Recruiters - Why It Pays to be Skeptical

 There has been a lot of talk online lately about "fake" or fraudulent Recruiters, but there doesn't seem to be as much conversation around fraudulent candidates (resumes).

Ask any Recruiter that hires for Remote Corporate jobs or IT jobs and they'll probably express their exhaustion over receiving hundreds of resumes for every job posting, and having to weed through them all to find the few REAL, qualified candidates.

While it may be a painstaking process, researching the candidates you do choose to move forward with is a necessity in the current job market.  Take for instance a resume I received for a corporate role.  The candidate looked too good to be true; a good number of years of experience at only 2 employers, all the benchmarks of a successful business person, employment with high profile companies etc., but after many years of recruitment experience, something didn't sit right with me.  The resume had all the right buzzwords, but something was missing - there were no bones with the meat - no LinkedIn profile, no credentials other than a BA, no affiliations in the associated industries and so on.  This realization led me to conduct an online search and this person had no digital footprint - none.  No matter how I "googled" - phone number & name, employer & name, location & name, alma mater & name - the only thing I found was that there might be a person of that name residing in the city listed on the resume. Since the name was very common, that wasn't a surprise.

Given the lack of results, I sent the person a quick email stating that I was reviewing their resume in preparation for our interview the next day and requested that they send me a link to their LinkedIn profile.  In the middle of the night they canceled the interview.  That reaction immediately confirmed my suspicions that the resume was fraudulent. 

The truth is that fraudulent applicants happen much more often if the job is posted as a Remote / Work from Home position. Remote jobs, particularly ones that offer fully remote work are attractive to off shore (over seas) applicants, even if the job requires US residency.

Offshore workers illegally remote working for U.S. employers is a real problem and they do so by circumventing immigration and tax laws. The most severe cases involve organized, state-sponsored rings where offshore workers use stolen U.S. identities and operate "laptop farms". 
Here is how these illicit operations typically function:
1. Identity Fraud and Proxy Hiring
Offshore "actors" target U.S. companies by assuming the identities of real, unsuspecting American citizens. They apply for remote jobs using fabricated resumes, AI-enhanced interview scripts, and proxy interviewees to bypass security checks and coding tests.
2. Laptop Farms
Workers in foreign countries operate through a network of U.S.-based facilitators. When the employer ships a company-issued work laptop to an address in the United States, the facilitator receives it. The facilitator then sets up remote access and screen-sharing software, allowing the offshore worker to log in and control the laptop from abroad. To the employer's IT department, the connection appears to originate in the U.S. 
3. Circumventing Work Authorization
Non-U.S. citizens are required by law to have valid U.S. work authorization and a proper visa to perform work for U.S. employers while physically in the United States. Working on a B-1/B-2 tourist visa is considered unauthorized employment and violates immigration law. When workers operate offshore but disguise their location, they intentionally avoid tax withholding requirements, which misrepresents their employment tax status and leaves them unprotected by U.S. labor laws. 
4. Money Laundering
To collect salaries, the overseas workers route their pay through U.S.-based facilitators. These domestic accomplices receive the paychecks, launder the funds through crypto or foreign bank accounts, and transfer the bulk of the earnings overseas, taking a cut for their services. (Information obtained through the Dept of Justice)

In short, a real person with the name on the resume I mentioned above may exist and he/she would be a perfect target for this scheme since he/she had no digital footprint to speak of.

A Recruiter's first line of defense against these schemes is a basic level observation skills and skepticism. As fraudulent candidates become increasingly sophisticated it is more important than ever to research the people you're interviewing before the interview, and then thoroughly verify a candidate's identity, employment history, location, during on-boarding. Paying close attention to inconsistencies in resumes, communication patterns, interview behavior, and supporting documentation can help uncover red flags before a hiring decision is made. In an era where remote hiring is the norm, diligent screening practices are not just a recruiting best practice—they are a critical safeguard for protecting organizations.

Have you had any experience with fraudulent candidates?  If so, please explain in the comments!

Is it the Job Market, or is it Just Me? - A Path to Landing Employment

The job market in many industries is extremely tough right now, especially IT/Technology, Sales/Marketing, and a variety of clerical and office positions too lengthy to list. When I do my daily LinkedIn scrolling, I consistently see posts by people who have been struggling, often for many months, to find a job.

