A warning to all people looking for work.

Yesterday, I was happy to receive an e-mail.  Yes, I know that Gmail apparently crashed... and that wasn't why I was happy.

The e-mail was a job offer:

Good day Mr ......,

We are delighted to formally offer you an employment to work with us in our Company. We have picked out your resume from totaljobs.com.

The position is subjected to the following terms and conditions:
• Compensation: Will be paid in monthly installments of 1,500 pounds, subject to deductions for taxes and withholdings as required by law and the company policies.
• 8 % Commission.
• Benefits:
- Formal training via our personal supervisor training program
- Management growth opportunities
- Health care and retirement plan
- Solid technology support
- Paid vacation
- Paid Sick leave
• Non-Compete Agreement: non-compete agreement must be signed prior to start.
• Terminating the employment: employment is at-will basis. Both parties can terminate the relationship with a notice of 2 weeks at any time.

If you are in agreement with the above outline, please let me know. This offer is in effect for 1 week.

Please review this offer of employment, if you have any queries about these please do not hesitate to contact contact us at office.hr.simon@gmail.com.

I had to read it a couple of times.  There were no attachments, and no other details.

I was meeting a jobs adviser later that day and I forwarded the e-mail onto him, and when I saw him, he told me that it was a scam, and not only that, but it was quite common.  People are desperate for jobs these days, and so they'd probably be as elated as I was to receive an e-mail with a job offer.

So things to look out for.

No details with regards to the job itself.
No company details.
No company e-mail, which will be formal and will probably have a company logo.
Use of the word "resume".  In the UK we prefer "curriculum vitae" or "CV"
Use of the word "vacation".  We might have annual leave or holiday pay.

If this is apparently quite common, why aren't online job agencies making sure that the companies are legitimate???  I did forward this to totaljobs.com and will see what happens.  But I deliberately included the senders e-mail so that hopefully you're aware if you get something similar.

Happy and safe job-hunting.

Joe.