Career Services Trends Transforming Job Placement in 2026
January 5, 2026
Seven checks careers teams can share to help students avoid job scams.
A student comes to your careers team with a question that is becoming routine: is this job real?
It is a fair thing to ask. In October 2026 the ABC reported that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) received 138 scam reports relating to LinkedIn in July and August alone, with reported losses of about $254,000. The Australian Federal Police says fake job ads circulate across a range of online platforms, so this is not a problem tied to any one site.
LinkedIn's own Job Search Safety Pulse survey of Australians found that 61% had seen a job ad they suspected was fraudulent and around 16% said they had fallen victim to a job scam. Among Gen Z respondents that rose to 25%. These are commissioned survey figures, so treat them as indicative, but the direction is clear.
Why this lands on careers teams
Students, graduates and people changing careers are often the most exposed. They are applying widely, they are less familiar with how hiring normally works and many are under financial pressure. The same survey found nearly half of respondents would take more risks when applying because of cost of living pressures.
Careers teams cannot check every listing their students see. What you can do is give them a short set of checks they can run themselves in a minute. Here is one you can copy, adapt and send.
Seven checks to share with students and members
1. Never pay to get a job
A genuine employer does not charge you to apply, to start or to be considered. The ACCC warns that job scams often ask people to pay up front or to buy a course or training to secure a role. Paid CV rewrites offered by a stranger who has just contacted you are a common variation.
2. Check the recruiter is real
Scammers copy real people's profiles. Before replying, find the company on its own careers website and check the person actually works there. A recruiter with few connections, no followers or an unusual location is a warning sign.
3. Check the email address
Real recruiters write from the company's own domain. Be wary of offers from free webmail addresses such as Gmail, Outlook or Hotmail.
4. Keep the conversation where you can check it
Be cautious if someone asks you to move to a private messaging app, rushes you or asks you to keep the opportunity quiet. Pressure to act fast is a classic tactic.
5. Protect your CV and ID
A CV holds more personal information than most people realise, including contact details, work history and sometimes security clearances. Share it only with organisations you have checked, and never send ID or bank details before a formal interview and written offer.
6. Expect a proper process
Genuine employers interview candidates, by video or in person, before making an offer. An offer that arrives without an interview, or for a role you never applied for, deserves a second look.
7. Apply direct
Where you can, apply on the employer's own website or through a job board where every role links straight to the employer. The fewer people between you and the employer, the fewer chances there are for someone to impersonate them.
If something feels wrong
Stop replying. Do not send money, ID or bank details. Keep screenshots of the messages, report the profile or ad to the platform it appeared on and report the scam to your national scam reporting service, eg Scamwatch in Australia. Then tell your careers team, so they can warn others.
A short version to paste into your next newsletter
Before you apply: never pay to get a job, check the recruiter on the company's own website, look for a company email address, keep conversations where you can check them, protect your CV and ID, expect a proper interview and apply direct to the employer wherever you can. If something feels wrong, stop and tell us.
Where Job Ready Talent fits
Job Ready Talent gives careers teams, training providers and membership organisations niche job boards where every role comes directly from the employer. Roles are verified, refreshed every 2 hours and removed automatically when they close, and every apply link goes straight to the employer. It gives your students and members a trusted place to start their search, with nothing for your team to build or maintain.
Start a 14-day free trial, no card needed.