YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

I’VE HEARD SOME RECRUITMENT COMPANIES ADVERTISE ‘FAKE’ JOBS JUST TO GET MORE JOBSEEKERS ON THEIR BOOKS. IS THAT TRUE?

JUSTIN HINORA EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT, HENDER CONSULTING

Unfortunately, there are indeed some recruiters motivated more by sales targets and associated KPIs with little regard for client or candidate outcomes, who work to this model. It is always important to ask the recruiter whether they are working on the vacancy exclusively and whether it is fully retained, and make sure that if they are going to be sending your CV to clients, that you know exactly who they are sending it to rather than signing a waiver for them to reverse market your CV to whoever they choose with sometimes little regard for confidentiality.

SINEAD HOURIGAN BRISBANE DIRECTOR, ROBERT WALTERS

This is a really contentious issue at the moment and that this occurs is extremely disappointing to all good recruiters. There is, however, a difference between someone posting ”fake job adverts“and posting adverts that don’t disclose client information. We are sometimes asked to advertise ”blind” roles for clients as they don’t want information in the market about their resourcing strategies and you may find consultants cannot share too much information until further down the application process. In Queensland, there is legislation that prevents people from listing ”fake adverts”.

JULIE FORD SENIOR EXECUTIVE CONSULTANT, McARTHUR

I have heard of agencies that advertise roles to build temp numbers on their books. Look for reputable brands that are members of the Recruitment Industry peak body, RCSA, where members are bound by Code of Professional Conduct. They provide a complaint resolution process if you believe an agency is acting dishonestly. Be aware of scams using fake recruitment ads, where scammers use the ads to gather your personal information for identity theft and money laundering. The Australian Government website Stay Smart Online has great advice about this issue.

DR NERIDA HILLBERG DIRECTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY, FERRIS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS

Disappointingly, I have heard this too. Conduct thorough due diligence before engaging with a recruiter, as there are good ones out there. Unfortunately, some companies do advertise nonexistent jobs in the hopes of luring jobseekers to add to their databases that they can then “sell” to their clients. Some others post fake jobs to gauge the current talent pool available. Trust your intuition. If you are not getting specific and detailed answers about the role, this should raise alarm bells about the legitimacy of the vacancy.