Watch out for common job traps
The Labour Department’s Interactive Employment Service reminds job seekers that if a job involves commissions paid at each tier (the so-called pyramid selling), the goods being sold are priced higher than market rates, or they are asked to pay a large membership fee and are persuaded to recruit members (including relatives, friends and classmates) as downline staff to earn profits rather than focusing on product sales, they should refuse the offer.
Some fraudsters use recruitment as a pretext to obtain important personal data from job seekers, such as identity card, bank account and credit card details; they also levy unreasonable fees under various pretexts and names, such as registration fees, data processing fees, administration fees and work permit fees.
Assess recruitment adverts and interview requirements
During the online job search process, if personal data needs to be provided, job seekers should consider whether the employer’s request is reasonable and whether there is a risk of excessive collection of personal data. They should not readily trust recruitment adverts that say “no experience or qualifications required” yet offer “high pay and good benefits”, and should check whether the salary of the vacancy and the required conditions match reality and market levels.
When attending an interview, always keep personal safety in mind, avoid going alone to unusually remote locations for interviews, and watch whether the interview process is overly casual. If the employer makes unreasonable demands, refuse outright, and never perform illegal work for the employer.
Guard against scams disguised as training or online part-time work
When job hunting, if you are told you do not meet the entry requirements for the vacancy and need to pay for a training course or other programme to upgrade your skills before being hired, you should stay alert — this is likely a fake recruitment aimed at defrauding money.
Fraudsters also steal job seekers’ belongings or obtain personal data during interviews, then siphon bank deposits or use the fraudulently obtained information for unlawful activities; or they claim to recruit for online part-time work, promising job seekers they can earn service fees or commissions by purchasing online game top-up cards on behalf of others, and once the job seeker provides the top-up card serial numbers and passwords, the fraudsters sell the credits and disappear, causing financial loss.
Fee principles of legitimate companies
Legitimate companies generally will not ask employees to bear any costs. If a job seeker is asked to pay unreasonable fees, they should stay alert.