90s, during the origins of customer success, the concept of helping customers to achieve their definition of success through a company’s products and services by being close in both a physical and virtual sense had not yet matured, primarily because there were no digital platforms, as there are today. Yet proximity to the customer experience is critical to product vendors and service providers.

Why Is Proximity Important to Customer Success? 

In present-day corporate America, companies can feel a proximity bias toward vendors and service providers who are or are not in their orbit. Proximity bias has been described as an unconscious tendency where people in positions of power or leadership tend to favor those physically closer to them (Cooks-Campbell, Leadership & Management, 2024). I would argue that this type of bias extends to the vendor-customer relationship.

In 1990, United Airlines released a commercial that portrayed a sales manager who told his account team that they had lost one of their oldest customers. He said the customer, whom they had been with for 20 years, claimed not to know the sales manager’s company anymore. The sales manager said he and his team were to get back in front of their customers because they had relied more on technology (phones and fax machines) than face-to-face interaction. Today, product vendors and service providers have a portfolio of tools to connect and engage with their customers; however, they will require the right mix of engagement throughout their journey from awareness to consideration, purchase, retention, and advocacy. Indeed, this journey will require purpose, planning, and performance.

Real Examples of Proximity

Place

Being geographically close to customers has its privileges. One of my largest customers was scheduled to renew 70% of their portfolio within 12 months, and even though we were in constant contact with them, face-to-face meetings would be crucial leading up to the renewal date. Many of the account team members were flying into town from faraway states. Coordinating schedules to get value from meetings was already challenging for both sides. I, however, resided only 90 minutes from the customer, and it was nothing for me to jump in my car and head to their offices for important follow-ups that required a quick physical response time when needed. Meeting face-to-face provided the regional presence that was needed to provide personal service.

Time & Occurance

As a customer success professional, I’ve seen my share of support cases, some involving outages. These cases can be damaging from a financial and reputation perspective and can get tricky when the incident happens in different time zones. My previous company had a Severity 1 notification system with follow-the-sun support, which informed me and support management of any outages the customer experienced. The standard response time was one hour. I would have such notifications sent to me via email and text so that I could connect with a support manager to get an engineer assigned immediately rather than receiving automated notifications that may not get a response until closer to the one-hour mark. I would then brief my account team on the incident and discuss the next steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. Within minutes, I would connect with the customer to assure them that we had the right people working on their behalf to address the outage. This type of proximity in time was the high-touch experience crucial to confirming to the customer that this issue was promptly addressed.

Order

Customers expect priority status regardless of what product or service they have purchased or licensed from you. Other companies are willing to pay a premium to get that priority service. When planning a customer’s upgrade to a more current release, migration to a different application, or even doing a hardware tech refresh, I would coordinate with support to make them a hot site. A hot site is the status given to a customer when planning the date and time of the above-mentioned events after hours or on the weekend. Should the customer experience a problem during the above-mentioned events, they could contact support and receive priority status to resolve their issue. It’s sort of like the FastPass at Disney! This type of proximity, in order, provides personal service and assures the customer that they are in good hands.

2 Best Practices to Improve Your Proximity and Have Better Relationships and Outcomes With Your Customers 

Below are two common sense, evidence-based applications that are working in the CS industry to build trust and credibility between vendors and their customers:

Physical Proximity

  • Onsite Visits: Make sure they are consistent, as agreed to by the customer, particularly if they are high-touch customers. Local or regional face-to-face meetings create stronger bonds, allow you to better understand a customer’s environment, and pick up on nonverbal cues that could otherwise be missed on virtual platforms. Ensure that every visit has an agenda and adds value to address specific needs communicated by the customer.
  • Local or Regional Events: Organize or participate in regional or local industry events and workshops. Your presence will demonstrate a commitment to your customer’s success within their community, and these events could also produce networking opportunities.

Relational Proximity

  • Communications: Consult with your customers to identify the meeting cadence that best suits them. Would they prefer communications by email, phone, video conference, or a combination of these options? Do they prefer weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly calls? You can use CRM tools to track all interactions and preferences relative to your customer’s priorities. Be aware of and sensitive to excess communications.
  • Proactive Engagements: Based on your customer’s industry, business profile, and historical engagements, anticipate their needs and reach out with potential improvements they could validate. Understand their pain points and provide success plans related to them. You can assess these needs utilizing customer success platforms that track usage, health scores, and other metrics.
  • Feedback: In addition to survey tools you may use, solicit feedback regularly from your customers to get a perspective on what they desire from you for continuous improvement and how well you are executing these improvement plans.

In Closing

Proximity is linked to customer success’s effectiveness by building and nurturing relationships. CS leaders should develop and project a clear sense of being near their customers through these personalized engagements.

References

Cooks-Campbell, A. (2024, March 12). Leadership & Management. Retrieved from BetterUp: https://www.betterup.com/blog/proximitybias#:~:text=Proximity%20bias%20is%20an%20unconscious,the%20expense%20of%2 0remote%20workers.

Cooks-Campbell, A. (2024). Proximity bias: definition. BetterUp.

3 Tips On How To Answer “Why Should We Hire You?”

3 Tips On How To Answer “Why Should We Hire You?”

“Why should we hire you?” is actually one of the most common questions asked in a job interview. If you’re feeling upbeat and glad this question is being asked, you’re at a good starting point because it’s a question that gives you the opportunity to specifically inform the employer what you have to offer, why you make a good fit, and continue to sell, sell, sell to seal the deal to get a job offer.

When answering this interview question, there are several things you need to think about…

1. What Do You Have To Offer That Others Can’t?

Often, when you’re asked, “Why should we hire you?” the thinking is to simply respond with relevant skills and experience. But if you really want to win the employer over, you need to take it a step further.

One of the most important questions to ask in an interview is: “What is the biggest challenge someone will face in this position in the first six months?” Knowing this, answer as to how you have faced these challenges before and stress the results you have achieved. Also think about not just the relevant skills and experience you have to offer, but how those skills and experiences differ from what other candidates may be able to offer.

2. Why Do You Want To Work For Them?

Man answers the interview question, "Why should we hire you?"

Employers want to hire talent who will be excited to work for them, so when you respond expressing your interest in the company and the business, make sure it’s backed up with information.

You don’t just want to say a blank statement like: I like the company and its culture. Offer details on it like: “I’ve seen how the company has maintained its competitiveness with the product launch of X, Y, and Z and infiltrated new markets like Asia and Europe. I believe in the company’s approach and that it will be a long-standing leader in the industry, and I’m passionate about the product and the company’s mission, so I’d like to be part of it. I believe I can add value with my previous experience and success in…”

This latter response informs the employer more about why you want to work for them and how you can bring them value. Of course, you will have to do some research ahead of time on the company and business to be able to provide such a response.

3. Where Do You Want To Be In Three Years?

Woman shaking hands is asked, "Why should we hire you?" in a job interview

The last thing to consider when asked, “Why should we hire you?” in a job interview is where you want to be in three years. This is where you have to show that you want to stay with the employer since retention is key to them.

It is also a great opportunity to ask the hiring manager about career growth. Good answers include: “I like to stay challenged and learn new things, and I think your company can give me that opportunity. What kind of positions have others who started in this role moved onto?”

Whether you’re asked, “Why should we hire you?” in a job interview or not, be prepared with a response to this question by thinking about these three areas. Either way, you’ll want to make it a point to talk about what you have to offer as an employee and business-of-one, why you want to work for the company, and where you see yourself in three years. With this strategy, you’ll secure the job offer in no time!

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Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!