There’s a flurry of new jobs being posted on sites all around the globe by a fictitious company named Kings Security, Inc. This is not to be confused with Kings Security in the UK, which appears to be a legitimate business. Perhaps that is the reasoning behind this scammer’s company name choice…Hmmm….
We recently encountered this particular scam when a new employer registered to JobShouts under this name. The job ad, by all appearances seemed to be legitimate. However, after it received more than 13 applications in a very short period of time I decided to take a closer look at it. The job ad was VERY well written – it probably would have gotten the attention of a lot of job seekers:
“Front Desk Officer at Kings Security Inc.
We have several openings available for Front Desk Officer/Data Entry Clerk/Receptionist. We offer performance incentives/bonuses, excellent salary and benefits, flexible schedule in a very fast-paced, high-energy atmosphere.
Job starts as soon as possible.”
You can see why this would get a lot of interest, right? It says nothing about what qualifications someone must have, only that it offers performance incentives, bonuses, excellent salary/benefits, flexible schedule and that it starts as soon as possible. Who wouldn’t apply to that? If I were out of work, I sure would.
Once I googled it, I understood why.
Turns out it’s a Money Mule scam.
They might contact you and say that the job has already been filled, but they have another opportunity as a Mystery Shopper. This scam involves receiving a money order which you are supposed to deposit then recycle to the next victim. Alternatively, you might receive an email that appears to be from them, with an invitation to view a text file that could possibly contain malicious content.
WARNING TO JOB SEEKERS: No matter how desperate you might be for a job, listen to your instincts!! If a job you are applying to seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be VERY aware that there are people preying on job seekers. Legitimate jobs usually list some qualifications that you must have. Scam jobs will appear very attractive in an effort to get you to give up your personal information (such as your name/phone/address/email that appears on a typical resume).
Of course, I removed the job posting and “Kings Security” continued to attempt to post. They have failed on our site, but unfortunately these ads continue to be posted on may job sites around the world. Please help to spread the word and protect job seekers everywhere – make them aware of this job scam!!
When Geoff Peterson took a contract recruiting assignment with a client in TX last year, he had no idea it would spark a new line of creativity in his recruiting practices. Geoff found himself sourcing for a new type of candidate – one that was more industrial, more remote and more mobile. How could he most effectively reach his target recruiting audience if they weren’t reading job ads or using social networking sites? The answer for him in this case was mobile recruiting.
He noticed that nearly everyone at this TX client site had 1 thing in common besides a hard hat – they were all wearing mobile devices. Whether it was a Nokia, a Nextel, an iPhone or an Android – all of them had one. This was the best way to reach these candidates in their “offline” world.
It’s an interesting concept. It’s not complicated to accomplish, but this is a process that will take time. When you’re developing a talent network of candidates with particular skill sets, it always takes time no matter what method you use. So let’s put time aside and look at the logistics of mobile recruiting in this instance.
Even if you aren’t recruiting difficult to fill positions this could be a great way to get a message across to candidates that you’re hiring. Allow candidates the opportunity to opt in when they apply to a job on your site when they enter their mobile number. Additionally, you can distribute a message among trade publications or groups that they can receive job alerts on their mobile phones and tell them how to opt in. Have you seen advertisements saying things like “Text the word “MOBILE” to 45678″? Similarly, you would enlist the help of a mobile message delivery service and create your own process for people to opt in through their mobile. I think this is the most direct method. By only allowing an opt in through your ATS, you again limit yourself to candidates who are applying online.
Sometimes your target audience isn’t hanging out online or maybe they aren’t actively seeking a job. You have to think beyond traditional methods sometimes to reach the audience you seek – because your competitors are.
Hiring methods have forever changed. In the past 10 years, the internet has revolutionized the way we look for jobs as well as the way employers go about hiring. This became even more evident to me recently when I took on a new job seeker client; she’d had zero experience in using the Internet to find work. She had been in her previous position for the last 13 years and suddenly was out of a job because the small company she worked for was going under. She didn’t have an electronic version of her resume; only a paper one. She had never used a job board or even craigslist, let alone built a LinkedIn profile. She felt like a fish out of water.
