USE CAUTION: Avoiding These PR & Marketing Scams on Your Job Hunt

As a young professional, particularly in Marketing or PR, we all have those aspirations of working at glamorous agency, putting our newly obtained degrees and skills to good use! While this is very attainable, we just have to be careful not to fall for some of the classic job scams in the process. After submitting hundreds of resumes, it can be easy to want to pounce on the first opportunity that comes along! Beware of this! Below are some tips to keep in mind, so you don't go from thinking a door has been opened, to having one slammed in your face!

There are numerous companies, that will market themselves as a Marketing, Advertising, or PR Firms, when in reality you will likely end up doing door to door sales, for some type of product they are looking to sell. Some are privately owned, but will also fall under the umbrella of a major company that specializes in these type of sales/scams! When job hunting, look out for these words:

1. ENTRY LEVEL POSITION-  These scam companies know that many young professionals, fresh out of college, will be searching for this listing. Therefore, they post it because it makes you feel as though you will get the job you are looking for, with little experience. Even though there are some legitimate companies that will post this, alot most legit businesses won't blatantly advertise the position as entry level. This can be concluded from looking at the job description and experience necessary.

2. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY- Speaking of experience, this is also targeted towards those looking to transition into the PR/Marketing field, or those fresh off campus! It's meant to make you think that you can find this fulfilling job, even though you have no experience.Yes entry level jobs do exist, and they don't require much experience. However, what type of employer do you think would give a call for people without any experience? This would create a stampede of all kinds of people! Most employers in this field are looking for a specific type of person, with certain qualifications, and wouldn't just want anybody to work for them.

3. Completing Profiles- There are numerous databases and websites that will ask you to complete a job profile before you apply for a certain job. Be sure to research the database itself, and be sure that it's credible. Otherwise, you are likely to end up spammed with numerous emails you have no interest in.

4. Multiple Postings- When visiting certain job hunting websites, such as Monster, Indeed, and Career Builder, be sure to look at how many times a  company, particularly PR or Marketing, posts a position. Chances are, if the same "PR Agency" has posted openings for multiple jobs in the same position, it will be something involving door to door sales, or a potential scam. Again, think about it. How often does a credible PR Agency have 7 entry level positions with no experience necessary?

Ways to Avoid These Scams?

• Be sure to research any company that has claimed to be a PR, Marketing, or Advertising Agency. Also check reviews. If people have been scammed, they will let you know!
• If you aren't sure about the position, consult an older professional before submitting resumes or committing to any interview.
• Try to look for jobs under an organization's website. This will add credibility. So for example, if you are interested in PR. Look up PR agencies in the area, and search for postings on their website. If you're dying to work for Target, visit their career website...and so on!
• BEWARE THESE WORDS
• Face to Face Sales-For an entry level position, this could  mean door to door.
• Fortune 500 Companies- This can mean anything. Often times, they mean selling something like a coupon book. These include plenty of Fortune 500 companies. ;)
• Managing Territory- Covering a specific region of homes or businesses to target for sales
• New Customer Acquisition- This is fancy words for finding new people to sell to, which includes knocking on somebody's door asking for their interest in a coupon book.
• Represent Clients with a personalized and direct approach- Face to Face a.k.a. door to door

See where I'm going with this? Again, there are some legitimate postings for jobs that could include this same language, but there are also others that use this language to convince you that the job and company is more official than it actually is! Take notice of all of the context clues.

As a young professional, you are probably looking for a job that will be fulfilling and worth your time, while also helping you grow into your career! You want to avoid things like this that will have you walking outside all day long, for little pay, and most importantly, will probably discourage your outlook on a career! Keep those eyes peeled!