The cast of “The Job Scam Report” had another great show on our “LinkedIn Live” as we provided advice on job scams, job search, and additional resources to earn money. Many of our audience were recently laid off or anticipate layoffs from the federal government and their industry landscape of announcements of layoffs.
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Enjoy the podcast. The rebroadcast is just as compelling and informative (at least, that’s my opinion) as the “live” presentation.
You can catch the video on YouTube.
You can catch the LinkedIn Live here.
1. More layoffs coming: We emphasized the timeliness of this show in light of recent federal layoffs and their impact on increasing job scams.
2. Federal layoffs create fertile ground for job scams. With probationary employees being laid off en masse, scammers are exploiting the situation, targeting vulnerable ex-federal employees who are desperate to find new employment.
3. LinkedIn and Job Scams: Ashley and Jay emphasized the prevalence of scams on LinkedIn. Fake profiles are still prevalent, and scammers send unsolicited messages and exploit job seekers' desperation.
4. Safe Job Search Practices: The panel provided concrete advice for verifying job opportunities and recruiters. Use Whois.com to check the legitimacy of companies. Avoid unsolicited PDF documents that could contain malware, and ensure that job listings are cross-referenced with official company websites and postings.
5. Mitigating Risks: They discussed additional strategies to mitigate risks, such as using gift cards or secure cards for payments to protect personal banking information, enabling two-factor authentication for emails, and being cautious of scammy recruitment behaviors. Jay also suggested that LinkedIn's incognito mode can help job seekers research recruiters without revealing their activity to potential scammers.
6. LinkedIn Improvements: The conversation also discussed desired improvements to LinkedIn’s platform to protect users better. Key suggestions included faster response times for scam reports, blocking suspicious pages, and better verification processes for job postings to ensure their legitimacy.
7. Resources for Laid-Off Employees: Ashley shared multiple resources for generating income while job searching. She recommended platforms like UserTesting, YouTest, iSecretShop, and Work At Home Adventures for freelance and contract work. These platforms offer opportunities to undertake usability tests, mystery shopping, and other tasks to earn supplemental income remotely.
8. Mental Health and Layoff PTSD: Jay introduced the concept of layoff PTSD, which affects individuals' mental health and job search efficacy post-layoff. He stressed the importance of having a support system and maintaining a positive mindset. It was suggested that those laid off should avoid consuming too much negative news and instead focus on actionable steps and connecting with a supportive community.
Ashley shared these sites in the comments section on LinkedIn as additional resources to check out to earn income while job searching:
We will continue to facilitate a commitment to providing valuable information and support to job seekers. Navigating the problematic landscape of layoffs and job scams requires the vigilance of job scams and the application of smart job search strategies.
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