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How often do our workplace communications open with I hope you are well or I trust you are doing fine? These wellness checks reflect the fact that everybody has become more conscious of the need to be kind to others. Thats a good thing. Our workplace has become a setting where the best bosses and colleagues take pride in showing sensitivity to the emotional and physical well-being of others. And for these reasons, beginning a letter or a conversation with I hope you are well has some merit. But even if it reflects the best of intentions, this opening should be abandoned. Heres whyand some suggested replacements. Why to stop saying I hope you are well in emails I hope you are well is not a prohibited email opener by any means, but here are some reasons you may want to consider starting your message a different way. 1. Its a cliche. First, this opening is overly general. Of course you want to begin an email or conversation with something that warms up the relationship. I call this the grabber. But people who use I hope you are well or a similar phrase are simply making a pro forma statement that could be made to anyone. The words sound good but have no deeper personal or individual meaning. 2. It sounds unprofessional. Second, beginning an email or phone call with I hope all is well can make you sound unprofessional. Given that this expression is a throwaway line that typically is not meant to be answered, it will make you sound fluffy. It smacks of fillerof saying something that youve heard others say and youre just repeating it because it sounds good. Its a bit like saying hows it going? or whats up? These are oft-repeated, empty expressions. Platitudes can weaken your impact because they are empty of meaning. You dont want to come across as a person who has nothing to say and therefore begins emails and conversations with boilerplate text. 3. It creates confusion. Third, beginning with I hope you are well can create confusion for the recipient, who may wonder how to respond. Should they address the comment or let it go? For example, when an email begins with this expression, possible answers run through the recipients mind, including Im well, or Im having a great week, or life has been good. They might even consider getting more specific. But if theyre grappling with a problem, should they spill all? Here is where the confusion sets in. Should the respondent not address the query at all, answer only in the positive, or go deeper and explain that they are wrestling with a problemat work or at home? People justifiably get confused about how to respond. 4. It can lead to a digression. An email or conversation launched with I hope all is well with you can get the discussion off course. Your recipient may respond with details of whats happening in their lifewhich can be fine (or even nice). But you may also find yourself having to respond to a narrative you hadnt planned on. With an especially talkative individual, you might get a response like, Yes, Ive been well. In fact, let me tell you where we went on a recent holiday. Your listener has been waiting for a chance to tell you or anyone else about their recent vacation, what cities they saw, and what they liked about each one. Your statement becomes an invitation to share a personal narrative that may get you (and them) off track. 5. It may sound empty. Saying I hope you are well might also sound empty or even heartless to someone who has actually been going through an especially hard time. It may strike the recipient as toxic positivity insofar as the speaker is using a quick brushstroke to gloss over something much more profound. It may not be an intentional dig, but its still a poor way of introducing the subject of the recipients emotional state. The query will ring hollow with any recipient who is dealing with something serious. 7 Alternatives to I hope you are well Here are some other ways to start your messages: 1. With something specific and sincere I hope youre well can sound overly vague. So instead, sk yourself what you can say to show that you do care about the person you are writing to or talking with. You might begin: You have been on my mind lately, and then explain why. Or say: We were so enthralled with the event you hosted last month. In short, think about something in your relationship with your recipient to draw out. If its a new contact, show youve done your research and say something positive about that person. For example: Im so impressed with your HR organization, or I am looking forward to meeting you and being part of your product launch. Being specific gets the relationship off on good footing. 2. I hope youre having a [productive/good/great/etc.] [week/month/season/year]. This is a good email opener for a quick message. Not every email needs to make a great first impression or build a relationship, but getting a bit more specific will make it feel more personal than the vague I hope youre well. 3. We met at.. or another a reminder Maybe youve met the person youre emailing, but it was just once or perhaps you worked together years ago. Either way, you want your recipient to know who you are right up front. If not, they might not be motivated to read the rest of your message. A well wish from a stranger doesnt mean much. 4. [Name] said I should reach out. This is another opener that hooks your recipient by telling them why they should read your message. It tells them right up front why youre contacting them and reassures them that someone they know vouches for you. Your next sentences should quickly explain why you were referred to them by your mutual contact. And of course, you should only use this opener if its true. 5. With an introduction to yourself Sometimes youre sending a cold or nearly cold email, and in these cases, your first order of business should always be introducing yourself. This doesnt mean telling your life story, however. Instead, quickly tell the email recipient what about you is relevant to them. For example, if youre messaging someone who works at the same company as you, you might say: Hi Millie, Im Peter, the new marketing assistant under Kim and I was wondering if youd be able to answer some of my questions on the newest product feature release. Or if youre reaching out toa possible contact for an information interview, you might say: Hello Juan, Im a senior in USCs Computer Science major and Im interested in pursuing a career in game design. 6. How are you? This doesnt necessarily mean to literally start your email with the sentence How are you?you can use any of the many alternatives. But only use this opener if you genuinely want an answer and youre ready to continue any conversation that the recipient starts as a result. Asking how someone is doing is less presumptuous than I hope you are well because it gives room for them to answer genuinely. 7. Nothing Not every email needs a dedicated opener. Particularly if youre emailing someone you work with a lot or have other conversations going with, you can just cut to the point. If youre Slacking your supervisor every day, for example, theres no reason to start an email with pleasantries. Instead, you can just keep your email brief and to the point. Regina Borsellino also contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article and a previous version.