It’s an all too familiar story, really. Many casualties of this recession have been long term employees of small businesses who suddenly find themselves without a job and without a clue about how to find a new one. Does this sound like you? You might be wondering, “where do I begin?” You might also be surprised when I tell you that job boards should not be your focus. Of course, they should be included in your job search efforts but they should not be the only sites you rely upon nor should they be where you spend most of your job search efforts.
First, let me tell you about 3 things that you MUST do/have before you start your job search:
- You MUST have a resume. If you can afford to pay a professional, then I’d advise you to do so. If you cannot, then there are a plethora of available resources to help you but you have to invest the time in getting it done or you are simply extending your unemployment. Make sure you have it stored on someplace other than just on your home computer. A CD is great but you should also keep a copy in gmail, yahoo or other free email account so that you can pull it up from anywhere. You never know when you might need it!
- Get a LinkedIn profile. This is just as important as having a resume. LinkedIn is the number one “go to” site for recruiters when they are looking for potential candidates. Not to mention, it’s a great place to make connections and network with other professionals in your line of work. Building your profile should be fairly self explanatory, as LinkedIn does a great job indicating how complete your profile is and what needs a finishing touch. If you aren’t sure how one should look, search profiles of other professionals in your industry. Find one that is complete and review it carefully. There are a lot of things you can include on your LinkedIn profile now such as blogs and tweets.
- Get a Twitter profile. Stop saying, “I don’t Twitter.” Stop saying, “I don’t get Twitter.” If you want to be noticed, this is a MUST HAVE tool. If you don’t get it, then read Twitter Tips. Then go build your profile and don’t flake out. Santa is watching and so is God. They will know if you skip this step.
Now that you have a resume, a LinkedIn and a Twitter profile, you’re ready to start! Here’s what to do next:
- ENGAGE. Here is the hard part. Most are afraid to jump in and start networking but you can’t be. Start with friends and family if that helps – connect with them on these platforms and let them know that you are actively job searching. Ask for leads. Don’t be afraid to tell anyone that you are out of work – this is NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF. Not telling people isn’t going to help you and they will still know you are unemployed eventually.
- Get INVOLVED! LinkedIn has thousands of groups and you should be a part of them! Search the groups on LinkedIn for keywords in your industry. These groups will lead you to others in your line of work that you can network with. In addition, there are job search groups that can help with additional tips and guidance. Make sure you continue to stay involved once you start! If you want people to take you seriously, this is the key. Besides, if you aren’t involved you won’t be on top of your game. Consistently staying involved is more likely to net more leads and connections.
- Get out from behind the computer. Yes, you read that correctly. This was the advice that worked like a charm for my most recent client. Visit every temp and employment agency that you can. Don’t rule out temporary work because full time work can often be found through them. That doesn’t mean send them all your resume by email. I mean shower, get dressed like you’re going to interview, get in your car (or on the subway, bus, train, whatever!) and beat feet. People don’t generally ignore you in person like they might be tempted to do through email. Make sure you bring paper copies of your resume as well as a CD with a Word Doc version of your resume on it.
- Review these tips as often as necessary and ask yourself, “Am I doing what it takes to get noticed?”
The most important thing to remember is to be kind to yourself. Job searching is a tough task for anyone and it can wear you down. Try to follow as normal a routine as you can. Maintain your Monday through Friday schedule; get up early and go to bed at a reasonable hour. Although your job search should be a full time job, you should still be taking time off. Weekends are a great time to recharge and doing so will help you remain sharp.
Do you have additional tips to share on how to get noticed in today’s work force? Please feel free to share them with us!
Do you find yourself shrugging off Twitter as a “fad”? You probably think that pesky rock music is too loud, too.
You can stick your head in the sand and refuse to learn the dance of social networking; or you can accept the fact that the younger generation likes “now” information. Really – don’t we all?
