Career Coach: Avoiding Scams While Job Searching

CHICAGO (CBS)– Scammers are preying on job seekers. This morning, the CBS 2 Career Coach is sharing what to look out for to avoid a scam.

CBS 2 is Working For Chicago and working with a career coach through this jobs crisis.

“If you’re being reached out in a non-traditional way by text or Facebook messenger, you should have your guard up,” Lynee Alves, president of Interview Like An Expert, said. “That’s not an appropriate way for a professional organization to contact you about a potential job.”

Alves said to look out for some signs like a vague job description and grammatical errors. It’s a red flag if the person is asking for your credit card information or asking you to pay for anything.

Another warning sign: if you get contacted about a job you didn’t apply for or a job that seems too good to be true.

“People who are desperate for work and who are looking for a job and want quick employment are understandably going to be excited about these opportunities, but they shouldn’t be,” Alves said. “They need to do their homework and investigate.”