Looking for a job via social media has become a frequently used option for job seekers in recent years. The ease of use and wide reach of these platforms have made them a popular resource when looking for work. As with any other method, there are both positive and negative aspects to consider.

Social media has become a popular way for many candidates to land their dream job. There are several advantages of searching for a job online. Sometimes you may also come across the offer when viewing your account news. However, there are some risks to looking for a job through social media. We’ll look at the positives, but we’ll also give you 5 ways to spot fake job ads on social media.

Huge amount of content

It is logical that the number of users on a website or platform will be proportional to the amount of content. 37% of people living on this planet have a Facebook account. If we consider that only 64% of the earth’s population has access to the internet, it comes out that more than half of the people on the internet have Facebook. Every day, people (including potential employers) add more information than you can handle. If we add other platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and LinkedIn, there is even more content.

What are the benefits of looking for a job on social media?

Given the number of users, most, if not every employer, shares their vacancies on social media. This means that everything that appears on job portals, job boards, newspapers and everything else is also on social media. Even some employment offices are using Facebook to share their posts to reach a larger audience. And everything is much faster. Instead of sending a resume and hoping for a response, you can send a message directly and start interacting with a potential employer almost immediately. You can also view the employer’s profile. By scrolling through their posts and photos, you’ll learn a lot about the company’s mission, vision, and goals.

Unfortunately, employers aren’t the only ones who see potential in social media. Scammers realise that there is no better place to interact with so many people in such a short space of time, and often masquerade as employers. The good news is that you can easily identify most of them if you follow simple steps.

1. If something seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t true

Have you ever seen a job offer that states a salary of €5,000 for a job that usually pays €800-€1,200? Or maybe you’ve come across one of the “earn 150 euros an hour” offers by doing something that doesn’t require any special skills or knowledge? As much as we all want to believe that it is possible to earn 4 – 6 times more than the usual amount, or to earn 150 euros per hour doing a task that even a small child can do, it doesn’t happen.

2. You will receive an immediate job offer

If you receive a job offer without having to provide information about your previous experience or the recruiter does not ask you for any information about your skills and knowledge, it is most likely a fake offer. Every serious employer has certain requirements for candidates, whether they are looking for a finance director or a cleaner.

3. Poorly written advertisement

If a job advert is poorly or unprofessionally written, it is most often a scam. And it’s not just spelling mistakes that you should focus on. Consider the absence of a company website or phone number as a warning sign. And even if such an advert wasn’t fake, would you be willing to work for an employer who couldn’t write it properly?

4. You can’t find anything about the company

One of the best things you can do before applying for a job or contacting an employer is research. All it takes is a minute or two of googling. If you can’t find a website, network profile LinkedIn or other relevant information, you should probably stay away. If a potential employer has a social media account, it will also be present on other websites and platforms.

5. Trust the professionals

Whether we like it or not, employment is one of the most important aspects of human life. And when it comes to careers, finances and futures, it’s often not a good idea to gamble. If you want to be sure, you simply have to work with companies that have experience and know how to persevere even when the situation is not in their favour.

And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing for 14 years at Atena: we make sure that our employees have job security, above-standard pay and a person by their side to help them when they need it most. Work with professionals, success is not a lucky chance!