Siouxie

As some of you know, I have been trying to find a job for the past 4 months after having been made redundant. I have got to the stage of applying for anything and everything.

Yesterday I applied for a job advertising for an Executive Assistant, then this morning received an email telling me I had the job!

I almost got excited.... until I got to the part about 'certified money' and 'orphanages', sigh. I have to think it's a scam

(Name and email removed for privacy purposes).


Hello Applicant,

Thanks for showing interests in the Job advert for " Executive Personal Assistant " position, I received and read your job application / resume, I think you have all it takes to be employed for this job, I need an assistant to help me monitor and keep up to date with all my activities. I did appreciate it. So I will give this a GO"

I'm looking to employ someone that can be trusted and reliable to work very well and with good understanding.

This position is home-based and flexible, working with me is basically about instructions and following them, my only fear is that I may come at you impromptu sometimes, so I need someone who can be able to meet up with my irregular timings. As my Personal Assistant, your activities amongst other things will include;

*Running personal errands, supervisions and monitoring. Scheduling programs, flights and keeping me up to date with them.Acting as an alternative telephone correspondence while I'm away.Making regular contacts and drop-offs on my behalf. Handling and monitoring some of my financial activities..
Basic wage is $400 Weekly

I'm sure you'll understand I tend to have a very busy schedule at this point,as I am presently in Philippines for a business trip so there will be no interview, I will be back in March.

I think you're the right person for this position, Please note that this position is not office based for now because of my frequent travels and tight schedules, it's a part-time work from home and the flexibility means that there will be busier weeks than others, so it's a little difficult judging the exact number of hours you'll be doing per week. If you can manage your time properly,this job may even give you some extras while you do something else on the side. As I have said, I'd want us to get a head START with things as soon as possible. I do have lots of works piled up presently and a number of unattended chores which you can immediately assist me with, I hope we can meet up with the workload eventually. Permit me to use the coming week to test your efficiency and diligence towards all this, also to work out your time schedule and fit it to mine. I really need to find the perfect person for this job, I'm confident you can take up the challenge and on the long run we should have a relatively sound working relationship between us.. I'm online most of the time as I am a little hard of hearing so I prefer we contact each other through E-mails,but if there is need for me to call, I will be glad to do that. I am glad you are willing to work with me and i promise to be a good boss. I am also glad on the commitment in working. I have been checking my files and what i would want you to do for me this week is to run some errands out to some of the orphanage home, I do that every month. A payment inform of a Certified Money, will be sent over to you from one of my finance and i have some lists to email you once you received the funds,You will make some arrangements by buying some stuff for the kids in the Orphanage at any nearest store around you so you can mail them out. I will get you more information on that, I will like you to get back to me with your Contact Details as you want it to be on payment such as:

First Name :.......................
Last Name :..........................
Street Address :.......................(No Po Box Please)
City, State, Zip Code :.................

Cell Phone Number:.......................
Home Phone Number:..........................
Current Occupation :..........................
Age: ..........................
Email Address :................................

Once I have received your contact information, I will get back to you with the task for this week, Understand you will also be paid as well as its important for me to make the necessary steps before i get back from my business trip. Hope I am clear with that.

I will await your response.

Best Regards
Steve ********

el_richo

It couldn't be more of a scam if it were signed by Bernie Madoff

christmasoompa

I only had to read the first paragraph and it screamed scam to me, a very obvious one I'm afraid.

Best of luck with the job hunt, hope you find something soon.

Siouxie

Sigh, yup, I figured that out after the first read through, lol.

magnumpi

What a letdown, hopes up as you recieve email only to be shot down when you read the scammers mail.

But it can work both ways round. Why not send all the details he/she req, fake of course, sit back and get them all exited too.

Siouxie

Thanks

What also annoys me, apart from the let down of course, is now this scammer has my name, address, email and telephone number - plus my resume. I applied in good faith (I found it on WOW jobs, job advert now taken down) and sent a resume and cover letter, as requested.

I find it very frustrating seeking employment here, I have applied for more than 60 jobs and not so much as an interview. My resume was checked (and reworded) by a Canadian Colleague from my previous employment so I know it is 'Canadianised' and I have many years experience as an Administrator, yet nobody is interested. I have applied for just about anything I can do, no matter what the job, but nothing - it is driving me crazy! I'v applied for retail sales, accounting, clerical, reception, administrative assistants, entry level clerks, part-time, full-time, contract, you name it I've applied... well except for Tim Hortons and McD's, those are my last resorts! (My hearing isn't great and in a noisy environment I will struggle)

Anyone know of any jobs going? Pretty please?

Tangram

Shame. Keep going.

