Is That a Cuckoo in the Nest? How to Spot Fake Job Posting

Although personal relationships are important for finding a new job in animal health, even our closely-knit industry relies on online platforms to bring candidates and companies together. The best places to search are dedicated animal health job boards, like here at Animal Health Jobs. Many other roles are found on large sites like Indeed and LinkedIn.

While offering tremendous reach, large sites can become victims of their own success, too big for effective quality control. As a result, fake job posts are increasingly turning up on these sites. Following them down the road to nowhere can be a wild goose chase, costing you time, frustration, and even financial risk. As many as 36% of online job postings may be fakes, either malicious action by scammers after your money, or so-called ‘ghost advertisements’ posted by legitimate companies that aren’t actually looking to hire.¹

A few simple steps can protect you from the snakes and hyenas that post these fake jobs, and make the online job hunt safer for everyone.

Use the real deal

Focus your search on trusted sites and through your network. At Animal Health Jobs, an actual person with animal health industry experience personally reviews every job posting and resume to ensure that it is valid and relevant for the industry. When searching on massive, unspecialized sites that lack this personal oversight, use your network to confirm that a posting is real: contact someone who works for the company to get the scoop. That’s good job search practice anyway.

Watch for red flags

Like a bull in the field, a red flag in a job posting should catch your eye immediately. Trust your instinct: A posting that looks too good to be true is likely to be untrue. Salaries well above the industry benchmark, extravagant benefits, immediate start dates, and other excessive promises are a clear warning. So are vague descriptions of the job or benefits, missing company information, ‘love bombing’ (excessive contact) across social media, requests for financial information very early on, and the inability to reach a live person for details. ²

Our own Jeff Santosuosso, Executive Recruiter for Brakke Consulting, was recently targeted. Jeff received two fake job solicitations after merely commenting on a LinkedIn post. Although purporting to be from well-known firms, both fakes were easy to spot; they had few or no connections and used a ‘hard sell’ approach, urging Jeff to apply immediately, before the roles were filled. If you’re targeted this way, don’t get caught up in the excitement!

Report bad actors

Online, as in real life, every member contributes to the safety of the herd. If you spot a fake advertisement or are approached by a fake company or recruiter, report them to the platform, the Federal Trade Commission, or even your local attorney general. Block all attempts to contact you further. If you have been tricked into giving financial information, take steps to protect your money and your identity.

Be smart in your animal health job search

When it comes to job hunting in animal health, it’s easy for hope to outweigh common sense. Remain vigilant. Verify the source of all advertisements by contacting someone in your animal health network who can confirm that the post is legitimate. Watch for red flags. Rely on trusted, dedicated platforms like Animal Health Jobs and on recruiters with whom you have built relationships. If you haven’t met Jeff yet, contact him now. Post your resume on Animal Health Jobs and search for open positions here.

The animal health industry is a wonderful place to work, filled with dedicated, passionate people helping animals and those who care for them. There are plenty of genuine jobs that need someone like you. Find your next animal health position with Animal Health Jobs now!

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As the premier talent marketplace in the animal health industry, Animal Health Jobs brings together top-performing companies in animal health and nutrition and top-performing candidates to fill roles of all types. That’s why industry insiders post their resumes at Animal Health Jobs and partner with the experts at Brakke Executive Search. We connect the best companies and the best candidates for long-term business success.

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References

1. Wells, R. ‘36% of job adverts are fake – How to spot them in 2024.’ Forbes.com. Published 13 August, 2024. Updated 4 September 2024. Accessed 5 March 2025. https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2024/08/13/36-of-job-adverts-are-fake-how-to-spot-them-in-2024/.
2. Stenvick, R. ‘How to spot a fake job posting.’ Acara Solutions website. Published 15 April 2025. Accessed 26 August 2025. https://acarasolutions.com/blog/job-seekers/how-to-spot-a-fake-job-posting/