Work-At-Home Experts Share The “Red Flags” They Look For When Looking for WAH Jobs
Job hunting is never an easy process, but when you are looking for a WAH job, the process can be more challenging. So many people fall victim to scams or deceptive schemes. We asked our experts to offer some helpful advice on what to look for or what “red flags” to keep an eye on.
Kayla Sloan
- Never apply for a WAH job that requires you to pay money. If you have to pay to apply, it’s a scam!
- Find out about the earning potential before you apply. Some WAH jobs don’t even pay a living wage when you break it down by how much time it will take you to complete tasks.
* * From the other perspective. These tips are aimed at those looking to HIRE someone for a WAH position. This may be helpful info for those that are looking to hire someone to freelance for them**
Bradley Shaw
- Unexplained gaps on their résumé -If a prospective employee took two years to take care of a sick parent, you might decide to let that slide because it happens in life. If they are unable to explain why they haven’t worked for the last two years, you may want to look elsewhere.
- Not asking enough questions – You want to hire job seekers who are inquisitive by nature. Employees who are always trying to learn new things and find out the truth are more desirable than the alternative. If a candidate doesn’t ask enough questions during the interview process, I view this as a potential red flag.
- Lack of preparation.- Regardless of how qualified a candidate is, if he hasn’t taken the time to research your company, you have to ask yourself how serious he is about the position.
Victoria Heckstall
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You Google their name or their business name and they have no online presence – It’s understandable that a new business may not have an online presence besides their social media accounts and website, however, if you can’t pull up anything on the owner (such a general location information, LinkedIn profile, or even a Facebook account) you need to stay away.
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They pay on Net 30-90 in the form of a check – During this day in age, there’s no reason why a company should be paying in the form of a check for freelance work, especially when during the time period of your first check you can potentially earn $1000s of dollars. If they can pay with a check, they can make a bank transfer. Avoid devoting all of your time to these clients only to find when it’s time for the check to arrive you are left high and dry.
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Their offer sounds too good to be true – If it sounds too good to be true, more than likely it is. Trust your gut.
Melissa Caldwell
Virtual Assistant
- Check out WAH forums and do a search on their names or their company’s name. If they have a bad reputation, chances are you’ll find out about it from postings on these forums. A google search for their names also is a good tip.
- Are their expectations too high? Listen to your gut instincts, if they are asking you to do a lot of work for cheap, they may not be legit. Have a chat with them about what you can provide for the pay being offered. Listen to your gut, if it feels “off” walk away. If it seems to good to be true, walk away.
- I can never stress it enough, NEVER pay to work for someone.
Note From Leslie:
When it comes to looking for home-based employment, there are several red-flags to watch out for including:
- A company that charges to hire you. You never need to pay to get hired to work at home. (Some employers will ask you to pay for a background check).
- A company that asks you deposit a check and send them most of the money minus your pay. This is a fake check scam and you can not only lose money, but you might end up in jail. Never use your personal bank account to help a company do business.
- A job description that doesn’t reveal what the job entails. Legitimate job announcements are never vague about what the job is and the requirements for getting hired.
To learn more and stay safe, check out WAHS’s posts regarding scams.
When it comes ti hiring a home-based worker, my best suggestion is to get referrals and references.
