Job scams are now rampant in Nigeria, and different people become prey to them daily. The process of scouting for a new job can be a hard task and it can as well be easy. However easy or hard it comes for you, you should not have to go through the stress of worrying about which job is fake and which one is real.
It would be a disaster to channel your resources, that is energy, time, and all, into a scam scheme. That is why I have provided you with these nine tips on how not to fall victim to fake jobs.
Table of Contents
How to Identify a Fake Job
-
No Online Presence
This is the first way to identify a fake job. We are in a digital era and there is always a trail of each and everything online.
Cultivate the habit of researching any company you want to apply to. Study up on the company, don’t just get ahead with hearsay or because you were informed by someone you know or trust. Apart from helping you know if the job is fake and all, it also prepares you for the job.
Researching about a job helps you know about the company, its mode of operation, staffing, scope, etc. So, if you search for a job or company online and there is no search result or trail of any sort, it is the wrong bus to board. Please, run for your dear life.
no online presence
Read also: 10 sites to get remote Tech jobs in Africa.
-
Irrelevant Email Address
Always check your recruiter’s email address. You can identify a fake job if you get an email from a recruiter of a particular company and the email address is not that of the company. The way to know a company’s email address is to check it up online. You should also double-check if the email is sent through a personal email address.
-
No Application
Imagine this, a hiring professional calls you or messages you and informs you that he or she came across your profile online and you happen to be fit for a particular position they are looking to fill. This can happen. But while it can happen, do your homework. After your call or after you have read the message, do research on the company, do they exist? do they have the position? and are they looking to hire more or new hands?
-
Incredulous Pay
I like you, and that’s why I write this to you, that “any pay that looks too good to be true is in most scenarios, too good to be true”. A company is willing to pay double the average salary of a particular position? Think over it again. The best a company can and will do is to beat a competing company’s salary by a particular percentage, not double it.
Read also: 5 Online jobs for Students in Nigeria to make easy Money.
-
A Job Offer
This is crucial to identifying fake jobs you may want to take up. You did not attend any interview nor had any form of assessment and yet, you got a job offer? Yes, you think it is the miracle you have been praying for, I agree with you that miracles happen every day. But this job offer you got, no, it is far from a miracle. It is a scam. It still boils down to what I have been saying. When you get your job offer, research the company or business. Do they exist online, and how high or rated is their presence online?
A Job offer
Would you love to be in the midst of expert online entrepreneurs? If yes, join our fast-growing Whatsapp community.
-
Grammatical Errors
I believe you have once come across a write-up and you were turned off. Why? It is most likely because you could not comprehend what message is being passed across nor were you able to assimilate the content due to grammatical errors.
Grammatical errors can be in the form of wrong capitalizations, wrong use of tenses, spelling errors, etc. So, grammatical errors are another way to identify a fake job. Official emails are expected to be carefully constructed and proofread. Official emails are error-proof.
-
No Specific Job Requirement
Another way to identify a fake job is that they have no specific requirements. They do every other thing well, but there is no specific description as to the prerequisites or description e.g. requirements are that you must be young without specifying the age group, have an internet connection, when virtually everyone has that, can communicate in any language (we all use one language or the other to communicate), etc. Be careful of this.
-
Request for Personal Details
Any job that requests personal details is a scam. No job should request your ATM pin or other personal details. The only time a job should request your details is if you got the job and your account number is needed for salary purposes.
-
Payment Requirements
This is an easy way to identify a fake job. What exactly are you paying for and why do you need to pay for it? You are sourcing for a job to fulfill yourself and pay your bills, how did the job become a bill again? No legitimate business or company would require any amount from you, so beware of that.
How to Identify a Fake Job Interview.
Still in line with this topic, if you’re able to identify a fake job interview, then the chances of you getting a fake job will be reduced. That’s why you also have these tips to guide you from falling prey to a fake job interview.
- Check the online presence of the company and be sure it is a valid one.
- Always confirm the address before you set out to go for an interview. You can also call someone who might know someone that stays or knows the location of your interview. Be careful of suspicious locations.
- Examine the email address and see if it tallies with the company’s name.
- Beware, if you were asked to come for an interview when you did not apply for the job.
- Search for jobs only on trusted platforms.
Conclusion
You will do well to keep yourself from becoming a victim of the fake job stories that fly about every day if you put these tips in mind while searching for your dream job.
If you love what you just read, subscribe to our newsletter and our Youtube channel for more latest and insightful content.
About Author
-
I am Oluwatoowo Onifade
A graduate of English Language from Obafemi Awolowo University.
I am a content writer, fashion designer and a baker.
Belief- learning never ends. You can learn from anywhere, anytime and from anyone.
My hobbies are arithmetics and reading.
Latest entries
CareerNovember 17, 2022How to Write a Reference Letter (For Supervisors to Use as Template)
SpiceNovember 3, 2022Fun Birthday Party Ideas for Nigerians
LifestyleOctober 16, 2022The Pros and Cons of Listening to Music While Reading
CareerOctober 3, 20227 Effective Ways To Develop Innovative Ideas And Solutions