It’s hard enough being a job seeker without having to deal with this junk.
Nick Corcodilos calls out a certain scam in this post: Job applications are the biggest recruiting scam
His readers mention a few more sleazy scams in the comments. It’s a depressing read, but it’s important that you understand that job seekers are not safe from scammers. From identity theft to opportunists to spread hope when they really have nothing to offer, you need to be careful.
Check out Nick’s post, and read through the comments. One of my favorite parts of his post is the end, where he tells you how to really vet whether a recruiter has real interest in you. He says you should ask the recruiter who calls you out of the blue:
“Why does your client want me?”
Hopefully you’ll get a real, sincere response. Then ask:
“When does your client want to talk with me?”
What you don’t want is to entertain fishers who are playing the numbers game. These questions help vet them.
In the comments, Scott says he asks “What do you know about me?” I find this to be a brilliant question as it will show you whether the recruiter reached out to you after a half-second look at your Profile, or because they really know who you are, what you have to offer, and are really interested in you.
I’m not saying all recruiters are sleazy, I know plenty that are consummate professionals. But the truth is it doesn’t take much to become a recruiter… I’ve been doing this for almost twelve years now and I’ve seen there is a revolving door for those who can’t do the job. The problem is, the incompetents that Nick talks about are there long enough to give the rest a bad name.
Eyes open, be wise, and be careful.