Scam warning for university graduates in South Africa

Graduates are increasingly turning to social media sites like LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok to find jobs, leaving them vulnerable to fraudulent job scams.

New research by AI career hub Kickresume, which surveyed 1,277 people, compared the experiences of recent university graduates.

It divided respondents into two groups: “fresh graduates”, students about to graduate, recent graduates, and those with less than a year’s work experience, and “earlier graduates”, people with more than a year’s work experience after graduating.

The study revealed big differences in data around how and when graduates found their first job. Of those graduates with at least a year’s experience, 39% secured their jobs before they finished their studies.

This is only the case for 12% of fresh graduates, making them nearly three times less likely to have found a job before graduation.

While 25% of earlier graduates were still looking for a job after graduation, 58% of fresh graduates said they were still searching.

Another major change was the rise of LinkedIn and other social media platforms as job search tools. 57% of fresh graduates said they were using LinkedIn for their search, compared to 29% of those who graduated earlier.

While only 7% of earlier graduates used social media like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook groups to look for work, 29% of fresh graduates used this strategy.

CEO and Co-Founder of Kickresume, Peter Duris, explained how much job searching has changed between these two groups. “The use of social media for job searching has nearly quadrupled, from just 7% of earlier graduates to 26% of new ones,” he said.

“LinkedIn, in particular, has become a go-to tool. 57% of fresh grads used it to find their first job, compared to just 29% of those who graduated earlier.”

With more job searching happening on social media, Duris recommended that job seekers consider how they appear online.

“If you’re reaching out to companies or sharing career-related stuff, consider setting up a separate account just for that – somewhere you can post your projects or clips from events,” he said.

“Then keep your personal profile private and just for friends, in case a hiring manager decides to take a peek.”

Social media job hunts endanger graduates

While social media presents ample opportunity for graduates to network and find job opportunities, it also comes with risks.

With South Africa’s high unemployment rate, social media has become a rife hunting ground for scammers to exploit job seekers.

In May, Standard Bank warned job seekers to beware of fake job advertisements, which are becoming increasingly prevalent.

This scam entails fraudsters posting fake job advertisements, often promising high salaries with minimal effort. However, their true motive is to steal your information or money.

Work-from-home scams, a type of job scam, have also become a common threat in the job market.

Standard Bank explained that as the social and economic pressures to find employment intensify, fraudsters exploit these vulnerabilities to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting job seekers.

“Standard Bank understands the immense pressure individuals face in securing employment. Unfortunately, fraudsters are intensifying their efforts, using this societal pressure point to deceive and defraud job seekers.”

These fake hiring ads are prevalent on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp.

To stay safe from these scams, Standard Bank advised that job seekers should always cross-check the details of the hiring company, including verifying its name, contact information, and website.

Contacting the company directly through official channels, such as a verified email address, phone number, or official website, is crucial to confirm whether the job offer is genuine and not part of a scam.

Standard Bank added that South Africans should be cautious of any job offer requiring them to pay for training, equipment, or other fees upfront. Companies which are legitimately looking to hire will never demand such payments.