Job Boards, Job Seekers & Bunk Ads

We have all been there before ... the job board on Craigslist (cL).

As a job seeker, there are a few things that you need to be aware of:

1. cL, and most job boards, have bunk ads for jobs that do not exist, and they are:
   • fishing for personal information (a.k.a. spambots)
   • advertising for a product (i.e. Miracle Product, etc.), or a specific website
   • hiring for an MLM scheme to gain all of you personal contacts and email list(s)
   • overseas resume mining, or database building
   • staffing companies mining resumes for potential future jobs that do not currently exist (especially targeted for ACCOUNTANTS)
2. sometimes lonely people post ads on cL looking for "assistants:"
   • RUN, RUN, RUN AWAY!!!
   • do NOT, I repeat, do NOT agree to meet someone in a different city, state, etc.

Here are some things that you can do to protect yourself:

1. Verify and double-check that there is legitimate point-of-contact information in the posting:
   • if there is a name, telephone number, or email listed, you can easily do a reverse internet search on this information to find-out more about the Company, know who you are emailing
   • do not trust emailing any type of personal information to undisclosed recipients
   • make sure that this posting is not listed in multiple cities across the U.S., or abroad
   • make sure that the Company is in good standing with the BBB, and attempt to find blogs, reviews, etc.
2. E-Resume:
   • primarily, employers are looking for your job history (a.k.a. longevity, experience)
   • list your references as "available upon request" on your resume, provide reference information only when requested by direct correspondence
   • omit irrelevant information (i.e. hobbies, personal mailing address, etc.)
   • fancy cover letters are a waste of time, instead, supply work-related writing samples, when requested
   • protect yourself with a privacy disclaimer at the bottom of all e-correspondence
   • keep your resume to 1 page
3. Understand the marketplace for your specific industry!

Feel free to give us a call at (808) 354-0498, and we will be happy to talk with you about upcoming trends for the next few years. You can also contact us for Hawaii recruiting and job placement services. Happy job hunting & best wishes.