By Quanita Kamaar
If you are unemployed and feeling the pinch of not earning an income, recruitment experts are cautioning job seekers to be wary of bogus recruitment campaigns. When registering with a job recruitment agency make sure that the company has a positive track record and is recognised. Working with reputable agencies can help safeguard you from being exploited as a job seeker.
“As a recruitment agency we go through a vetting process with our clients, we know who the companies are, we screen them to make sure they are legitimate,” said Pro Talent Recruitment Consultant Adrian Pillay.
South Africa, like many countries globally, continue to grapple with high numbers of unemployment. According to Stats SA 45,5% of youth (aged 15-34 years) in the country were unemployed in the first quarter of 2024 surpassing the national unemployment rate of 32,9%.
“It’s unfortunate that we have a high unemployment rate in our country, which makes it a lucrative market for opportunist taking advantage of people who are desperately looking for work,” said Pillay.
Scammers often make use of WhatsApp, SMS and social media to promote fake job adverts and lure in candidates who respond and apply for jobs.
Pillay further warned of the dangers for job seekers, “People look at a job adverts out of desperation, send through documentation without verifying and are convinced to pay a fee thinking it might increase their chances of being employed.”
It is illegal for any company to charge candidates, if you suspect you are a victim of a scam alert the local authority in your area.
Pillay further warned of the following red flags, “If the job advert is unclear or does not provide any contact numbers, makes use of free Webmail, Gmail, Yahoo accounts, I encourage you to do your research and get to the source of the advert.”
Individuals operating Pay to work scams often invite job seekers to an interview at a physical location. When they show up, job seekers are required to pay a fee. The costs are frequently justified as being associated with hiring, work equipment, clothes, training, or manuals. Ultimately, no positions are offered.
“When recruitment agents request payments or ask you to pay for a certificate claiming that it’s refundable you probably facing a potential scam operated by individuals soliciting money for their own personal gain,” added Pillay.
Pillay further emphasised the importance of accessing reputable job portals.
“Recruitment agencies like ours pay a premium subscription fee to access a database of suitable talent on platforms like Pnet, LinkedIn and Career Junction”.
These platforms make use of online tools that offer free registration to jobseekers giving them access to thousands of up-to-date jobs daily. Individuals are able to upload their personal information onto these platforms like Pnet at no charge.
Fact checking a job advert can help you make an informed decision Pillay explained, “When viewing a job advert on a free site you are at liberty to check it out, if they come across as dodgy, seek advice from a trusted friend or a recruitment agency to find out if they know the company.”
Recruitment companies are required to communicate effectively to ensure candidates have a comprehensive understanding of the job and responsibilities. Pillay recommended jobseekers look out for communication styles, grammar mistakes, contact numbers and a website.
“If you suspect that you might be a victim of a job scam, contact the authorities. It advisable to report incidents of suspected scams to the police for further investigation.”
According to a report by Statista, human traffickers are thriving in South Africa’s illicit business environment due to high rates of unemployment and low income. The country has remained on the watch list for human trafficking for the third consecutive year.
“It’s important for job seekers to scrutinise details in the job post before submitting documentation. If you are called in for an interview, make sure you know the location and have someone accompany you if it’s an unfamiliar place,” detailed Pillay.
Advanced technology and social media enable job seekers to access information of companies offering employment.
“We have the privilege of [accessing information in the public domain] and it’s easier to check if a company is registered on The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) website,” stated Pillay.
South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition oversees the CIPC. Its responsibilities include the registration and management of enterprises, co-operatives, and intellectual property rights (trademarks, patents, designs, and copyright).
“Most professionals are on LinkedIn, by conducting an online search you can get background the interviewer and engage with to enquire if the job you are applying for is legitimate,” said Pillay.
Pro Talent Recruitment provides workforce to organizations in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and globally offers a specialized recruiting service to place scarce skills in IT, insurance, medical, logistics, legal, finance, technical, engineering, sales, marketing, administration, human resources, and management.
“We offer educational resources on our platforms including videos and articles to equip public with knowledge to prevent recruiting frauds,” ended Pillay.
For more information click here: Specialist Recruitment Agency In Durban | Pro-Talent
Photo: Pixabay
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