Job Search Scams are like a Rubik’s cube....

There are hundreds of possible combinations, and you waste a lot of time cycling through them all

So, I spend hours upon hours... upon hours searching job listing sites of all sorts. However, I'm not sure what is more frustrating? Spending hours of my days searching and applying to jobs and not receiving any responses or applying to jobs (or being contacted after the prospective employer saw my resume) to find out they are a scam?

I received an email from a guy that said he saw my resume (not sure what website considering I have SEVERAL accounts). The email looked legit but I googled the last part of his email (@acmecompany.com) anyways and found it to be an actual company. The attachment he provided said "Application for Incredible Talent Inc" (names of companies withheld) which raised a question in my mind. The email went on to read that they are a media company and because of this they need a profile shot (face picture) and a full body shot picture so they know "who they are talking to". Because I thought the difference in company names were fishy, I investigated... (start the stop watch!)

I looked again at the company website to find more information on "Acme Company" which is a rather large company. I found email addresses located on the site and they look similar to person that emailed me. While looking at their website they did not appear to be a "media company". I Googled "Incredible Talent Inc." and found absolutely nothing. So I found the phone number of the local office for Acme Company and gave them a ring.

Receptionist: "Thank you for calling Acme Company how may I direct your call"

Pink Moon: "Hi there. You might be able to help me actually. Is your company affiliated with Incredible Talent Inc. ?"

Receptionist: "No ma'am. We are an environmental company"

Pink Moon: "Oh I see. Do you know if a Mike Smith (real name withheld) is employed there? You see, I received an email from someone claiming to be from your company but the gentleman sent an application for Incredible Talent."

Receptionist: "We have a few thousand employees so I'm not sure"

Pink Moon: "Okay well then could you connect me with your Human Resource Department so I can alert them? Thank you"

Unfortunately I did not get through to their Human Resources department because of the time zone difference. But the frustration lies in the fact that I had spent 20 minutes just checking this guy out.

I am leery about a lot of responses I receive where the person uses poor punctuation and grammar i.e. "i saw u resume and wuld like to interview u for j.ob we have". Or where the employer is out of the country and I would have to manage mail from a post office box. But then there are those employment "opportunities" where they are just as much of a rip off or waste of time/money selling insurance or whatever. It is really hard to digest just how much time is wasted investigating job search responses when time is money... and I have neither right now. I pray that people use common sense and not fall for these bozos.

~Pink Moon~