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The Impact of Job Scams on Job Searches

As the employment landscape evolves, job seekers face increasingly longer and more challenging job searches. Recent employment data reveals that the average duration of job searches has extended by several weeks compared to previous years.

Adding to the complexity of the hiring environment, job seekers are more frequently encountering job scams or fraudulent job postings. Scammers may create fake job listings to gather personal information or solicit money from applicants. Additionally, there are "ghost jobs," which are positions posted by genuine employers that have already been filled or for which there is no genuine intent to hire. 

 

 

Job Scams Becoming A Growing Treat in Job Searches 

According to our most recent Job Seeker Survey, 64 percent of respondents reported having encountered a job offer they believed to be fraudulent. Additionally, nearly 1 in 4 job seekers reported falling victim to a job scam. This underscores the need for job seekers to not only submit more applications but also remain vigilant to avoid wasting time or being exploited.

The rise in job scams and a slowdown in hiring has substantially increased the effort required for job seekers to find legitimate opportunities. According to our most recent Job Seeker Survey, 68 percent of respondents state that job searches in this economy require more effort than they anticipated. This increasing difficulty highlights the urgent need for awareness and strategies to combat job fraud effectively.

Job Fraud: A Growing Concern for Job Seekers

When asked about the frequency with which they come across suspicious job postings, 78 percent of those surveyed replied either "often" or "sometimes." This prevalence of fraudulent listings significantly complicates the job search process. Job seekers must not only sift through numerous genuine opportunities but also remain constantly on guard against job scams. This added layer of caution consumes time and energy, making an already challenging process even more arduous.

 
 
An image displays the results to the survey question: "How Often Do You Come Across Job Postings That You Suspect Are Fraudulent?" 21% responded Never. 20% responded Often.  58% responded Sometimes.

Understanding and Preventing Job Scams

At Aerotek, our goal is to offer job search experiences that are efficient and secure for all job seekers. To this end, we implement various strategies to verify the authenticity of our job listings. Additionally, we educate applicants on how to confirm they are interacting with a genuine Aerotek recruiter. Here is some guidance we provide to help applicants verify a job opportunity:

  1. We will communicate with applicants via a phone call, text message or an @aerotek.com email address. 
  2. We will never communicate with applicants through or ask them to use WhatsApp or Telegram. 
  3. We will never reach out with a @gmail email address (or any other email address other than @aerotek.com). 
  4. We do not hold interviews over Google Hangouts, WhatsApp or Telegram.  
  5. We will never ask applicants for money. 
  6. We do not hire for remote or data entry roles.

It is crucial for job seekers to remain vigilant and informed to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes. By adhering to these verification steps, applicants can ensure their job search process is both safe and legitimate, ultimately contributing to a more secure employment environment for everyone.

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