Useful Tips for Job Seekers:

Employment Scams:

International Staffing Consultants, Inc. is pleased to provide the following information about employment scams:

Tips To Remember: Be very skeptical of overseas employment opportunities that sound "too good to be true."

• Never give money to anyone to find you a job
• Never pay for or advance travel or other interview or relocation expenses.
• A legitimate firm will not make you buy your own airline tickets!
• Never send cash in the mail, and be extremely cautious with firms that require a money order, certified checks or any request for a payment to them! This could also indicate that the firm is attempting to avoid a traceable record of its transactions.
• Do not be fooled by official-sounding names. Many scam artists operate under names that sound like those of long-standing, reputable firms.
• Avoid working with firms that require payment in advance.
• Do not give your credit card or bank account number to anyone before you are employed!
• Read the contract very carefully. Have an attorney look over any documents you are asked to sign.
• Beware of an agency that is unwilling to give you a written contract. In fact, be cautious when dealing with any employment agency or hiring company that asks you for a fee!
• Do not hesitate to ask questions. You have a right to know what services to expect and the costs involved.
• Do not make a hasty decision. Instead, take time to weigh all the pros and cons of the situation. Be wary of demands that "you must act now."
• If you do send money, keep a copy of all agreements you sign, as well as copies of checks you forward to the company.

Additional Sources on Scams

1) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employment_scams

Employment scams, also known as job scams, are a form of advance fee fraud scamming where certain unscrupulous persons posing as recruiters and/or employers offer attractive employment opportunities which require the job seeker to pay them money in advance, usually under the guise of work visas, travel expenses, and out-of-pocket expenses.

The scams typically involve lucrative offers of employment in Europe, the Middle East, West Africa, or South Africa with money demanded to be paid to an agency or travel agent for visas or travel costs. These companies often present themselves with official looking websites and documentation. Once the victim has paid the advanced fees for employment, the business either declines employment or ceases operating as soon as the transfer is finalized.

This type of scam has become more and more frequent recently due to the popularity of Nigerian 419 scams, and growing suspicion towards e-mails offering to transfer money from bank accounts, especially those originating in Africa. Unlike 419 scams, job scams tend to mostly target persons looking for employment in other nations such as hopeful immigrants or contractors and operate out of nations with high immigrant and foreign employment rates.

It is advisable to be wary of any job offerings which arrive in e-mail unsolicited and eventually require anyone to pay a fee in advance, particularly if the fee is asked to be paid through a financial services company such as Western Union, or if one must pay the amount to a bank or person in a third country (especially a West African nation) that is suspiciously unrelated to either party. Most reputable companies and/or agencies will absorb these costs themselves if they are the ones seeking the employee.

2) For comprehensive information about scams of all types we recommend a visit to http://www.quatloos.com/ which is a public educational website covering a wide variety of financial scams and frauds, including wacky “prime bank” frauds, exotic foreign currency scams, offshore investment frauds, tax scams, “Pure Trust” structures and more.

3) Expat Engineer also offers a comprehensive exposure of several employment scams at http://www.expatengineer.net/

Sample Resumes This is a great site offering free examples of good-looking resumes for many professions.

Resume Writing: Accuro Resumes gives you the opportunity to have your future prepared with care. http://www.accuroresumes.com/

Executive Resume Writing Service - http://www.resumeserviceplus.com/ Resumeserviceplus provides resume writing service creating professional resumes that get the attention of employers.

E-mail tip: Hide Your Distribution List

Do not make it appear that you are “shot gunning” your resume everywhere. A good recruiter may be discouraged from contacting you if it looks like you are working with hundreds of other firms. When sending your resume to more than one company in the same e-mail message, use the “undisclosed-recipients” feature in your e-mail program, or the “bcc:” field to hide the list from the people to whom you are applying. Do NOT put your mailing list in the “To:” field. If your e-mail program does not offer a way to hide your list, simply send a message to yourself and then list your other addresses in the Blind Carbon Copy (bcc) area. This will make your contact seem more personal…James R. Gettys.

RESUME DESIGN: KEEP IT CLEAN

Loud colors and funky fonts belong on birthday party invitations, not your resume. Use these tips to let the real you shine through.

The Riley Guide: Free Information for Job Seekers. The Riley Guide introduces you to the online job search, listing many online sites and services that are useful for your job search. They do not post jobs nor resumes but instead point you to the places that do.

The Riley Guide: -How to Job Search -Before You Search -Where to Search -Resumes & Cover Letters -Research & Target Employers -Network, Interview, & Negotiate -Salary Guides -For the Recruiters -What's New -A-Z Index -About the Guide The Riley Guide Home Page

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