Stay safe when job seeking

Vacancies – what to look out for

You should be particularly vigilant if you encounter any of the following:

• The vacancy advert has poor spelling and grammar or it is one that seems generally unprofessional
• The vacancy arrives directly into your email account from a source you do not recognise
• Be vigilant if the email has a different domain (the bit after the @ symbol) than the company name or it is a Gmail or Hotmail email address
• The rate of pay is higher than you might expect for the duties listed
• You receive a job offer without an interview, or without having met the employer, or after a very basic introduction to the work
• The job offered is very different to the vacancy advertised

Additionally, be alert if you are:

• asked to buy goods/equipment or make payments for the employer which will be reimbursed
• asked to provide personal details, eg a copy of your driving licence, passport or bank details without having met the employer or having verified that they have a legitimate need for this information
• asked to undertake training or work without pay
• generally speaking, if the role sounds too good to be true then it probably is!

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Concerns about a vacancy – what to do

If you have suspicions about any vacancy you find online – including those that may be advertised on legitimate job websites, including Career Connect – we advise you to:

• Stop – don’t respond to any correspondence if you feel unsure or suspicious about the vacancy – don’t give out any personal information – this could be used for identity theft
• Research – find out more about the organisation or employer you are in touch with – discussion forums often provide useful feedback – add the word ‘scam’ to your search. You can find organisation reviews on Glassdoor
• Check out the jobsaware website – this not-for-profit organisation has been set up to help to protect job seekers from falling prey to scam jobs
• Inform the Careers & Employability Service of your experience at careers@sheffield.ac.uk – please keep any emails as evidence of your correspondence with the fake/fraudulent employer
• Contact the Police or Action Fraud on +44 300 123 2040 – if you have been a victim of fraud and want to report it
• Beware of Fraud Recovery criminals – fraudsters may contact you offering you legal help to recover money you have lost. Be suspicious and only deal with those you know to be genuine

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Jobs boards and recruitment agencies

There are a large number of job boards, do your research before registering. In particular, read their sections: About us, Terms and conditions and Privacy policy, to satisfy yourself that they are well established, reputable and offer suitable student or graduate vacancies. You could also check the jobsaware website to verify that the jobs board you plan to use promotes job scam awareness.

Recruitment agencies promote vacancies online but are also likely to have offices providing a more personal service. If you get the opportunity, call in and speak to them so you can reassure yourself that you are dealing with a reputable organisation.

Only provide essential personal information

When you submit your CV to a jobs board or recruitment agency, you will need to include your personal details, so an organisation can make contact and invite you for an interview. Name, email and phone number are usually enough, so you can leave out your address.

Only include your address if you are applying directly to an individual employer, eg for an advertised vacancy. Don't give your home address if you are sending speculative applications to employers.

Finally, never include your national insurance, passport number, bank details or a photo.