When the pandemic and its restrictions forced everyone online, ready or not, it opened up new ways of doing business – and we’re not just talking legit business. Vice calls 2021 “the year scamming blew up”. And with South Africa’s unemployment rate sitting at a record 35.3%, people here are especially desperate – and vulnerable, especially to job scams.
Red Flags Ahead
Sibonginkosi Zuma, Head of People Operations at VMLY&R South Africa, shares her top five red flags:
1. Job ads that ask you for payments, such as registration fees
This one’s actually quite easy to fall for if you’re new to job hunting. It sounds reasonable – a recruitment company charges a small admin fee for you to register on their books or you’re in the running for a job, but you need to pay a small amount for academic, criminal or other standard checks.
Spot the scam: The truth is, there are absolutely no circumstances where a prospective employer would ask a candidate to pay money as part of the interview process, says Zuma. And when it comes to recruitment agencies, asking candidates for payment is illegal.
2. Jobs ads that don't have proper contact details
One way to check if it’s a real job offer or a job scam is to call the company. “Hiring managers would post correct company details for applicants to be able to reach them,” says Zuma. “The applicant can call the company and verify the hiring manager’s details. Applicants should request recruiters to disclose which company they are hiring for, the applicant can then call the company to verify whether the role exists.”
Spot the scam: Look for company name, contact number and job references, says Zuma. If you can’t find any, it’s likely a scam.
3. You’re contacted by the people/company without sending an application
Yes, head-hunting is a thing, but it usually happens at higher levels and executive search professionals (head-hunters) will approach a candidate in a professional manner, explaining how they came by the candidate’s details and sharing their own – verifiable – contact details.
Spot the scam: If someone randomly calls you up about a job that you haven’t applied for, be suspicious. If they ask you for money or sensitive information like your bank details, it’s a job scam.
4. Vague job description and requirements for the job
Job ads are there as much to weed out inappropriate candidates as to attract good ones. So they should provide enough detail for candidates to get a sense of whether they’re suitable for the role or not.
Spot the scam: You know what they say: If it sounds too good be true, it probably, in this case, is a job scam.
5. The job ad has been posted several times on different websites with different contact details
It does happen that a few different recruitment agencies sometimes get mandated to fill the same position – but you should approach with caution.
Spot the scam: If the contact details are all for the same recruitment agency but different people, or they’re for different people from the actual company that’s hiring, this is a job scam. You won’t find more than one person handling the same position. Also, be wary of where you look for jobs. To be safe, stick to reputable websites. Zuma recommends:
- Bizcommunity
- Indeed
- Career Junction
- Pnet
- Careers24
- Corporate websites advertising their own positions
Jobs at Vodacom:
Check out the career opportunities at Vodacom.
Cover image by Getty Images
