Responding to Anonymous Employment Ads

In today’s Seattle Times "Ask the Headhunter" column, a reader asked about "blind" employment ads. These are job postings with no employer contact information or name, just an anonymous reply-to email address. 

According to columnist Nick Corcodilos, "a lot of these ads are indeed scams, perpetrated by multilevel marketing swindlers and the like."    Unfortunately identity theft, cyberstalking, and unscrupulous marketing (especially the latter) are all too common.  A reputable recruitment firm trying to keep its client’s information private should list its own contact information in the advertisment.  The best way to handle anonymos ads is to ignore them altogether.

Easier said than done, however, in an increasingly tight job market.  If you feel you really can’t pass up the perfect-sounding employment ad, be very cautious.  Don’t send them your personal information, even on your resume.  Create a privacy-screened resume and cover letter which lists only your name, city and state, and an anonymous email address.  If you have a secondary cell phone number, (such as a prepaid phone) list that too.  If the job opportunity is legitimate there will be plenty of time to share more information later. 

If you do discover that you’ve responded to a scam ad, please report it.  Many job sites such as Craigslist rely on reader feedback to prevent abuse.

More Information:

Wired Safety

World Privacy Forum

Craigslist:  Avoiding Scams and Fraud