August 25, 2017
Making the Right Choice
Not to be outdone and with the recollection about some very disappointing experiences with another virtual gigs site from a year before, I decided to explore some of those notices. Alerts for the type of work that would be suitable for me and my talents were created. A new onslaught of notifications began to arrive. I finally picked through a few of them, read the description, and decided on one or two that seemed to be a good match.
On the very first one where I was about to submit my resume, I was greeted by a notice that an application fee would be required in order for my resume and application to be accepted. (No guarantee they would be reviewed, just accepted.) Just a minute. Somewhere in the recesses of my legal memory lay a recollection of research that said an agency cannot charge a fee for making an application for work. There was something curious about that particular website. I withdrew my resume and application. I also forgot to take note of which site had that requirement. What I do remember is the only thing they offered was a menu of new openings as well as a submission portal. There were no additional services offered.
The experience made me remember a site that no longer exists and was known as “Sologig” which was an outgrowth of “Hot Gigs”, that became CareerBuilder, and (like Dr. Who) has experienced several re-generations. The freelancing side of its operations is completely different these days. Circa 2006 and ’07, a freelancer seeking work would pay a subscription or membership fee in order to be found for work.
This protocol was very similar to the one eventually used by Remote.com. To justify charging a fee to be hired, the cost was considered a subscription to a community that offered additional services and enhancements. Additionally (you’re going to like this news), the subscription fee was tax deductible as a job search expense. (Please don’t ask me how that type of fee will be treated under the newly-inked tax bill. It’s too soon to have analyzed and comprehended the 10,000-page document.) However, in January 2006, Sologig advised in its newsletter:
Your Sologig membership is tax deductible
The tax season is upon us and, as with other business expenses, your Sologig.com membership fees are tax deductible. The IRS has many valuable resources available to independent contractors. You can find more information about filing, deductions as well as other tips to save you time and money. Read the Sologig News article on filing your taxes as an independent contractor. (The archived link takes the reader to this article.)
So that may be the key to determining whether the job search site is a scam. Is the fee for registering to be found by potential employers as well as apply for work include special services such as training, resume services, skills testing and certification, and so on? Then perhaps this is a legitimate fee-for-services site.
But if you’re paying for the privilege of submitting your application and resume to the company’s website ATS (applicant tracking system) where the only human eyes that will eventually see them are pretty far down the road, you’d best move on to a more robust site with more than artificial intelligence examining what’s been submitted with no fee for your diligence and effort.
Resources:
- Can you charge a fee for a job application?, SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney (2010)
- Common Job Scams and How to Avoid Them, Allison Doyle, The Balance: Job Searching (Updated October 12, 2016)
- Learn About Fake Recruiter Scams and How to Avoid Them, Allison Doyle, The Balance: Job Searching (Updated October 06, 2017)
- Beware of This Increasingly Common Job Scam Using FlexJobs’ Name, Sara Sutton Fell (13 Sep, 2017)
- Are Membership Dues Tax Deductible?, Network for Good, Posted in Best Practices (April 2, 2009)
- Are Nonprofit Membership Dues Tax Deductible?, Craig Berman, Sapling (February 11, 2011)
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