Unemployment Support Group
Recently unemployed or frustrated with the job search? Unemployment can affect more than just the bank account - it has a negative effect on motivation and self-esteem, even sense of identity. This community addresses the challenges associated with unemployment and how to cope.
It seems that wherever there are desperate people, there are a huge group of vultures ready to jump on them. People trying to take advantage of unemployed people, by posing as legitimate employers, are the true scum of the earth. I am sick to death of them and wish nothing but bad things on them!
I am sure most of you know all this already, but partially for those who don't and partly just to vent, here is my list of jackasses to look out for:
1) People who want money. Hello, I am answering your ad to GET paid, not to pay you! Sometimes it's $25, sometimes it's thousands these jackasses want. It doesn't matter what their reason is: for instance, no legitimate business makes you pay for the background check or drug test. Anyone asking unemployed people for money upfront; guaranteed you'll be lucky just to make it back.
2) If they tell you what to dress like for the interview (usually they will insist on "business professional"), guaranteed you will show up and be seated in a room with 15-30 other people. Then, you will be shown a video about how awesome the company is and/or be made to listen to an obvious long-winded sales pitch which has very little to do with the nature of the job itself. If you are still sitting there when the self-proclaimed millionaire in the cheap suit stops talking, you'll be told how much you have to pay to drink their Kool-aid.
3) "Invisible shoppers", "survey takers", and pretty much any "work from home" job = gimme your personal information, don't ask who I am because I won't tell ya, prepare for spam!
4) Anyone who calls you the same day you applied for the job, or first thing the next morning, did not even look at your resume. Desperation = job from hell or moneymaking scam.
5) So many jobs, especially sales jobs, purposely mislead you into thinking you are applying to be a supervisor, manager, office assistant etc. I once showed up for what turned out to be a minimum-wage lowest-level job in a nursing home, advertised as "Event and Activities Coordinator". Always ask exactly what the job entails if they are vague in job description. Don't waste your time and energy, because you'll walk out of there more dejected than you already feel. And your attitude is your most valued commodity when you have no damn income - even though people try to sap that out of you too!
I am sure most of you know all this already, but partially for those who don't and partly just to vent, here is my list of jackasses to look out for:
1) People who want money. Hello, I am answering your ad to GET paid, not to pay you! Sometimes it's $25, sometimes it's thousands these jackasses want. It doesn't matter what their reason is: for instance, no legitimate business makes you pay for the background check or drug test. Anyone asking unemployed people for money upfront; guaranteed you'll be lucky just to make it back.
2) If they tell you what to dress like for the interview (usually they will insist on "business professional"), guaranteed you will show up and be seated in a room with 15-30 other people. Then, you will be shown a video about how awesome the company is and/or be made to listen to an obvious long-winded sales pitch which has very little to do with the nature of the job itself. If you are still sitting there when the self-proclaimed millionaire in the cheap suit stops talking, you'll be told how much you have to pay to drink their Kool-aid.
3) "Invisible shoppers", "survey takers", and pretty much any "work from home" job = gimme your personal information, don't ask who I am because I won't tell ya, prepare for spam!
4) Anyone who calls you the same day you applied for the job, or first thing the next morning, did not even look at your resume. Desperation = job from hell or moneymaking scam.
5) So many jobs, especially sales jobs, purposely mislead you into thinking you are applying to be a supervisor, manager, office assistant etc. I once showed up for what turned out to be a minimum-wage lowest-level job in a nursing home, advertised as "Event and Activities Coordinator". Always ask exactly what the job entails if they are vague in job description. Don't waste your time and energy, because you'll walk out of there more dejected than you already feel. And your attitude is your most valued commodity when you have no damn income - even though people try to sap that out of you too!
7) Nobody has perfect grammar and spelling anymore, but when they can't even handle a short job description without making several major errors - and when there are tons of exclamation points and capitalization like they're shouting at you - it's your first sign that the place is very unprofessional at best, at worst a total sham.
Add more if you like!
The Internet has been usurped by sociopaths and money-grabbers. (remembering the Nigerians looking money from us 13 years ago)
9) When someone says they saw your resume online and you did not apply to them, look out. Especially if it's an employment agency. Unless you have tons of experience at a specific job on your resume and this place is calling about the exact same position, why are they contacting you? Even then, what self-respecting company searches the net scanning random resumes, offering jobs to people who have shown them no interest?
10) You ask very basic questions of the person who contacted you to setup the interview, and they refuse to answer - they say "this will all be discussed at the interview"; and hang up if they refer to the interview as a "presentation". That means you will be sitting there among a group of people, being forced to watch a sales pitch. No legitimate company gives you a sakes pitch on why you should work for them - saving any truth they have to offer about the job until the end and hoping you are so bedazzled by that point you won't see what a scam it obviously is.