Twitter has clearly shown it’s value for JobShouts. In fact, we would not be as far along as we are without the help of our network on Twitter. JobShouts appeared in the LA Times within its first 2 weeks of launch, thanks to a Twitter connection. JobShouts continued to grow and become recognized through the network we lovingly cultivated over the last year. Twitter. Tweets. Not a shred of advertising. Shrug it off if you will, but I am now a FIRM believer in the power of social media.
I’ve seen folks get jobs, gain sales leads, make love connections and all kinds of other wonderful events through my social networks. I’m as close to these people (if not more so) than some of my own family. They are like a warm blanket on a cold day. That doesn’t just happen overnight, though. It takes time and attention.
So it’s up to you. Immerse yourself and learn, or hand the process to someone on your behalf. If you choose to do neither, don’t be offended when the technology generation passes you by.
We are happy to announce that we have a different look and some exciting new features! Our developers have been hard at work to bring you even more ways to tap into the power of social media as a recruiting source! Josh Hundley (@oJshua) and John Reeves (@vectorjohn) have done a bang up job in a short amount of time.
Since our launch more than 1 year ago, there have been more than 16,000 jobs posted on JobShouts.com! We can’t thank you enough for all of your support during our beta phase and we hope that we can count on your continued support. We have set the trend with regard to social recruiting and we are getting some GREAT feedback from all of you about the results you’re seeing!
Taking your feedback into account for development, we are now integrated with more social networking sites than ever! Our jobs are distributed to a wide network of listeners and targeted search traffic. With your help, word of mouth is spreading rapidly about the audience that we deliver. So it only makes sense that we put the power of social networking directly into YOUR hands and allow you to publish your job listings directly through your own social accounts, too!
In addition to an Employer Admin Panel, which will allow you to more easily manage the posting, editing and deleting of jobs – you’ll also be able to broadcast your job postings through JobShouts and your own social accounts all at once! Talk about word of mouth! We’ve even built in the ability to purchase job credits instantly through our PayPal payment portal. Don’t forget to look for promo codes! We’ve got a few of them floating around.
We want to thank all of you for using JobShouts.com – we owe our continued success to all of you! We’re continually working on site improvements based on customer use and feedback and we welcome yours. Do you have a JobShouts success story? We want to hear it!
Say no to high-priced job sites, Stop Feeding the monsters. Make the smart choice with JobShouts.com!
We have built a system that allows the budget conscious recruiter or human resource executive a way to save a few dollars on our job packages. These codes will change over time. So be sure to watch here for the official releases.
Code: Tweetdeal 33% Off any package.
Code: Facebook 33% Off any package.
The choice is yours as to which one you use. If you found us on twitter use the twitter code. Facebook? Use that one.
If you’re new to Twitter, you might not know that there’s an etiquette to it. If you’re one of those that say, “I don’t get Twitter”, then pay attention. In this world of social online connections, Twitter is a crucial method of communication between job seekers and potential employers and vice versa.
That being said, I’m going to give you some Twitter Tips to guide you on your path to understanding Twitter and making it useful for you.
1. Sign up. This might sound basic but I want to be sure I’m specific so I don’t lose anyone. When you sign up, it’s important to choose an appropriate user name. You want one that identifies you but doesn’t use up too many characters. This is to allow people to “re-tweet” things you say without your username using up too many of those 140 characters. (I’ll explain re-tweet later on in this article)
2. Complete your profile. A complete profile will contain your name, a nice close-up picture, your location and a short bio and a link. This link can be whatever you want it to be – your LinkedIn profile, your blog, your facebook page – whatever. Just make sure that the link you include is an appropriate representation of yourself. Remember, employers use social media too. I recommend using city, state for your location. This makes it easier for locals to find you.
3. Set your preferences. Do not protect your tweets. This is pointless unless you’re only using Twitter to talk to your 5 personal friends in real life. Twitter is a social tool. It’s meant to be used as such. On the mobile tab, you can activate your Twitter account on your mobile phone. This is useful so that you can route direct messages, or messages from certain people to your cell phone as text messages. That way when you’re not on Twitter you can still get that important message. You can also set time preferences, such as “only receive updates between 7 am and 11 pm” or whatever time frame works for you.