ChromeoHurts

I have used indeed.ca for jobs and I find lot's of these spammy looking job postings... it looks legit (even the website looks credible) and with so many employment agencies out there it's hard to determine if it is real or bogus.

I've decided to stick to a select few job sites like the ontario jobs site and workopolis etc... I've signed up with a couple of the known international agencies like Adecco and Robert Half as well.

You already do this I'm sure. Just keep your guard up... it really sucks when these nasty individuals prey on job seekers desire to find employment.

Joolschweetie

You're Hamilton area, right?! Still haven't met you through the local meet-ups yet, can never get to the B'ton ones! I'll get to one eventually

I've had the same prob, I've been applying for everything and finally have just got a job up at a new store opening in Ancaster. Dunno where you live in Hamilton, but I went along to an employment services office to get some advice & make some contacts.

Employment Hamilton (or EH! as they, terribly amusingly, call themselves) was actually really helpful I found. They helped me re-do CV and also they offer various certificates (like customer service, smart-serve, computer skills etc) for very little money. They get access to jobs that aren't advertised and you can do allsorts of assessments there on office skills, computer skills and the rest of it. My experience with employers here is that you need to be certified to do EVERYTHING and it ain't valid unless it's Canadian! Reeeeally frustrating!

If you've already done this or gone to another one of these places, apologies for repeating what you already know but I just found it to be a good way of getting my resume 'appraised' so to speak, accessing courses and generally hearing that it wasn't a lost cause! If you apply for jobs, they also help you follow up as they have links with loads of local businesses.

www.employmenthamilton.com
67 Victoria Ave South

Hope this helps - sorry I don't have any specific local jobs to recommend!

Siouxie

Thanks for that Jools.. whilst I have been to a couple of agencies and also to the employment services at Mohawk, I hadn't come across that one (I wonder why). I will definitely take a look.

I live on 'the Mountain' and due to not having transport (nor a drivers licence, lol) I have been a little limited as to how far I can go for work purposes - Dundas is an hour and a bit (2 buses and a walk) Burlington is and hour and a half (3 buses and a walk), Ancaster an hour (3 buses again), Stoney Creek 50 minutes (2 buses) - but it depends where the job is because they are not necessarily on a bus route! I find myself checking the address of every company to see before I apply.

We should meet up for a coffee sometime and compare applications, lol.

Joolschweetie

I hear ya!
I have a license but we only have the one car and OH is working in Cambridge atm so I had to work somewhere I could get to with public transport too. I've been told by numerous people that not driving limits my job prospects, but as I keep trying to explain; no job = no money = no car. Lol.

I'm right around the corner from the main bus terminal so I'm lucky bus route wise - I know that feeling of checking if it's on a bus route before applying!

Well, give me a shout if you want a coffee and a moan about the unfairness of the Canadian job market.

Novocastrian

Based on your posts on here, you're clearly a very capable individual. Would it be impossible to learn to drive and acquire a cheapo car so you could search a bit wider for employment? I don't think there's all that many businesses on Hamilton Mountain.

Siouxie

Thanks Jools - I used to work right around the corner from the bus station on McNabb and that area is perfect for commuting. Send me a pm and let me know when you are free and I will happily meet up for a coffee (or a wine!)



~~~~~~~~~

Thank you Novo, I take that as a huge compliment.

I did drive in the UK for a while but not for the length of time necessary to convert my licence. I'm getting a little long in the tooth now, tbh, and whilst part of me would love to drive again another part is scared silly of driving here! Added to that, as Jools said, the cost of buying a car together with the cost of insurance without employment is what prevents me from doing so.

I don't mind having to get 2 buses to work, but 3 is just too much.

Suprisingly there are quite a few jobs available 'down in the City', I am more than capable of doing the majority -some with a blindfold and one hand tied behind my back, lol - there have even been a fair few up here on the Mountain as well. I am pretty sure that if I could get an interview I could get the job but it's getting an interview that I am struggling with.

I'm a pretty optimistic person but it does get very disheartening and at times I feel like I am hitting my head against a brick wall. However, I will keep plodding away and eventually a job will come along.

Onwards and upwards and never say never, lol.

geedee

Siouxie, as Novo said, you seem to be bright, intelligent and motivated.

Have you thought about starting your own business? You don't have to work for somebody else! Canada is screaming out for innovation.....

Siouxie

Thank you very much for the kind compliment!

I have thought about starting my own business and am looking into grants and loans available, however, knowing what business to 'get into' is the biggest stumbling block at the moment. If anyone has any ideas feel free to PM me!

Thanks again to everyone for the support and suggestions.. much appreciated.