Greg's Corner

New job scams targets your resume

By Greg Collier

There are an untold number of scams that target those looking for employment. Just off the top of our heads, we can think of the fake check scam where scammers will give you a stolen check to buy supplies with and return the balance to them, but eventually, you’ll be the one losing money. Then there is the reshipping scam, which uses unwitting participants to send stolen goods to a third party to avoid prosecution. Some jobseekers have gone to jail for this scam. Then there are many scams that are just trying to steal your identity. Now, there is a scam that tries to take your money as soon as you post your resume online.

As anyone who’s submitted their resume in the past 15 years knows, your resume is hardly ever reviewed by a human being. Most resumes are scanned by computer software that looks for certain keywords related to the position being applied for. This has led to some applicants thinking they can fool the software by putting keywords in white text on their resume. Now, scammers want you to pay them to ‘improve’ your resume.

After you post your resume online, scammers will reach out while posing as prospective employers. You’ll be told y our resume looks good, but you’ll have a better chance of getting the job if you have your resume ‘reformatted’. The applicant will be directed to a website that offers a resume reformatting service. These so-called services can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

When applying for a job, you should never have to pay money for anything, whether it’s a background check fee, a drug test, or resume reformatting. As long as your resume is clear and concise, there shouldn’t be a problem. If you’re unsure how to write a resume, some tips can be found here.