If you’re looking for a new job, the Internet is a valuable tool both for searching out new opportunities and for letting potential employers learn about you. But as with all things online, you need to look both ways and consider the risks attendant to posting information and learn how to minimize them.

The most common risks associated with posting resumes are identity theft and scams. Think about it: Your name, address, phone number and e-mail address are cash in the hands of an identity thief; if they can combine that with knowledge of your background, so much the better. For scams, I recommend For virtual jobs, click with caution for a practical overview of how some of these work.

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What to consider when you search for jobs

Choose reputable sites for your research:

• Company sites that list open positions are usually the safest. (This assumes that the company is reputable. Check with the Better Business Bureau if you haven’t heard of the company to confirm that it is on the up-and-up.)

• Industry-specific sites that specialize in posting jobs within the industry are perhaps the next safest.

• Well-established job brokerage sites like monster.com and Careerbuilder.com apply basic safeguards and are generally secure sites that have helped millions find jobs. That said, it is important to remember that there is no resume database where 100 percent of the positions are guaranteed to be legitimate or to be protected from hacking. (Monster was hacked most recently in November, 2007.)

• Postings on classified sites like Craigslist, Facebook, and MySpace, where there is little or no vetting, are the most risky. Use extreme caution. I get particularly concerned over articles (such as Can Facebook and Bebo improve your job search?) that tout social networking sites as good tools for job search with no mention of the significant risks involved. For example, resumes usually contain, at a minimum, name, address, contact information, work experience, and so on. If someone calls, posing as a “potential employer,” it would be easy for them to get any other information needed for identity theft in no time.

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What to consider before you post your resume

To protect your identity from theft, the goal is primarily to keep sensitive personal information as private as possible, at least until you've had your first meeting or interview at the company.

1. Create a separate e-mail account. Most large job posting sites mask your e-mail account until you are communicating directly with a company, at which point you will need an account. If you are responding to job postings directly on a company’s site, you definitely want a separate account, particularly if your existing one is with your current employer.

2. Keep the e-mail account name professional. This is no time for flirtatious or goofy account names. You may want to stick to first and middle initials and your last name, or perhaps use an alias that reflects the position you are seeking – for example "MarktingMgr."

3. Include contact information but exclude sensitive personal information. You do not want to be the victim of identity theft. Before your upload your resume, review it one more time for sensitive information.

• Be sure your e-mail address and a current phone number are easy to find. Your city and state are also relevant, but your street address is not.

• You may or may not choose to include your name on the initial resume.

• List descriptions of the type of work you’ve done instead of listing the companies you’ve worked for. Make job description titles generic as well. These safeguards make it more difficult for an identity thief to cross reference and learn more about you.

• There is also absolutely no reason to include your social security number or birth date on any resume or cover letter. This information should not be needed – or asked for -- until you’ve accepted a position.

4. Be selective about where you post your resume.

• Evaluate the site before you post your resume. Be sure the site is a good fit with the kind of position you’re looking for and will represent you well.

• Take the time to read the Web site’s privacy policy. Make sure you understand what information they collect, and if they claim the right to resell your information. (I don’t recommend using any site that resells information.)

• Avoid services that blast your resume out to thousands of recruiters and job boards. Not only does this increase your risk, it is ineffective. For example, many in human resources check for such “spammed” resumes and back away from those who post them. It is more effective to use one popular, reputable job site and perhaps a couple of industry-specific sites.

• Don't use any site that gives free access to just anyone; these make it too easy for identity thieves to skim information.

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What to consider when you respond to an ad

1. Only apply for positions that you have confirmed are legitimate.

2. Avoid giving private information before you meet in person at the company. If you are asked for this information before you have accepted a job offer, consider it a warning bell and be very cautious.

3. Never respond to an offer without first checking with the Better Business Bureau. It’s easy for anxiety to overshadow caution if you have been laid off or need a job right away. But anxiety may make you vulnerable to "jobs" that are "too good to be true.” In general, if it sounds too good to be true it IS too good to be true.

After you get the job

REMOVE your resume when you find the right job. This is easy to forget when you start a new job, but leaving your information online exposes you unnecessarily to such risks as identity theft, robbery, scams, and others.

Linda

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