How to Avoid Marketing Job Scams: The Only Advice You'll Ever Need

So, you’ve been exploring marketing job opportunities and have likely come across those enticing “marketing assistant” roles that seem perfect—only to land an interview almost immediately.

You're excited! It feels like you’re finally making progress in your job search.

The interview starts off great, but then, the conversation takes a turn. The interviewer begins describing the role, and to your disappointment, it turns out the position is actually a sales job—nothing related to marketing at all.

It’s a frustrating and disheartening realization, especially after you’ve invested time and energy into the process.

But don’t worry, you’re not alone. Marketing job scams like this are more common than you think.

The good news is, there are clear steps you can take to spot these scams early on and avoid falling for them in the future. With a little preparation, you can protect yourself from marketing job scams and ensure you’re pursuing genuine opportunities that align with your career goals.

Put Yourself in the Mind of a Scammer

If you wanted to mislead job seekers and get them to apply to a fake job posting, what would you do? Marketing job scams often prey on vulnerable populations, and as a job-seeker, you may unknowingly fall into that category.

Scammers know that many individuals—especially those new to the job market—are less familiar with the signs of a fraudulent opportunity.

They take advantage of this lack of experience to trick you into applying for positions that don't exist or have no relation to legitimate marketing work.

Another reason marketing job scams are so common is because they target highly desirable job openings in the marketing field.

With so many people aspiring to work in marketing, scammers know that they can easily lure in applicants by advertising positions that sound too good to be true.

Even if you have a college degree, if you're new to job hunting, you might not be aware of the red flags. Marketing job scams thrive on this unawareness, making it crucial to stay vigilant and informed about the warning signs.

Job scams can come in many different shapes and sizes, to learn more about how to steer clear of those, check out this LinkedIn live about How to Spot Marketing Job Scams with Founder & CEO of Sky Society, Natalie Peters.

Before You Apply, Give the Company a Side-Eye

What’s the first thing you do when you see a job listing that excites you?

If you said, “Easy Apply,” you may be more likely to run into marketing job scams.

The best thing to do when you come across a marketing position that aligns with you is to spend a few minutes reading about the company and job description! That way, you know exactly what you’re walking into when you sit down for that interview and you don’t fall victim to any marketing job scams.

A great place to start your research is with the past employees.

You can search up the company on Indeed (learn how to do that here or, if you have past connections of someone in a similar position, reach out and ask their opinion on the company or job listing.

Another awesome way is to schedule a coffee chat with the recruiter! A coffee chat is a 15 minute phone call that lets you get more information about whatever company you want to apply for.

You can ask questions about what the job entails, or what the company values look like!

This will give you great insight and offer information that maybe wasn’t included in the job posting, bringing you one step closer to a scam free marketing position of your dreams.

Look Out for These Red Flags

Here are a few things that aren’t normal during the hiring process and could indicate it’s a scam. Run for the hills if:

• The hiring manager is texting you. We live in a digital world now, but no legit job will ONLY text you. There’ll be some kind of formal interview via Zoom or phone.
• They ask for a credit check. You aren’t applying for a new high-rise apartment or trying to get your dream Tesla. This is a job you’re applying for. There’s never a situation where a company will need your credit card info before hiring you.
• They offer you the role after one interview. It can be exciting when you’re getting an offer before even having to sit down for an interview, but, this is typical in marketing job scams. Usually, you’d go through 2 or more interviews before receiving an offer. 

Always remember, if something is too good to be true, it probably is!

Treat Your Job Search Like You’re Dating

If you were on Tinder looking for a relationship, would you swipe right on every single candidate? Hopefully not.

You’d take your time scrolling through their pictures (bonus points if one features a pet), reading their bio, you’d be picky.

The best way to avoid any marketing job scams is to search for jobs like you’re swiping on a dating app.

Be confident in what you want and confident in your skills.

YOU ARE VALUABLE and are worth more than you might think.

Final Thoughts on Avoiding Scam Marketing Jobs

If you want to avoid falling victim to marketing job scams, it's important to ask yourself a few key questions during your job search:

1. Is the hiring process moving suspiciously fast?
2. Are they asking for personal information too soon?
3. Does the email domain match the official company website?
4. Are they trying to conduct interviews via text or messaging apps?
5. Is the job offer sounding too good to be true?

These simple questions can help you identify and steer clear of marketing job scams before they waste your time or put your personal information at risk.

By following these steps, you can protect yourself and ensure that you’re only pursuing legitimate, well-vetted opportunities. With this advice, you’ll be on your way to a secure, successful career in marketing, free from the risk of deceptive job offers.

✍️ Written by Jalah Shelby