Tips for a Safe Online Job Search

Some remain concerned about the safety of conducting a job search online. Even those who use e-commerce often to purchase products and services worry about the security of submitting personal information online.

Here are some tips and strategies that can help you conduct a safe, effective and fruitful online job search.

• Move with caution when communicating with companies or recruiters you don’t know. You are, no doubt, aware of the numerous Internet scams that populate the electronic world. While many feature “work at home” schemes and bogus “get rich quick” ideas, some can be disguised as legitimate employment opportunities. Do your homework to verify that the company or recruiter is real.
  
  
• Never send any sensitive personal information via email or to an unsecure server. While most e-commerce sellers use the highest security levels to protect their customers’ information, sending your cover letter and resume via email or through a “Contact Us” Web page may send your data to an unsecured destination. Do not include any personal financial information, including your social insurance number, bank account or credit card information in any communications.
  
  
• Read (completely) the formal privacy policy adopted by both companies and recruiters. Every company must have a written privacy policy. Within this policy are statements regarding what they may do with your information—that you voluntary send them. They may state that they share your information with no one under any circumstances, they share some information at certain times, or they admittedly sell collected information at times to third parties for marketing purposes.
  
  
• Keep common sense at the top of your “to-do” list. Some may throw all caution out the window when conducting a job search. Never release any sensitive information to anyone until you are sure you are talking to legitimate people. This is simply common sense.

There is a way to know if you’re communicating with a secured or unsecured Web site. Look at the address in the appropriate search bar. If the address shows “https” versus the classic “http,” you are dealing with a secure server. Here is another clue to security. Look for the “padlock” icon in the search bar or at the right bottom of your screen. This also indicates that you are communicating with a secure Web site, which should help to protect your information.

SIGN UP TODAY to receive a monthly career tips newsletter!