The topic of commission only and work from home jobs came up in conversation this week and sparked an interesting discussion. I have started to notice an increase in adverts offering crazy money for seemingly very little. It reminds me of the late 80s. In fact the first two job interviews I went on were a pyramid scheme where I could make thousands of pounds monthly and a door to door sales job selling unsellable children’s books that no one had ever heard of. I did in fact take the door to door sales role and despite my 12 hour days and worn Clarke’s shoes, I packed it all in 2 weeks later and somehow had managed to make a grand loss of £150. I soon realised that if it seems too good to be true it more than likely is. Have I sparked any memories of similar stories? I remember a friend of mine coming over to my house frequently to brush his teeth as he disliked the Amway brand in his own house.
I have had a number of job seekers come to me recently who have recently fallen victim to the misleading job advert and in some cases the job scam. They all have the same thing in common (just like I did in the late 80s) – They are desperate for work, have very little money and mounting bills, they think finding their targeted job unlikely, if not impossible and while something inside says “Don’t do it” they ignore their instinct and hope and pray it will be the opportunity that will solve all their problems. Yes, I find myself getting very angry at these chancers that prey on the vulnerable job seeker!
Here are a few points to ponder when looking at an attractive job advert –
- Study the advert – Does the job state a salary? Is the role commission only? If unsure try to find out before applying. Research the company and see what people are saying about them. Are they affiliated to another company or do they trade under another name? Does the advert provide a telephone number or web address? Steer clear of hotmail or yahoo type emails and PO Box numbers.
- You won’t get rich instantly – Avoid adverts that claim to guarantee you wealth, financial success or that will help you get rich fast. You might help a company get rich, but at your expense!
- Hold on to the money you have – Never send money. Some adverts will require you to send money for a start up kit or for training. You would not throw your savings into a blazing fire and sending money will often yield the same result as just doing that. In fact the fire option will be quicker and less painful.
- Check References – Ask for references if you are not sure if a company or job is legitimate. Try and get a list of employees and some of their customers. Then follow up and see how they rate the company. If the company is unwilling to help ask yourself why? I would even suggest standing outside a company’s premises early am and talk to staff as they arrive. Ask them how they like working there, how long they have been in the company and what the average time period staff in there has worked for. This can prove very insightful.
- Don’t make a hasty decision and think twice – If it sound too good to be true, it probably is! Read any offer you get very carefully. I recently read a story about a candidate who received a job offer and a detailed contract. She was very excited and hastily accepted. Sadly the job did not exist and in fact she had never even applied for it. She had been dazzled by the number of failed applications she had sent. The contract had requested bank details so the employer could pay her. And well you can the guess the rest.
So be very careful out there and remember if a job seems to offer amazing earning potential in a short period of time. Ask yourself this question – If this was true wouldn’t everyone want to work there and wouldn’t I have heard of this great company before now?