Category:
E-Commerce
Since his inauguration on January 20, President Trump has wasted no time issuing an onslaught of executive orders. On his first day in office, Trump signed off on a whopping 26 executive orders, along with 20 additional presidential actions, and rescinded nearly 80 of Bidens executive actions, which he described as disruptive and radical. A number of those edictsincluding others that have followed over the past weekhave targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the federal government and private sector. Its not clear how some of these executive actions may hold up in court, though mounting right-wing attacks on DEI had already prompted many employers to alter or even dismantle their diversity programs well before Trump took office. Over the past year, major companies like Walmart and McDonalds have rolled back their commitments to DEI, along with household names like John Deere, Ford, and Lowes; more recently, leading tech employers like Meta have also followed suit. But Trumps barrage of orders could usher in more sweeping changes to corporate DEI work, by explicitly targeting even private employers. Trumps actions have had a near-immediate impact on equity initiatives across the government: Federal employees in DEI roles were put on administrative leave by Wednesday, and workers across federal agencies claim the executive orders have already compromised employee resource groups, which have been shut down or paused. Heres a rundown of the orders Trump has issued over the past week, and how they could further affect DEI efforts across the workforce: Federal hiring and workforce When Biden took office in 2021, he introduced an executive order that sought to formalize equity requirements across all federal agencies. Trump is undoing those initiatives with a new action (Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing), directing agencies to eliminate what the order describes as illegal programs, including all DEI mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear. The order also calls for terminating visible DEI positions like chief diversity officer to the maximum extent allowed by law, along with any equity-related requirements for grants or contractors and initiatives that focus on environmental justice. Trump also signed a separate order intended to emphasize the importance of merit in federal hiring and eliminate any DEI considerations. Federal hiring should not be based on impermissible factors, such as ones commitment to illegal racial discrimination under the guise of equity, or ones commitment to the invented concept of gender identity over sex, the order read. Another action targeted hiring practices at the Federal Aviation Administration, ordering the agency to end any such initiatives that incorporated DEI. Beyond these orders, the Trump administration has also explicitly instructed federal workers to report colleagues who attempt to maintain any DEI programs or continue the work under a different nameor risk adverse consequences for failing to do so within 10 days. These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars and resulted in shameful discrimination, read an email to federal workers. DEI in the military In a suite of new orders this week, Trump made a number of major changes to the militarymost notably barring transgender people from enlisting. As part of those actions, Trump is also ending diversity programs in the military and directing the Department of Defense and Homeland Security to eliminate all DEI positions, which will include any vestiges of DEI offices, such as sub-offices, programs, elements, or initiatives established to promote a race-based preferences system that subverts meritocracy, perpetuates unconstitutional discrimination, and promotes divisive concepts or gender ideology. The newly confirmed defense secretary Pete Hegseth underscored this message in a recent post on X, and the executive order also notes that his office will be tasked with conducting an internal review to snuff out any DEI-related initiatives. Corporate diversity programs Perhaps the most significant aspect of Trumps DEI-related actions is that they also take aim at private companies that engage in diversity work. In another action, Trump reversed a critical executive order that dated back to 1965 and addressed discriminatory hiring practices across private contractors that work with the federal government; at the time, the order was seen as an important move to promote racial equity, and it laid the groundwork for subsequent measures to expand worker protections. Trump also revoked a number of previous actions that secured protections against employment discrimination for American workers. But this directive could also catalyze a broader divestment from diversity work across corporate America, by instructing federal agencies to investigate private sector DEI programs. I further order all agencies to enforce our longstanding civil-rights laws and to combat illegal private-sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies, programs, and activities, the order reads, adding that agencies will identify up to nine potential civil compliance investigations of publicly traded companies, nonprofits, and other corporate entities. Its not yet clear which companies might be singled out for those investigationsbut it seems likely that even more employers will make changes to their DEI programs to avoid legal scrutiny.
