The biggest warning sign: being asked to pay
Legitimate employers and government departments do not charge you to apply, to be interviewed or to be placed in a job. Treat any request for an 'admin fee', 'training fee' or 'uniform deposit' before you start work as a serious warning sign.
Other red flags
- The advert uses a free email address instead of the organisation's own domain.
- The salary is unusually high for the role and requires no experience.
- You are offered a job without an interview.
- You are pressured to send your ID, bank details or certified documents immediately.
- A government post is advertised only on social media and not on an official site.
Check before you act
Search for the organisation's official website and contact details yourself rather than using the numbers in the advert. For public-service posts, find the same vacancy on the DPSA vacancy circular or the relevant provincial portal.