10 ways to spot fake jobs and scams when job searching

You’re intrigued by this job. But is it real?

When you’re in the job search, your eagerness may cloud your judgement. But a little preparation and caution will go a long way when you’re out there in the job hunt. Don’t waste time on dead-end job leads or fall victim to scammers who are taking advantage of job seekers. Be savvy and look out for these telltale signs. 

10 signs of fake or ghost jobs

1. No salary specifics

   Consider a job post without a salary a negative sign. Maybe they want to feel out candidate quality, gather market information, or appear as a healthy business (by showing regular hiring). In any case, it’s a sign of their lack of commitment to fill the role. And there’s a good chance their salary and your expectations won’t match up once you do get that salary number.

   Avoid language such as “competitive pay” or “salary dependent on experience.” And skip any further interviewing when you don’t get a salary answer early on.

2. Unusual application methods

   There are some basics you should expect from companies during consideration of a job. That includes a business email account and a standard application process. Watch out for jobs that direct you to a personal email address (like @gmail), text messaging, or unknown job application portals.

   Be especially wary if you have to sign up on 3rd-party websites to apply or give unusual information before even applying.

3. Non-traditional interview processes

   Most companies interact with candidates the same way—a few email exchanges, a ramp up of interviews, then potentially an offer. But occasionally you’ll see some unusual behavior. You might have conversations via text messaging, calls that are unusually short, and offers that come out of nowhere. 

   It may just be the company’s style, but it could also indicate some dysfunction or ulterior motive. Be wary if you encounter this sort of behavior.

4. Pressure to act quickly

   A quick timeline for a posted job might seem appealing but it can also indicate a not-so-great opportunity. A company may want to avoid questions about the role, the pay, and themselves that may make you lose interest. They figure the longer you think about the role, the more questions you might ask. So they tell you that time is limited.

   Don’t let yourself be rushed into a decision. Give yourself time to think and do your research. If they try to rush you and you’re not ready, just yield, wave, and let them pass.

5. Over-hyped and ill-defined jobs

   We all want to work at amazing companies. But sometimes the description on the job post may be just a list of shallow one-liners meant to attract and distract. Watch out for language about unlimited income potential, excellent benefits, and rapid career growth that aren’t backed with more details.

   Great job perks should be matched up to high candidate expectations. If a job post spends more time focused on what the company offers and not what is expected of you, consider it a red flag.

6. No clear point of contact

   If you find yourself reaching out to “whomever it may concern,” be concerned. Real jobs have real hiring managers and the listings should come from real people. If there’s no point of contact—a hiring manager, an HR person, a recruiter rep—there’s a good chance it’s fake or will go nowhere. How do you have a conversation with nobody? And if there is a point of contact but they don’t appear on the company’s website or LinkedIn, move on. 

   You shouldn’t have to work so hard to find the personnel related to a job. Real, quality jobs are transparent about who you will be working with during the process.

7. No company online presence

   It’s one thing to not be able to find a point of contact. It’s another to not even be able to find the company. Every company has some form of an online presence—a website, a LinkedIn company page, a social media account, a Glassdoor profile. Lack of any kind of online presence is super suspicious. 

   Jobs from companies with no online presence should be considered potential scams and high risk. There’s a good chance they just want your personal information. So don’t talk to strangers.

8. Requests for personal information too soon 

   Maybe the job sounds legit and there’s a contact person and a company profile. They send you a preliminary job application that has a social security number field. That may sound reasonable but it could just be an attempt to get your personal sensitive information.

   Use great caution when giving out sensitive personal info—bank account number, social security number, passport details—early in the hiring process. Wait until you know more, preferably until you have a signed offer. 

   If the company requires some information for security checks, proceed with caution and only provide information through secure channels (i.e. not email) to companies you know are legit.

9. Unusually long or short job post duration

   Job postings that disappear quickly are likely fake. If you hear back from a job that you applied to but the posting is no longer available, ask questions about the status. Jobs that are open to candidates should remain visible.

   On the other hand, job postings that are around too long may possibly be ghost jobs—bogus job listings meant to boost their visibility and reputation. They could also be a means to collect resumes and data. Again, real jobs are listed for a reasonable amount of time. They come and they go. Everything else is suspect.

10. Poor listing quality

    Ever see a job posting with great pay and benefits and pretty basic requirements? Too good to be true? You’re likely right. Real job postings have specific role details and are written well.

    If a job posting has spelling or grammatical errors and an overly generic job description, consider it a sign that it’s fake or not from a legitimate company.

Wrap-up

Listen to your gut when looking at job postings. The real ones should give you plenty of important role information, be connected to real people at real companies, follow a standard candidate process, and not ask you to do anything unreasonable.

The best way to circumvent all of this is to rely on networking as your primary job search strategy. While nothing is 100% and you must practice due diligence in all you do, working with real people who can represent real companies can give you far more assurance than blindly applying. 

The job market is hard enough. Don’t waste time and energy on bogus job leads. Good luck!