I often get CVs from candidates that contain unnecessary or too much information. I have seen peoples’ blood types, family members’ names, full addresses, bank statements, and more. As a trained and professional recruiter, I can dispose of or store this information correctly but sometimes it can fall into the wrong hands if you aren’t careful. Especially when a lot of job adverts are fake and are only there to collect your information for nefarious purposes.
When applying for a job:
· Only apply through well-known job portals and, if possible, apply directly to the company if a company name is mentioned.
· Beware of Gmail/ Hotmail (or free) email addresses when you apply for jobs, these can be fake. A bigger company should have its own email domain – eg – Nicky@proappoint.co.za, not nicky@gmail.com
· No legitimate application process will ever need your banking details or credit card details
· If anyone tried to charge you any fees during your job search, it most likely a scam
When creating a CV here is some information that you should avoid including:
· If you are currently employed and are worried word might get out – you don’t need to include your current company’s name.
· Don’t include your current reference either, a lot of potential employers may call your current employer without your permission!
· Don’t include your full ID number, your birth date is sufficient
· Please don’t include a copy of your ID or any official documentation with your application. Copies of your qualifications are fine though.
· Don’t state your full address, just your suburb is safer.
Armed with this information, I hope your job search is safer and your personal information is better protected.