Category:
E-Commerce
Youve probably felt the thrill that comes with receiving a job offer. You read the congratulatory email, begin to imagine life in your new role, then quickly fill out all the required HR paperwork and receive the necessary equipment. And if all is well, you start preparing for your first day. But what if you find out that the job isnt real? In the first three quarters of 2024, Americans lost $514 million due to business and job opportunity scams, and the Federal Trade Commission received over 93,000 complaints about this type of fraud. In the worst cases, people have already resigned from their jobs before they realize their new position isnt realand suddenly, they dont have a paycheck or health insurance. Recent economic uncertainty and layoffs may make people more vulnerable to these scams and worsen the problem. But it is possible to outsmart the con artists by understanding why people fall for employment scams, how they work, and the red flags to look out for. What kinds of job offer scams are out there? Scammers use a range of tactics to trick job seekers. Many of the common methods start in a similar way: by creating fake job posts, either with branding that matches a recognized company or with a fraudulent company to trick people into applying for the job. These posts appear on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace but also on sites like LinkedIn and Indeed. Cybercriminals will also pose as recruiters or staffing agencies and proactively reach out to their targets offering an interview or a job. Employment scams can be incredibly sophisticated, down to phone or video job interviews and emails that look legitimate. Here are some examples of where the scams may go from there: Identity theft scams The goal of these scams is identity theft and financial fraud. Fake recruiters will research the job seeker fully, including such things as their work history and industry contacts. This information can be found on social media (for instance on Facebook and Twitter) or on professional platforms such as LinkedIn. It doesnt take long to get the basics needed for the scam to develop. The results of this research are aligned with the pitch used during the initial contact with the victim job seeker. The pitch could include references to previous employers, peers, or desired job options, in order to determine if the victim is interested. If the victim is willing to discuss the job offer, the authenticity element of the scam has succeeded. Alternatively, scammers may make fake postings, often on social media or a spoofed version of the companys legitimate website. Now, the authority aspect kicks in. Since the recruiter/fake employer has all the power in this dynamic, their authority is rarely questioned. Job seekers are asked to surrender personal information for background screenings. Sometimes this data is submitted via email or uploaded to a fake recruiting website the criminal has created. Or after an interview, the applicant may be asked to provide information, like their address and phone number, so a formal offer can be sent. Thats often followed up with a request to provide their Social Security number, photos of their drivers license or other forms of ID, and/or bank information. Criminals can then sell this personal info to marketing firms or other criminals or keep it and use the details themselves for identity fraud. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a warning to Americans about bad actors who use fake job offers to steal money and personal information. The scam artists also are able to file fraudulent unemployment claims in their victims name, which not only costs the government, but also could significantly impact the victims tax bill and eligibility for future benefits. Reshipping scams Marcus Ramos, 50, had been out of a job for nearly a month when he got an email from a recruiter named Glen with an enticing offer. For a base pay of $2,400 a month, Ramos could work from his Las Vegas home sending out packages for a company called Filly Shipping, with a promised $40 bonus for each package he mailed. This is how Ramos fell for a reshipping scam, which accounts for the vast majority of scam job offers reported to the BBB, says Josh Planos, spokesperson for the BBBs investigations initiative. In these scams, he describes, organized crime units ask victims to reship stolen goods (without informing them that theyre stolen), creating a complicated pathway to obscure the goods origins. Ramoss scammers engaged with him primarily by phone, calling or texting from a variety of numbers originating in different states. In addition to his initial contact, Glen, two others got in touch with Ramos regularly, using presumably fake names and only identifying themselves as members of the companys shipping department. Not much is known about these scammers by the organizations that track victim reports and The Department of Justice didnt respond to Fast Companys request for comment. But both ARPs director of fraud victim support Amy Nofziger and Planos say most of these criminals are from overseas, working out of call centers. This means theyre operating out of places with call center infrastructure, says Planos, specifically citing Eastern Europe, Russia, and Nigeria. Theyre largely targeting people in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, Nofziger adds. With the reshipping scams, these are criminal enterprises. These are not slapstick operations, says Planos. These are well-oiled machines that have keywords down, that are paying for SEO [and] very visible social media ads. With scammers operating internationally, its difficult to police them from the U.S. Fake check scams In fake check scams, employers send new hires a check to pay for items theyll allegedly need for the job, like home office supplies. After depositing the checks, victims will appear to have money in their accounts, which they use to buy supplies from a vendor provided by the fake employer. The supplies never show up, and the victims bank flags the check as fake, removing that money from their accountsmeaning the victims used their own money to pay for supplies theyll never receive. Prepaid gift card scams work similarly. More than a third of the jobs scam complaints that we received involved fake checks, says Planos, adding that the FTC found a 65% increase in fake check complaints between 2015 and 2020. Anecdotally, hes seen these types of scams perpetrated most against younger job seekers, who may not have as much experience with checks and may be less likely to find depositing one at the start of a new job suspicious. We saw that the largest group of job fraud