Here's how you can avoid job scams and find legitimate job portals
Nothing hurts more than applying for a job that doesn’t actually exist. When starting out, many of us struggle to differentiate between similar job portals and at the same time spend a large amount of time verifying authentic jobs. This may discourage you to search further especially if you’re a new graduate, eager to look for jobs and jumpstart your career but encounter job scams instead. We’ve been there, and we want to make this easier for you.
How to know if a job is a scam? Below is a checklist that ticks all the boxes for you to land the job of your dream and avoid job scams that plague the market. Let’s dive into it!
How to check if it’s a legitimate online job site
Full contact information
The first thing you notice when clicking to any website is the information displayed on it. Can you find enough contact information about the website owners, in this case, the job-posting service providers? Make sure you can find and verify these types of information:
Is the location real?
Even when it’s a remote-job portal, there must be at least one headquarter elsewhere traceable on the map. Then, compare the address to the actual site. If there is any mismatch, chances are the website is not as legit as claimed.
Can you contact them via email?
This is crucial to make sure you can reach someone in charge to help you with any problems using their service. After finding out as much as you can from the site, you can email them for some lingering questions and see how they respond. A reliable job portal usually takes care of your concern in a timely and helpful manner, giving you the instructions needed to navigate their website. If not, it’s likely one of the many red flags in the job search.
Are there obvious spelling errors?
Don’t get me wrong: Even as a native speaker, I sometimes mess up my language. But not on a professional website that might make a not-so-good impression on first-time visitors. If a company can’t afford to have a spellcheck team to make their portal error-free, think twice before applying for any jobs.
Identity theft: Be careful what kind of information you provide to avoid job scams
Normally, if you register for enough accounts of the same job-seeking type, you are only asked to provide basic contact information (name, age, address, mobile phone number, email, job title, and the like) and to confirm that you agree with their privacy policy. Certain European countries are strict with their data privacy issues so that they limit the amount of information the job portals can obtain. Therefore, you should definitely be on your guard if some websites require sensitive information, such as your bank account and/or security numbers. In times of cyber advancements, be careful what information you give out online.
Check social media presence
Let’s face it: It’s 2021, any legitimate online job sites would invest their time into building trust on social media platforms. Not only that, their brand message should be consistent on all channels. If you stumble on a website announcing that it specializes in designer jobs, but claims to cover every remote position on Facebook, be careful to avoid what seems to be a job scam.
Top 7 legitimate websites to apply to avoid job scams
So now that you know what steps are necessary, you can’t wait to kickstart your search! Before you begin, you may want to purposefully look for job portals by answering the question: Do I need a website for specific jobs, or do I want to look for multiple opportunities in different fields?
By answering this question, you have already saved a lot of time for a rigorous job search. Below are some of our recommendations of authentic job portals to help you avoid job scams early on.
Dribbble
Dribbble is a community for aspiring designers. It offers a space for learning, interaction, and showcasing your talents in everything design-oriented: UX, UI, web, and graphic design. If you’re looking for a legitimate website for design jobs, Dribbble is the place to go.
AngelList
This is a job site dedicated to startup hirings. AngelList displays necessary information about the employer of every job. They are also a playground for business investment and new product launching on the market.
But this entrepreneurial focus also means that the website is more suitable for higher-leveled employees. Therefore, if you’re just fresh out of college or a beginner, you may want to look for jobs elsewhere.
PowertoFly
Currently, PowertoFly focuses on tech jobs (although it offers a few other industries’ postings). The website aims to “fast-track economic equality by upskilling and connecting underrepresented talent to roles in highly visible sectors.” An unconventional and yet inclusive approach to job search, you can head to this website to look not only for legitimate jobs but you can also find reliable resources to improve your skills. And with greater skills come better employment prospects.
Undoubtedly the most popular on the list, LinkedIn brings miscellaneous job postings from all over the world. Its filtering features allow you to search for jobs by region, by industry, by job formats (full-time, part-time, remote), and more. With more than 87% of HR professionals using the platform, there should be little hesitation to look for jobs there.
However, keep in mind that you still need to verify the job posting because LinkedIn doesn’t automatically filter job posts. Recruiters can provide information to make it reliable but there is no other guarantee that it’s 100% legit. So if you’re extra careful or want to avoid job scams with websites that hand screen information for you, check out the next option.
Waw Asia
If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution for remote jobs application, Waw Asia should definitely be on your list. Here offer a wide range of jobs, from Engineering/IT, HR, to Marketing and other industries.
Every employer that hires on our website is carefully hand screened to make sure they’re reputable. Waw Asia puts our job seekers first, so we only display verified job openings to help you avoid job scams. You can also benefit from our subscription packages to increase your chances.
New jobs are posted frequently and closed jobs are also updated with a note so that you don’t waste time applying for them.
Join our growing community of remote workers
We hope you have learned useful tips to avoid job scams and find the most legitimate websites. Next step, you can join our thriving community of remote workers and enjoy immense benefits with a few simple steps:
- By registering for an account, you’re one step closer to the diverse pool of authentic remote jobs.
- Browse our list of subscription packages to leverage your job search immediately.
And definitely check out our podcast “Remote Work Station”, now available on Spotify, that features remote working professionals and gives you helpful tips for telecommuting!