Local Talent
10-07-2009, 05:54 PM
We seem to have a lot of newcomers to the profession on this board (we've all been there). And we know how mysterious EP work may be to outsiders. So it can be hard to figure out how to get started and some may be willing to take a chance to score their first gig. Others out there may be willing to exploit this.
Since I've been noticing an increase in deceptive or downright dishonest employment ads lately, I thought I'd give everybody a heads-up.
First, Craigslist has emerged as the most active site for job listings in my area. I still monitor Monster and Careerbuilder (L.A. Times), but they're falling out of favor it seems. Even GDB uses Craigslist now.
Second, Craigslist is anonymous and many employers, even respectable ones, seem to prefer hiding the name of their company behind gmail or yahoo accounts, making it hard to know who you're dealing with until the call-back. I suspect they want to hide from their competitors that they picked up an account or how much they pay, or they could be a private party looking to hire in-house discreetly.
Third, the current recession is making crooks more brazen and job seekers more desperate.
That's a recipe for disaster, guys.
Once you have an interest in the EP world, you should start (and then never stop) gathering all the intel that you can on the companies operating in your area (and even outside your AO), their clients, their reputations and types of work. Google is, as usual, your friend, but so are the tabloids and sites like this one, where you can ask pointed questions. Keep articles and ads! Make a file of it all!
Also, in CA, the BSIS oversees and regulates all of private security: their search feature for company or principals' names is extremely useful. No one can offer you a job in the state without a PPO or PI license (unless you're the PPO or PI, of course, or they want proprietary security, but they'd specify this in the ad and likely ID themselves).
After a while you should have a decent grasp on who does what and where, how much they pay, and how they advertise jobs.
The point? All the above is an invaluable gold mine to tap into when a "mysterious" ad gets your attention.
Can you make out a company name from an acronym, or maybe one of the principals' names in an email address? Do you recognize the physical address, even if no company name is spelled out? All this would be most useful.
I could go on and on about phishing (don't use the ad's links, go to the company's site instead), or types of deception (training schools posing as employers), or types of scams (ID theft, "background check fees", etc.). Craigslist makes all this possible (they do crack down, but after the fact)...
Instead, I'd like to invite everyone to use caution and common sense... and share here their thoughts and experiences.
[Mods: feel free to move this to "Employment Opportunities" if it's more relevant there. Thanks.]
Since I've been noticing an increase in deceptive or downright dishonest employment ads lately, I thought I'd give everybody a heads-up.
First, Craigslist has emerged as the most active site for job listings in my area. I still monitor Monster and Careerbuilder (L.A. Times), but they're falling out of favor it seems. Even GDB uses Craigslist now.
Second, Craigslist is anonymous and many employers, even respectable ones, seem to prefer hiding the name of their company behind gmail or yahoo accounts, making it hard to know who you're dealing with until the call-back. I suspect they want to hide from their competitors that they picked up an account or how much they pay, or they could be a private party looking to hire in-house discreetly.
Third, the current recession is making crooks more brazen and job seekers more desperate.
That's a recipe for disaster, guys.
Once you have an interest in the EP world, you should start (and then never stop) gathering all the intel that you can on the companies operating in your area (and even outside your AO), their clients, their reputations and types of work. Google is, as usual, your friend, but so are the tabloids and sites like this one, where you can ask pointed questions. Keep articles and ads! Make a file of it all!
Also, in CA, the BSIS oversees and regulates all of private security: their search feature for company or principals' names is extremely useful. No one can offer you a job in the state without a PPO or PI license (unless you're the PPO or PI, of course, or they want proprietary security, but they'd specify this in the ad and likely ID themselves).
After a while you should have a decent grasp on who does what and where, how much they pay, and how they advertise jobs.
The point? All the above is an invaluable gold mine to tap into when a "mysterious" ad gets your attention.
Can you make out a company name from an acronym, or maybe one of the principals' names in an email address? Do you recognize the physical address, even if no company name is spelled out? All this would be most useful.
I could go on and on about phishing (don't use the ad's links, go to the company's site instead), or types of deception (training schools posing as employers), or types of scams (ID theft, "background check fees", etc.). Craigslist makes all this possible (they do crack down, but after the fact)...
Instead, I'd like to invite everyone to use caution and common sense... and share here their thoughts and experiences.
[Mods: feel free to move this to "Employment Opportunities" if it's more relevant there. Thanks.]