How to Handle Anonymous Job Postings

How to Handle Anonymous Job Postings How to Handle Anonymous Job Postings 6After what feels like a super long job search (and perhaps with not much to show for it), you finally come across a job posting that is perfect for you. Not only do you have all of the necessary qualifications for the position, but it seems like a job that you could grow in for years to come. The only caveat: the company (or person) chose to list the job as an anonymous job posting. As a job seeker, you’re bound to come across anonymous job postings every now and then. But does that mean you should ditch the job posting and keep on searching? Not necessarily. Here’s how to handle an anonymous job posting. Understand why the posting is anonymous. Job postings can be anonymous for a variety of reasons- and not all of them are nefarious. Here are just a few: They don’t want their competitors to know they’re hiring. Some employers post anonymously because they dont want their competitors or the media to know theyre hiring. Recruiters who are hired to recruit for companies post anonymously because they dont want job seekers contacting the company directly- they want everyone to apply through them. It’s a well-known brand. Let’s say you’re looking for virtual admin work- and Kim Kardashian is hiring. Imagine the millions of people who would apply for the position simply because of who she is. That’s why a potential employer would post anonymously- to ensure that they don’t receive a deluge of job applications simply because of a brand name. They want to make sure that they receive quality applications from qualified applicants, and being anonymous is one way to achieve that. It’s a scam. It’s true that anonymous job postings and job scams can go hand-in-hand. And some scammers use anonymous job postings to trick job seekers into applying to scam jobs. But if you know the signs of a job scam, you can safely apply for a position without risking getting scammed. Make sure the posting gives other details. Anonymous job postings should still be able to give you a good amount of detail about the jobs responsibilities and parameters. Anonymous job postings that offer few details about the job should be handled cautiously by job seekers because thats often a sign of a scam. Do your research. The easiest way to track down the company behind an anonymous job posting is to do a search for a piece of the job description. Use a sentence in the description that is very particular to that job- not something generic that would appear in most job listings. Then, do a Google search for that phrase or sentence, with quotes around it. If the posting appears anywhere else on the web, itll come up in the search results and it might contain the companys information. Now that you know the potential reasons why an employer might post a job description anonymously, it’s up to you to determine if you’re actually willing to apply for the job. This is where job seekers need to weigh the pros and cons of taking the time and energy to apply for the position. Consider Your Next Move If you’re tempted to put on your Sherlock hat and start hunting for clues as to what the company or brand might be, be careful. While you shouldn’t be discouraged from interacting with the actual poster behind the anonymous job posting, it can be construed by the employer in both a positive- and a negative- light. On the one hand, a company may find your efforts to unmask the job posting to be creative. They might view your research skills (and deductive reasoning) as a positive characteristic, or a sign that you’ll go the extra mile to get a job done. On the other hand, if a company is trying to remain anonymous in their hiring but is found out by a job seeker, they may see it as an overreach. They might view you as “too aggressive” and overstepping your boundaries as a job seeker. They might even go so far as to disregard your application entirely. Ultimately, your job search is your own and yours to handle how you see fit. If you see a job position that you really, truly want but it’s anonymous, take the time to assess whether it’s a) a real job and b) if you want to apply for it. You never know, it might become the job of your dreams. Readers, have you applied for (or shied away from) anonymous job postings? Let us know in the comments section below!