When it comes to the Internet, scammers are everywhere! Even the world of employment has its fair share of scams and scammers. Those of us that seek employment are especially vulnerable, simply because we are too trusting.
Below are a few tips to help you be aware of the types of issues you may encounter.
One of the most important rules is NEVER upload your resume to any website that is open to the public and here are two reasons why. Firstly anyone can copy it, modify it, and use it for their own purposes of financial gain, at your expense. Identity theft is very real and comes in many forms. The last thing you need is the police knocking on your door because someone defrauded a company out of a good chunk of money and you have the burden (and expense) of proving that you are innocent. Secondly, some agencies (or individuals claiming to be with an agency) contact you with job opportunities, of which they wish to pay a fee for their service. These opportunities are usually fake, so beware. More often though, these job opportunities can be directly applied for through the company website, thus eliminating a person or agency just trying to earn a payday. Depending on circumstance this can range from unethical to illegal.
Never pay for a resume sight unseen. Two reasons for this is that you should always see what you are paying for to ensure what you are investing in is worth your investment. The other reason is that the resume writer might not even be real and you just sent free money to a scammer who just disappears without sending you anything. It is sad that these people do exist, as evidenced by a fairly recent newscast out of Edmonton.
Know your writer! Do your due diligence and research the person to ensure they are real, they have an actual licensed business, and they are local so you can meet them in person at their place of business, even if from home. There are many that claim to be writers that offer discount pricing but insist on meeting in a public place like Tim Horton’s. These are not true resume professionals, but rather typists that want to make a bit of pocket money. After all, the internet has many thousands of out-of-date resume examples that can be copied and used.
A good rule of thumb here is that bargain basement pricing will yield bargain basement results.