Internship Process     Fradulent Postings Red Flags     Reneging A Job Offer    

Internship Process

   

As an O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs master’s or undergraduate student, you are required to complete an internship as a part of your professional program (select masters students are exempt). Your internship must be at least 120 hours performed at the same organization. No more than 40 hours per week are allowed.

Visit our website for more information on the steps to fulfilling your internship requirement

Fradulent Postings Red Flags

The Career Hub maintains the job postings as a service to our students and employers. In providing this service, the O’Neill School makes no representations or endorsements concerning the opportunities posted or the organizations that post. Prospective applicants should also independently research the employers and opportunities presented.

If you are ever concerned about the validity of a posting, please email careerhb@indiana.edu for assistance in researching the position. We strive to keep fraudulent and scam postings off ONeillCareers as each employer and position is reviewed by someone on our Employer Relations Team. However, it is impossible to ensure that every job posting is legitimate, and impossible to keep track of every employer and position after submission. Therefore, we are sharing common “red flags,” things that alarm us in postings, so you too, can attempt to identify such scam and fraudulent job postings.

The following “red flags” are general markers to help you conduct a safer job search and protect your identity.

These “red flags” in no way cover all possible instances of fraud or all the red flags. Therefore, please always use your own discretion when applying to a position or interacting with a potential employer. Fraudulent job postings try to take your money, personal information, or both. The jobs often appear easy and convenient ways to make money with very little effort.

Here are some fraud warning signs:

Personal and Financial Information

  • You are asked to provide your credit card, bank account numbers, or other personal financial documentation. Do NOT give out any financial information at any point during your job search and hiring process.
  • The position requires an initial investment, such as a payment by wire service or courier.
  • You are offered a large payment or reward in exchange for allowing the use of your bank account (often for depositing checks or transferring money).
  • You are asked to provide your social security and driver’s license information in the initial application. Personal information should never be asked during the initial application process.
  • You are asked to provide a photo of yourself.

Job Posting

  • The posting appears to be from a reputable, familiar company (often a Fortune 500). Yet, the email handle in the contact’s email address does not match the domain used by representatives of the company (this is typically easy to determine from the company’s website). Another way to validate is to check the open positions on the company’s website, by checking their careers/jobs page.
  • The posting includes spelling and grammatical errors.
  • The posting neglects to mention the responsibilities of the job. Instead, the description focuses on the amount of money to be made.
  • The position indicates a “first-year compensation” that is in high excess to the average compensation for that position type. The salary range listed is very wide (e.g., “employees can earn from $40K – $80K the first year!”).

Contact and Communication

  • Look at the company’s website. Does it have an index that tells you what the site is about; or does it contain information only about the job in which you are interested? Scammers often create quick, basic web pages that seem legitimate at first glance.
  • The contact email address contains the domain @live.com or an @ that is not affiliated with the company. Example: @gmail, @yahoo, @hotmail, etc.
  • Watch for anonymity. If it is difficult to find an address, actual contact, company name, etc., this is cause to proceed with caution. Fraud postings are illegal, so scammers will try to keep themselves well hidden.
  • When you Google the company name and the word “scam” (e.g., Acme Company Scam), the results show several scam reports concerning this company. Another source for scam reports is http://www.ripoffreport.com.
  • Google the employer’s phone number, fax number, and/or email address. If it does not appear connected to an actual business organization, this is a red flag. You can use the Better Business Bureau, Hoovers and AT&T’s Anywho to verify organizations.
  • The employer contacts you by phone, but there is no way to call them back (the number is not available).
  • The employer tells you that they do not have an office set up in your area and will need you to help them get it up and running (these postings often include a request for your banking information, supposedly to help the employer make transactions).

Interview

  • The interview is conducted online, via chat and an offer is given almost immediately.
  • The employer responds to you immediately after you submit your resume. Typically, resumes sent to an employer are reviewed by multiple individuals or not viewed until the posting has closed. Note: this does not include an auto-response you may receive from the employer once you have sent your resume.

If Already Involved in a Scam If you have encountered a fraudulent posting, company or organization, please contact the Career Hub at 812-855-9639 or email careerhb@indiana.edu so the posting can be investigated and appropriate action can be taken.

Interviewing Scams

Follow these safety tips when going on an interview:

  • Always ensure it is in a public place and that someone knows of your plans to interview and the location.
  • If your instincts tell you it’s suspicious, it probably is.
  • Do not feel pressured to give personally identifiable information in an application if you are not comfortable during an interview or during online/phone correspondence.
  • Ask to take the document with you to complete and return so you have time to research the issue further. To learn more about employment scams, your rights, and appropriate actions, please visit this helpful page from the Riley Guide: http://www.rileyguide.com/scams.html

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Reneging a job offer

Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers

After interviews with several top companies, you accept a job offer from Corporation A to begin a week after graduation. Then, XYZ Startup, a company that just began recruiting new college grads, interviews you and offers you a job to begin a week after graduation.

You want to work for XYZ Startup—but what will you do about the job you’ve accepted at Corporation A?

No big deal? Companies hire and fire people all the time, you think. You’ll just let Corporation A know that you’ve changed your mind.

Before you pick up the phone to renege on your job with Corporation A, consider this:

  • The job you accepted with Corporation A may have been someone else’s “dream job.” By accepting the job, you’ve taken that opportunity out of the job market.
  • Telling Corporation A that you’re not going to show up for work may have an impact on your future career.
  • Backing out on the job you’ve accepted may hurt the future job prospects of other students and alumni at your school.

What happens to the job when you renege an offer? Many times, a renege comes at the tail-end of the college recruitment season—April and May.

  • The position may go unfilled and the budget set aside for that position may be allocated for other purposes. One job lost to the college job market.
  • Final hiring numbers are lower for the employer, which may affect the company’s hiring numbers next year. (Meaning, fewer job opportunities for future new grads.)
  • The now-disappointed (and frustrated) employer may choose to not interview students or new grads again.

  Your choice today may ruin your choices in the future

Truth: Some employers keep a running list of names of students who renege after they’ve accepted a job offer—a “do not call” list. Even without a list, recruiters will remember you.

If you are offered a job, it’s because you stand out in the crowd of applicants. The recruiter and hiring manager see and hear your name over and over during the interview and hiring process—in e-mails, on your resume, and in discussions with other employees.

Someday, you may want a job at Corporation A. Or, you may run into the same recruiter at a different organization where you want to work. Plus, recruiters talk to each other about students who back out on a job acceptance.

And, even if you seem to have a good reason for reneging on the acceptance—“personal reasons” or “to travel abroad”—your profile on LinkedIn will show that you’ve lied when you list the job you take.

You may lose alumni privileges Universities value their corporate partnerships, and they do not want to risk having companies stop recruiting new grads and alumni. That means, if you renege on a job acceptance, your name may end up on a “no services” list. If your school finds out that you’ve reneged—and they will—you may be denied access to university job boards and alumni career services when you need help finding your next job.

Kayla Villwock is the Intern Program Manager for SAS.

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