Looking for a job on the internet must not be focused on landing for a scheduled job interview only. We must also consider our safety and take cautions and common sense in searching and applying for a job.
But before you go to your job application, you should know that there are requirements that you must meet or submit before you can continue to the online process. These processes include signing up, uploading of your curriculum vitae or resume, and filling up forms that contains mostly your personal information. And because they are requiring the applicants to fulfill these processes before continuing they are also responsible to take security measures for their applicants security. Here are some of the risks that they are to minimize and protect their applicants from, enlisted here are as follows:
- Identity Theft – Some of the job post are only posted for doing fraud.
- Phishing – These job posts are only after your email address just to send enticing invitations to visit their fraudulent sites.
- Pay before boarding – these are schemes will ask you a certain amount of money like some kind of security for your place.
- Financial frauds – some schemes will only extract or gain some of your banking information to rob.
- Malware or Virus – when you are transacting or applying online you are also expose to malware or virus.
Although jobs platform is already doing their best to minimize these risks for you not to get involve, you should also take the initiative to be cautious on your actions. These are some of the tips that will help you or will remind you of the things that you should do or you should be aware of in searching and applying for a job:
Share only necessary details. The necessary details that these platforms will need will be mostly your Full name, Address and Phone number. Be wary of the details .that you will share like your Social Security number, birthday, and passport. Only share this information to trusted sources or sites.
Create a strong password. You should learn that there are password-dictionary applications used by hackers that will be able to crack your password. You should not use words coming from the dictionary or numbers only because they can also an application to crack the combination of your number password. A good password contains a mixture of letters, numbers or characters. You can also use “Passphrase” which can contain long phrases and some characters and numbers. Do not use same password for each platform.
Be realistic. Some of the job offers are too good to be true that is why you need to have a good judgement and common sense. Maybe it is a job offer that contains less work and big income. These is surely not true, we cannot earn money the easy way. Be cautious on these job offers and think of your safety.
Don’t click on suspicious sites. Some job advertisements will send you a link, always exercise caution. Check the URL and try to recognize the website. If it looks suspicious then don’t take the risk. If ever you get scammed you should contact the administrator of the website as soon as possible.
Use VPN. While you are looking, searching and applying for a job then you should be aware that you are sharing your personal details to the websites you signed up. However you can minimize the risk of being a victim of some third-party cybercriminals by using an encrypted connection. VPN or Virtual Private Network will provide you a security by encrypting your connection, protecting your activity while accessing your job platforms and will secure your location as well. This way you will get protection from hackers lurking around somewhere.
In finding a job, we sometimes forget our safety because we are focused on landing a job. That is why we should take these precautionary tips to help us land a job safely from fraud.