4. Find people to follow. This is the key to engaging on Twitter. In order to have conversations with people, or find a way to network with people you don’t know, you have to start by following them. First, decide who you are interested in following. It might be local people, other people in your industry or line of work, others with common personal interests, etc. Of course, you can start by following people you know, too! Often, people we know are a great source for finding other interesting people to follow. Find out who your friends or colleagues are following and go from there.
5. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was a Twitter network. Networking takes time and patience. It also takes involvement, so the less active you are the longer it will take. Keep that in mind. The more people you follow the more opportunities you will find to engage others and begin relationships. Quality of followers is more important than quantity.
6. Be aware! Like anywhere else on the internet, there are bots, scammers and viruses roaming on Twitter. If you get an odd direct message from someone asking you to click on a link – don’t do it. Reply and ask them what it’s about or if it’s legitimate. Sometimes these messages even seemingly come from those you know well – but don’t be fooled. Chances are, that person’s account has been compromised by a hacker. Err on the side of caution.
7. Don’t say anything on Twitter that you wouldn’t say out loud to a room full of people. Self explanatory, no?
8. Re-tweet when you can. A re-tweet (or an RT) is forwarding of someone’s tweet to your followers. If you like something someone has said, or like an article they tweeted, you can re-tweet it. This is a sign of endorsement by you and complimentary to the person you re-tweeted. This is often seen as a sign of endorsement of that tweeter and their content. If you want people to notice you, re-tweet them. It’s the highest form of flatter on Twitter and will get people looking at your profile – and hopefully, following you!
9. @ or Direct Message? If it’s something you wouldn’t say to someone in front of other people, then save it for a Direct Message. If the person you want to send the direct message to isn’t following you though, you won’t be able to send it to them. In such case, you can send an @ reply to that person asking them to follow you so that you can DM. @ replies are public, Direct Messages are not.
10. “What do I talk about?” This is the most asked question and it’s something I cannot answer for you. For each person the answer to this is different. However, consider what you’re using Twitter for. For most, you will want to present a professional image, but Twitter is also the place to let your personal side show. People are interested in who you are, not just what you do. Sharing things about yourself, your profession, industry related articles, funny things, technology news, etc. Just remember that what you tweet about will determine who finds you/follows you!
Do you have more tips to add to this list? Have you learned through your own trial and error what works? Please share!
Most people that are familiar with JobShouts know about our job postings and that we’re integrated with social media – but some may not know about or have yet to try our Social Search feature.
So, what is JobShouts Social Search? How can it help my recruiting/sourcing process?
If you’re an employer or recruiter who regularly uses resume databases to source your candidates, pay attention.
Social Search was developed from a sourcing technique that I personally used very successfully in my days as a recruiter. I specialized in recruiting a lot of hard to find candidates and clients were often amazed at my pinpointed accuracy. My secret? Social media, networking sites and search engines. I used a variety of sites to source from where I could make real connections with people based on a specific opportunity uniquely matched to them. Some might call this cold call sourcing or passive candidate sourcing. This method for me was very successful – so successful in fact, that I was able to stop relying upon resume databases full of outdated content.
The only trouble with this method was, it was very time consuming. Going to each site, figuring out what search criteria worked best, sifting through results for good quality, etc. Each site search could take from 5 minutes to 2 hours depending on the number of results that I got.
The premise behind Social Search was to streamline this process. Social Search allows you to search up to 8 different sites all at one time: LinkedIn, MySpace, Spoke, ZoomInfo, VisualCV, Twitter, Facebook AND – the best part of Social Search – the resume search feature. Social Search finds “hidden” resumes of potential candidates wherever they might be posted publicly, such as on their webpage or blog. Best of all, the results are sorted and labeled according to the network on which they were located.
Here’s an example. Using Social Search, I searched for “business analyst” in Miami:
You can see it pulled up a number of profiles on various sites; from there you can click on a profile to see if it’s a match.
