Never give money, a bank debit card or credit card to a prospective employer or employment agency.
Do not pay any fee or commission or advance money for a job or for job materials.
Be suspicious of any employment-service firm that promises to get you a job.
Do not go alone to an interview you're feeling uneasy about, or one that is to take place in an isolated location or in the evening. Take a friend.
Research your prospective employer. Check with the Better Business Bureau and local consumer protection offices to verify legitimacy. (See research sidebar)
Report any problems with interviews or jobs that don't seem to be legitimate.
Be very cautious of job offers or promises that seem to be too good to be true. They almost always are. Ask for the firm's contract and read it carefully. If oral promises are made, that do not appear on the contract, think twice about doing business with the firm.
Leave an interview quickly if the interviewer asks inappropriate questions. Examples are questions about your marital status, dating preferences, your religion or financial contacts. In Canada this information is confidential and should not be used to determine your employability. Prospective employers can use information that is public information to determine your employability. For example, banks will check your credit rating and make employment decisions on that information.
It is illegal for employers to require you to purchase uniforms, badges, protective clothing or supplies from them exclusively. Employers can require you to follow a dress code or purchase safety equipment. They can offer discounts or incentives for you to make the purchase from them, but you have the right to buy from other companies that meet the employers' specifications. Companies can supply uniforms and require their employees to wear them.
Multi-level marketing is legal in Canada. Pyramid marketing is not. Mary Kay Cosmetics and Tupperware are examples of multi-level marketing. They sell products or services to members, who in turn sell to other members. However, if a company requires member-retailers to buy more stock than they can sell, if the company wants to be remunerated for finding contacts or if the company makes wage predictions that cannot be validated, then the company can be accused of running a pyramid marketing scheme and can be charged huge fines.