5 Ways to Protect Your Privacy While Job Hunting

Gone are the days when you were able to directly share your resume with the hiring team. Today, the internet has taken over the hiring process. Many companies are adopting online means to hunt down talent. In fact, you can apply for different types of jobs on numerous online platforms. These platforms and companies offer an easy application process, but is it safe to share your details with online job portals?

Some of these so-called job-seeking platforms are just a façade to get users to share private information. Job seekers, unaware of those sites, post their resumes on their websites and fall into their trap. If you’re applying for a job portal or website, you need to take a few measures to protect your data.

Taking these steps is essential as hiring agencies receive plenty of information from applicants during the job-hunting process. Here are a few techniques to protect your information from illegitimate websites:

1.      Avoid Sharing Your Date of Birth of Job Portals

Never share your date of birth on a website unless it’s an official government form. Many social media accounts ask for your date of birth while registering. However, the government does not require you to share your actual date of birth. Even a company hiring you as an employee should not ask for details that specify your age. So, whenever you share your details for the hiring process, pick a different year and month with the hiring team.

An illegitimate person or website requires more information besides your name and contact information. They will ask for your birthdate and the major reason can be identity theft. Have you ever wondered why banks discourage keeping your date of birth as a password? Your date of birth is more private than your think. A scammer can get your personal information by matching your name with the date of birth. That is why security geniuses never share their actual birthday on any of the personal requirements. They understand what your date of birth can tell about you.

2.      Use an Encrypted Network

When you create a new account on a social media platform or job portals, you need to share a few personal details as possible. Also, when sharing your resume, limit your contact information as millions of people can see your resume. Numerous online job portals are not authentic, but they gather information from people and use it for illegal activities. Did you know that even the resolution of your screen can tell enough about your identity? Therefore, while sharing your resume with a hiring company, protect your information. You can encrypt and protect your data by using a VPN while sharing your information on a website. When using a VPN service, cybercriminals cannot decode information or your location. Remote workers are susceptible to scammers and criminals as these workers usually share their banking details and other critical information. You can protect your data with a VPN while you are on a public network as well as at home. The public internet collects your information and may use it afterward for ransomware attacks and phishing schemes. VPN will protect your data with a protective layer of encoding that encrypts the actual text into coded form.

3.      Construct a Cyber-Safe Resume

Traditionally, managers in the office collect resumes from job applicants and evaluate them under their supervision. Now, the dynamics surrounding recruitment and applying for positions have changed. Job applicants now use the internet to find jobs using online portals. Today, when you post your resume on the hiring websites, many people can access your information. To protect yourself from recruitment scams and threats, you can use a cyber-safe resume. This is an amazing idea to protect your online privacy and identity. Sharing information, such as your previous work and other similar details, may not seem like a big deal. However, this information can help scammers navigate further critical details. You should generalize the company’s name and job titles to protect your resume from cybercriminals.

4.      Track Your Online Applications

While searching for a job, you apply for numerous positions available in the market. If you cannot track your job application, you will not be able to remember the companies you already applied to. However, when a company calls you for an interview, you cannot identify if that company is legit. Numerous cyber criminals scam people by creating a fake job portal website to threaten them in the future. Therefore, it is essential to track your application and create a list of companies you applied to. Even if a company collects your resume from other sources and calls you for further information, you can check your list to recognize if the company is authentic.

5.      Do Your Research

When applying for a job online, you need to gather proper information about the company. For instance, before sharing your resume with a job portal, check reviews about the website’s authenticity. Also, look for reviews by previous employees who worked with the company. By doing that, you protect yourself from scams before you even apply for a job. You can begin your research process by looking up companies’ names on Google. Ensure that the reviews and testimonials are genuine. Many fake websites create fake reviews to increase traffic on their website and collect more data. Therefore, if you have a bad feeling about using an online job portal, share your resume with companies directly, as it can be a scam.

To Sum Up…

Finding a new job can be stressful and time-consuming. But, you should clear your mind and be careful about where you’re applying. The great tip is to stay vigilant and watch out for ‘recruiters’ or platforms asking for your personal information.

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