So now let’s say you’ve located a great potential candidate on MySpace (“Suga Cane” listed above) but you don’t know her real name or how to reach her. Well, you can message her through MySpace and hope she responds OR, you can use the information you find on her MySpace profile to help locate her real identity.
This is what we know from her MySpace profile:
So now we know who she currently works for. Using “Gemaire” and “Inventory Control Analyst” I searched LinkedIn and found out that her name is Marisa Howell. Now, she’s a viable and potential candidate! Connect with her through a shared group on LinkedIn or use her name to search for contact information. It’s as simple as that.
Let’s face it – in the world of social media and online networking – far more people are keeping up with their social profiles more often than their resumes. Using this search will net specifically targeted candidates through publicly available information and eliminate the need for using a resume database. Recruit smarter, deliver better results to your clients and stop wading through the same candidate pool as everyone else.
Questions? I’m all ears. 🙂
Have you wondered how effective JobShouts is, or could be for you? Perhaps you have already heard from others but want to hear some statistics and details to help sway your decision.
JobShouts wants to share some figures about our performance.
Thanks to some great analytic tracking from Indeed, we are able show how well we stack up against other job boards.
We average 110 job views per listing. Indeed sends us about %35 of our traffic. As of this date we are averaging 5.3 very targeted responses per listing.
This is some pretty strong competition for the big bloated job boards. Take a look at what are our customers saying…
“I’m in talent acquisition with a national firm. I was able to utilize JobShouts and the platform enabled me to tap into some pockets of candidates that the big boards weren’t hitting. Moreover, to be able to show my posting as a Twitter post on a high volume Twitter user with virtually no effort made me look (really) good.”
“Over an 8 week span we had nearly 50 applicants apply to our technical positions as well as a few of our management positions. A good percentage of those that applied (60-65%) qualified for phone interviews.”
“I appreciated the ability to directly communicate with the candidate via email. That aspect enabled me to move highly qualified candidate through our processes more efficiently.”
You just simply cannot get better testimonials from your customers. We thank each and everyone of them for helping us come this far in such a short time span.
Make sure you watch for our promo codes. We know everyone likes to save $$$! Thanks for your continued support of JobShouts.com. The board built FOR recruiters BY recruiters!
For almost a year now JobShouts has been working very hard at delivering value to our employers and job seekers. During this time, we have seen a lot of garbage masquerading as jobs. Heck let’s face it there is enough pond scum out there who will gladly take advantage of you, given the right opportunity.
We really have no experience with Hound in the traditional sense. We are not job seekers. We don’t know or care what kind of jobs they have on their site. However, they have taken it upon themselves to post their jobs on our board – blatantly against our terms of service and AFTER repeated warnings. So many times in fact, that we now have nearly 1500 IP addresses banned from accessing jobshouts.com.
Can I say I just love how easy it is to ban an entire class C subnet with our firewall? Thanks Media Temple. 🙂 You guys rock for including that.
Hound.com also operates as lawcrossing.com, employmentcrossing.com, and HRcrossing.com. They may have a hundred more websites. This geek couldn’t care less but your jobs are NOT welcome on our board. We will never allow that to happen. EVER.
This morning I was greeted with a link to the content above via Google Alerts. I have Alerts set up so that anytime someone mentions JobShouts by name or by URL I get a notice. This notice, I’ll admit, completely incensed me. I cannot really get my head around the fact that hound.com is willing to pay a freelancer to post positions from their site to our site. Are they for real? What the F?
My immediate reaction at first was to contact the shorttask.com team and inform them of this flagrant violation against our terms of service.
Then I sat back and thought about it for a minute. Now I am blogging it to the world. Let the crawlers and spiders find this content. Maybe a wary job-seeker will be wise and find this before parting with their money. JobShouts believes that job seekers should NOT be paying fees for access to jobs. That is just retarded, that is what is ruining the online job experience for seekers.
Sites like the ladders.com and hound.com and its affiliates are not helping anyone. Especially when all the jobs they list are also on the large aggregates as well. Don’t waste your time with them. We certainly won’t!