My partner Kim is out hunting for a job while I am building my business post-layoff. So, needless to say there is a lot a focus in my household right now on finding and attracting employment and business opportunities. While she is still employed, she knows she has stayed way too long in a job that isn’t serving her. Last week Kim got a call from a company that she never heard of or applied to. What was at first a hopeful exploration of something new quickly turned into a big lesson in trusting your gut, doing your homework, and avoiding job hunting scams.

After she got the call to attend a “job opportunity information session” she started ruminating on how odd the call seemed.

1) She never applied for a job at this company.
2) When she asked the woman how she got her information the woman said she couldn’t divulge her sources but it came from a reputed business contact.
3) The so-called meeting was being held in a small office suite that isn’t connected with the actual company this woman said she represented.

At first I thought Kim was jumping the gun and watching too much TV with concerns like “maybe it is a scam to get unsuspecting women to show up alone at a specified location at a given place/time”. After a while, though I encouraged her to trust her instincts and do a little due diligence research on the company that called. After a few quick Google searches on Primerica she discovered a wealth of stories similar to the one that was about to unfold for her. While it may/may not be an actual scam, it is definitely not an employment opportunity. It is a chance to listen to a pitch from a Multi-Level Marketing Company about how you can sell blah blah blah and make a million dollars for yourself and the people in the chain above you. Just about the last thing in the world that she would be looking for career wise. Now I don’t doubt there are people out there making money and enjoying an independent career with the company, but that most certainly is NOT what the people on the phone represent it to be. Take this story which seems to parallel the details of what started in our home. Basically surfing the web and job boards for people to call, these representatives of Primerica then make it sound like you’ll be exploring job opportunities when instead it is a sales pitch. Know those time-share sell your afternoon to listen to our sales pitch in exchange for nice tickets to a show in Vegas deals? Well, this is the job hunting world equivalent from what I can tell.

So, in our house it is back to the job hunting basics after a short period of drama. Most importantly, no matter how much you want a new opportunity it goes to show that in all situations you need to trust your gut and do a little due diligence. You also need to be clear on what is right for YOU. Whether this is technically a scam or not remains to be seen. But who really cares. The bottom line is to do research and act accordingly. And if it sounds too good to be true, it often is! That doesn’t mean you can’t be wildly successful at something and experience ease as you do it, just that other than winning the lottery, no one is going to throw money in your lap.

I recently wrote about job hunting and identity theft which is always something to keep an eye out for. But, what can you do to sift through the possible scams so that you don’t waste time, energy, or money on a dead end promise?

  • Practice Safe Surfing and Posting: Like any online activity stick to trusted names and be smart about what personal information you disclose.
  • Don’t Respond to Everything: Phishing is alive and well in the job world as well. Don’t open every e-mail that shows up and do a little research and due diligence before you respond to someone.
  • Never Pay a Cent: Jobs are meant to pay you not the other way around. Any job or opportunity requiring you to shell out money is a scam. Run in the other direction.
  • Know Telecommuting Rules of the Road: Sift through legitimate telework opportunities and know how to spot the scams. This article from Home Biz Tools is a handy start.
  • Cast a Conscious Net: Know what types of jobs you are targeting and why. Keep track of what companies you are targeting and where you submit your information. This will help you identify legitimate contacts from what is essentially Job Hunt SPAM.
  • Trust Your Gut: As Kim’s story illustrates – trust your instincts and know that if it either sounds too good or too vague to be true, it probably is.
  • Be Patient: In business and job hunting desperation sends opportunities running the other way. This is a fine reason why having an emergency fund is crucial so you need not panic. At the very least find something temporary to make ends meet while you search.
  • Network: Networking is the key to trusted sources and a wealth of information. Talk to people, they won’t bite. If you’re scared, follow some of John’s tips for Introverts.

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Paula Gregorowicz is the Comfortable in Your Own Skin(tm) Coach and you can learn more at her website www.thepaulagcompany.com and blog www.coaching4lesbians.com .

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