I understand the frustration people experience applying for untold numbers of job postings, having dozens of interviews that result in silence or the polite 'thanks but no thanks' email. It can be emotionally exhausting. If you've applied to hundreds of jobs and gotten no response or have had dozens of interviews, and you're still unemployed, there are really only 4 reasons why:

1. Your resume and outreach did not stand out.
2. You are applying for positions that you are not qualified for (lack of experience, lack of credentials, lack of required education, not living in the right area, etc.).
3. You didn't preform well in the interview process.
4. You have not set realistic expectations.

On a regular basis, I read posts where people express that for a year or more they've applied to X jobs, had X interviews, and still have not found work. Many of these people are not looking for solutions, just a desire to vent and hope that others in the same boat will chime in to commiserate. I empathize, but a potential employer may not. Keep your venting to in-person conversations and off LinkedIn / social media.

Some things to consider:

• Desperation is a huge turnoff to a potential employer.
• There is a lot to be said about positivity. (fake it 'til you make it)
• Instead of negative posts, be positive and post about your best attributes and qualities or something good that happened today.

Your resume is typically the first impression that a potential employer has of you. It doesn't need to be fancy, but it does need to be clean, organized, express all your strengths and experience, and show how those qualifications will be a fit for the job you've applied for.

Cover letters are fine if they're no more than an impactful short paragraph or two highlighting your strengths and fit for the job.

Because most employers are getting hundreds of resumes for every posted position, and many of those resumes are garbage (fraudulent, fake, or completely unqualified), make sure you're following up your application by reaching out to someone in the company—ideally a recruiter or the person who will likely manage the role you've applied for. A simple Google or LinkedIn search should help you find a name.

Recently, I've heard success stories from people who have actually mailed (snail mail) a copy of their resume or tried other unusual tactics to get noticed in a sea of applicants.

Over the years, I've taken the time to try to gently assist people when they express frustration that they "can't get hired," but unfortunately, the advice typically goes unheeded.

If you've made it to the interview stage, but you've still not landed a position, consider the following:

1. How are you presenting yourself in the interview process?

• Do you know your strengths, and are you confident enough to highlight them?
• Do you take the time to look professional during video interviews (attire, background, etc.)?
• Are you able to stick to the Q&A during the interview and make good use of the time you have without going down unnecessary rabbit holes?
• Do you have good energy? Are you positive and upbeat? It's not just your skills that make you a fit for the position; the employer will also be evaluating how you'll fit in with their team.
• Are you asking the right questions? Did you prepare for the interview by reviewing the company website and looking at the profile of the person interviewing you so you can ask thoughtful questions?

2. Are you following up after the interview?

• Did you send a "Thank you for your time" email reiterating the reasons why you're the right fit?
• Did you remember to ask about next steps at the end of the interview?
• Did you call or email if you didn't hear back from the person who interviewed you in a timely fashion?

3. Did you pay attention?

• I honestly cannot count how many times I've painstakingly explained the specifics about a job only to have the candidate ask me five minutes later about something I had just explained clearly.
• Are you taking notes? If not, please do. When you're interviewing for multiple jobs, it's nearly impossible not to confuse information.
• Never, under any circumstances, ask questions like, "What company is this again?" or "What position is this again?"

If you've spent many months, applied to many jobs, sat through many interviews, and still have not gotten an offer, it may be you.

It might be a good idea to consider taking the following steps:

• Reach out to people you've worked with and have them tell you what they felt was your most valuable asset, then add that information to your resume.
• Get your resume retooled so it stands out.
• Find an interview coach who can help you hone your interview skills, both over the phone and via video.
• Make lifestyle changes to help you get into a better headspace. Looking for a job can be incredibly stressful. Find a way to be good to yourself.
• Market yourself to EVERYONE—prior coworkers, family, friends. Let everyone know that you're looking and ask them to keep their eyes open for potential job opportunities.
• Set realistic expectations. If you were making $100K in your previous job and you've been laid off for 18 months, but you refuse to accept a position that pays less, maybe it's time to consider what is really important. If you can't find a job in your previous industry, maybe it's time to pivot.

The reality is that today's job market is challenging, but it isn't impossible. While there are certainly factors outside of your control, there are also many that are within it. The most successful job seekers are often the ones who are willing to honestly evaluate their approach, adapt when necessary, and continuously improve how they market themselves. If you're not getting the results you want, don't just keep doing the same thing and hope for a different outcome. Make adjustments, seek feedback, refine your strategy, and keep moving forward. Persistence matters, but persistence combined with self-awareness is what ultimately gets results.