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Safety Tips When Looking for Work Online
By Canadajobs.com Staff

When applying for jobs or going to interviews, there are a few things you should consider to help safeguard your personal safety.

Keep Sensitive Information To Yourself:

Certain information should not be put on your resume. This includes such info as your birthdate, your social insurance number, your marital status, and age. As well, you should not include any banking information or credit card information when applying for a job. You might also consider a post office box if you are worried about divulging your address.

Go With Your Gut:

If you go to a job interview and something isn't right, keep that in mind. No job is worth your personal safety or your mental health. If the work area seems dark or not well-maintained, it could be a cause for concern in the future. If the area doesn't feel safe at an interview, how will you feel leaving there should you have to work late at night?

As well, you should always let someone know when you are going on a job interview and the location of that interview. Make sure you know exactly how to get there and how to get back home.

If It Seems To Good To Be True...

You've just seen the perfect job ad, but something isn't right. It just seems too good to be true. Well, if it seems to be, it usually is. Do your homework by checking websites and doing an online search. Check the company name, the address to send a resume to, etc., through a search engine and add the word scam. For example, try searching "XYZ-Company scam job" without the quotation marks and see what comes up. Of course, this may not always work, but it's a good start. It might save you a lot of headaches in the future. Be as thorough when investigating a claim of salary or potential commissions.

Beware of Handing Over Cash:

You're vulnerable right now. You're looking for work, trying to make ends meet. No one should ask you for money to apply for a job. If you have any doubt that something is a scam, pass on it. Employment and placement agencies get paid when they find you a job, and they get paid by employers, not job seekers.

Keeping in mind these safety tips can make your job search safer. Just remember that if something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

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Copyright © 2005-2013, Farfan.
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