By Colleen Tressler, Senior Project Manager, Federal Trade Commission

Looking for a job can be a full-time job. So when you do come across a promising prospect, you might be tempted to leap before you get a good look.

But job hunters need to know that scammers also are in the mix, posing as real employers. They may pretend to be a business looking to hire, or they may claim they can give you access to special job listings or interviews. Some even guarantee to place you in a job. What’s more, they often advertise in the same places real employers do.

Whatever their angle, job scammers are looking for the same thing — to convince you to send money — or your credit or debit card information — before you catch on to their schemes.

So how do you know when you’re dealing with a scam? The surest sign of a job scam is someone who wants you to pay for the promise of a job. That’s true even when they say they’ve got a job waiting and that the money is for certification or some other fee. If you have to pay, it’s not a job offer.

Some popular job scams to look out for include:

Government and Postal Job Scams: Scammers pretend to have access to special government job listings, or guarantee to get you a job with the postal service. But information about federal and postal job openings is free and available to everyone. Applying also is free. Find out more about federal jobs at usajobs.gov, and postal jobs at usps.com/employment.

Work-at-Home Schemes: Making a great income from home is an appealing prospect. But promises of guaranteed incomes and big returns for little work are the sign of a scam, whether it’s envelope stuffing, craft work, rebate processing, online search work, or medical billing. In reality, you’re left with useless starter kits or certifications, and broken promises.

Mystery Shopping Ads: Getting paid to shop and eat sounds hard to beat, but that email or ad for a mystery shopping job is likely a scam. Con artists send fake checks, convincing you to wire back money before the check bounces. When it does, you’re on the hook for the money you withdrew and sent.

If you’re not sure about a company, check it out with your local consumer protection agency, state Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau, and find out what others are saying by entering the company’s or person’s name into a search engine with the word complaints.

And be sure to check out the FTC’s Job Scams video and learn more at ftc.gov/jobscams, or ftc.gov/EstafasDeEmpleo for Spanish.

To learn about other free resources to help you no matter what your financial situation, sign up for our e-mail list or visit our page.

If you’ve lost a job or want to change career paths, you can take advantage of education and training opportunities to help you build new skills.

The Department of Labor offers training programs through Career OneStop. You can find short-term trainings, certification programs, apprenticeship opportunities and more.

You’ll also find resources for further professional development in your current career and ways to update your skills to be more marketable to employers.

If you’re considering student loans to help finance any training or education, learn the process of applying for student loans and managing student loan debt.

Find more education and training opportunities.

To learn about other free resources to help you no matter what your financial situation, sign up for our e-mail list or visit our page.

When you apply for a job, your potential employer will look at the application you complete as well as the resume you submit.

They can also request a background report, which includes information about your credit history, criminal record and driving record. This can only be done with your permission, however, if you refuse, you might not be hired.

So before you apply to a job, you should get a copy of your credit report so you know what any potential employer might see. If there’s incorrect information, you can correct it. You can also be ready to explain any negative information to your potential employer. You can get a free credit report by visiting annualcreditreport.com.

Many employers will also look you up online. They can see any public information on social networking sites or other public information that comes up attached to your name. Make sure you search for yourself online so you see what potential employers might find. If you have inappropriate content posted on any of your social profiles, you might want to delete it or make it private.

Learn more about what potential employers look at when you apply for jobs.

To learn about other free resources to help you no matter what your financial situation, sign up for our e-mail list or visit our page.

Are you looking for a job? These resources can help you find a position that’s a good fit.

• Career OneStop - You can search for jobs and explore different career options. You can also get tips to help improve your resume and interview skills.
• Find a government job - If you’re looking for a government job, USAJobs.gov is the place where you can find all job opportunities posted. You can also use the USAJobs iPhone app to search for and apply to jobs. Get advice on how to write a strong federal resume by watching this video.
• Find local help - The Department of Labor has offices all over the country that offer employment assistance programs. Find an office near you.
• Read Focused Jobseeking - This free publication offers guidelines for taking control of your job search.

Find more information and services to help you get a job.

If you’re currently unemployed, you may be eligible for unemployment insurance until you find a new job. Find out what benefits are available and if you qualify.

To learn about other free resources to help you no matter what your financial situation, sign up for our e-mail list or visit our page.

The Department of Labor has started a new initiative, called “Summer Jobs +” to help youth find summer jobs.

The current recession has not only affected full-time workers, but students and youth who depend on part-time and summer jobs to help support their family. According to the Department of Labor, “48.8 percent of youth between the ages of 16-24 were employed in July, the month when youth employment usually peaks. This is significantly lower than the 59.2 percent of youth who were employed five years ago and 63.3 percent of youth who were employed 10 years ago.”

If you’re looking for a summer job, you can sign up for email updates about Summer Jobs + opportunities and can also search for current job opportunities in your area.

Businesses can take the “Pathways Pledge,” which offers three options for helping connect low-income youth with employment. Businesses can help young people acquire life skills and work skills or participate through the “learn and earn” option, which lets employees earn money for learning on the job skills.

Learn more about Summer Jobs + and find opportunities near you.