Posted under Internet Job Search on November 2nd, 2007
Identity theft is a growing and worrisome issue as we hear about theft or loss of sensitive data from government and other offices containing bank account records, social security numbers and other private information.
Although we strive to be more cautious in providing our personal data to protect ourselves, there’s a new arena ripe for scammers. Millions of job seekers complete online job applications and enter their private data on federal government and private industry websites. Online applications that require entering your Social Security number may pose a risk. Collecting such data doesn’t make sense since most applications will be deemed unqualified.
There’s no problem if it’s not a required field. However, you don’t want to be passed over when completing online applications. Mark Mehler, co-founder of CareerXroads, offers a solution that sounds logical (at least for private industry): make up a number. You can mention in your cover letter that you are concerned about private issues and will provide your correct number during the hiring process.
Posted by Louise Garver
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