This pandemic has caused an increase in unemployment. Many companies are putting hiring on hold due to the unforeseeable future. To close the gap of unemployment, one of the best things to do is to look for freelancing gigs or work from home jobs.

For those who are immunocompromised or those who live with young children or elderly people that need to be taken care for, work from home jobs are the best option to achieve social distancing and to gain full control over work schedule. People who opt to have this type of job can also negotiate for their fees without worrying about having any deductions or negative feedback.

However, because of the growing popularity and demand for work from home jobs, some job postings and ads can actually be scams. With this in mind, how can you tell if a job opening is a fake or a real one?

Here are the best ways on how you can avoid work from home job ‘scams’:

Check The Job Posting Details

The best way to determine if a job post is a scam is by looking at the job listing itself.

• Are there any grammatical errors on the post?
• Is the description too vague and does not detail any key information about the job?
• Have they listed down the job’s responsibilities and the minimum requirements needed for an applicant to have?

If you don’t see anything on the application and it’s filled with grammatical errors, you can definitely say that it’s a scam.

Research About The Company

Aside from shady job descriptions, you can tell if a job opening is a scam if the details of the company are not provided or the company name sounds vague. Before you even consider applying, research online if the company does exist and see if they have a public presence online through social media platforms. If you can’t see one, then you need to stay away from it.

Always Ask Questions

If the offer comes to you directly and you are still not convinced that it is a legitimate offer, always ask questions. Find out exactly what the scope of the job is, what are their expectations from you, how much will be the pay, and what kind of company they are.

Ask also for some key information such as their contact details and samples of their work to know more about them. If they can’t provide proper and useful answers to you, then you need to disagree with the offer.

Don’t Agree to Any Payments or Request of Any Personal Details

It is definitely a job scam if you are asked to pay for anything as part of your inclusion to the company such as training fees and the like. You should also stay away if they request for your personal information that is not necessary for job applications such as bank and card details, social security number, and other info that can jeopardize you.

Remember that if it is a legitimate job opening, employers will never charge you anything for your application and they will also provide free training.

Sometimes it is the Integrity Issue

The job scams could also mean a bad job in the end. It might be a job which requires you to write fake reviews on Amazon, TripAdvisor, eBay, Yelp, etc., or it needs you to call someone and pretend to be someone else, or it could be a job that pays but you need to write a thesis for another person.

Integrity is the quality of being honest and most people are determined to keep their values and principles intact. Thus, these jobs are not acceptable to them. However, taking these jobs will still depend on the decision of each individual.   

If it is too good to be true…

When it is too good to be true, it probably is – as the old but wise saying goes. If the job ad screams easy work and top pay, you need to take a closer look at the job details. What exactly do they want from you in exchange for the huge bonus that they are promising without having so much work to do? Always ask the company for detailed information about the job and think again.

Conclusion

Like applying for any other job that is office-based, always review the job openings that you’ve searched before you apply. Don’t be afraid to make inquiries and assess if it’s truly a legitimate job. If you think that the work from home job ad is fake, report it to the platform you are using to find jobs.

Remember that these job openings should not give you headaches but rather, give you a chance to apply and showcase your capabilities to the positions that you are interested in. Getting a work from home job can be stressful at first, but once you have it, you can work and earn in a more relaxed manner.

Do share this article out so that others will be protected from scammers!

Looking for freelancing gigs? Check out these articles for guidance:
How Freelancers can Survive the COVID-19 Impact
10 Writing Jobs That Pays For Real
10 Most Common Ways to Make Money with Your Website

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