victims were between the ages of 25 and 34 . . . people who are navigating independent life for the first time, says Planos. Planos shared statements with Fast Company from several victims in that age group, including someone named Sarah, who was contacted by a scammer pretending to be a representative of The Humane Society, where shed applied for a job via Indeed. After a convincing interview with someone posing as a real staffer, Sarah was sent what she later learned were fake checks to buy home office supplies. When problems arose with her purchases (which her employers blamed on COVID-19 and a holiday rush), she was asked to pay other vendors via Zelle, CashApp, and Apple Pay. She ultimately lost $7,000. A family member of a Tessian employee nearly fell victim to another version of this scam. After receiving a job offer, they instructed her to send a personal check to a specific supplier to purchase a new desk and laptop. In this instance, the attacker was posing as both a recruiter and a phony supplierthe equipment would never have arrived, and they would have kept her money. Fortunately, her guard went up, and she didnt send them the check. Recruiter-focused scams While criminals will impersonate recruiters with no hesitation, they also target recruiters directly because of their access to high-value targets from executives to human resources managers. Criminals will conduct phishing attacks, posing as a job seeker, against a recruiter and include malicious attachments disguised as résumés. If theyre successful, the malware installed by the criminal gives them access to all the information the recruiter has available, as well as access to corporate contacts and records. This enables the criminal to expand the scam. In a variation of this tactic, the criminal will pose as an existing client, and either entice the recruiter to disclose corporate authentication credentials via a recruiting portal that was recently launched or again attempt to install malware on the system by offering up malicious attachments. In the second scenario, the criminal will develop a website that uses the branding of the corporate client, and even register a domain with a familiar naming convention, all in order to offer a sense of false security to the soon-to-be-victimized recruiter. Once the corporate credentials are exposed, the criminal has a foothold on the victims network, and the opportunity to expand their scam further. How to tell if a job or job offer is a scam Employment scams arent magic. They work by hijacking the normal workflow of applying for a job. Since job seekers and recruiters are more focused on developing a workforce or landing a job, subtle cues that something is amiss are often overlooked. Not sure if that new job offer is legit or not? Here are a few things that should set off alarms in your head. Scam warning signs in job listings Here are some possible red flags for job scams that you can spot before you even apply: If the job seems too good to be true, it usually is. Employment scams often promise high salaries for only a few hours of work a day, move very quickly, or dont involve thorough interviews. Work-from-home jobs that involve receiving and reshipping packages Mystery shopper or secret shopper positions The job is listed on a job board, but not on the companys website The more vague the job description, the better the odds its not legitimate. Email addresses that dont match other email addresses for the employer or that use free email clients like Gmail or Yahoo. (For example, is the email coming from john.smith@companyx.com or jsmith@companyxjobs.com?) The recruiter or manager doesnt have a profile on the job board or that profile doesnt seem to fit their role. The job listing mentions an application fee Background check requests or requests for information required for a background check (such as social security numbers, address details, date of birth, passport details, bank details, etc.) with the initial application. Ads that offer information about hidden or unadvertised federal jobs Postings that refer you to a toll-free phone number to learn more about the job. Scam warning signs for job interviews Sometimes there may be warnings during the interview process that a job is not quite on the up-and-up. Keep in mind that interviewers are people who may not be skilled at what theyre doing, so one of these may not indicate a definite scambut they may be a sign to look deeper. Interviews that dont take place in-person, via a secure video platform, or through a straightforward phone call. Interviews that are chat or text-based (unless as a reasonable accommodation for a disability) Interviewers that dont have many questions and/or claim to know all they need from your resume/job board profile. Interviewers that focus more on work you will be doing and act like youve already committed to the role. Scam warning signs throughout the hiring process These red flags might come up at any point during the application, interview or hiring process. Requests or requirements to purchase startup equipment or to pay upfront for background investigations or screenings. Employers who send an employment contract to physically sign that asks for personally identifiable information (like a bank account number) could also be a sign of a scam operation. Legitimate companies will ask for that sort of thing after an employee is hired. Asking for your credit card number. Youre getting emails, messages, or calls from recruiters with an unusual sense of urgency or that ask for you to make a commitment before learning more about the job or require you to start immediately. How to avoid scam jobs Employment scams show no signs of slowing down in the coming months as economic, labor, and remote work trends persist. It can be hard to slow down and trust your gut in such an emotional and high-stakes process like a job search. Looking out for the warning signs and common tactics scammers use can help ensure your next job offer is one to truly get excited about. So before you turn in your two weeks notice and buy that new equipment, take a few steps to ensure your new job offer is legitimate. Dont think youre immune. As all generations look for flexible and remote work options, its important to raise awareness about the widespread prevalence of job scams at all career levels in order to help prevent more people from taking the bait, especially with telecommuting being an undeniable part of the future of our workplaces, says FlexJobs founder and CEO Sara Sutton Fell. But a by-product of the proliferation of positions open to telecommuters is the increase of more sophisticated work-from-home scams. Findings from a FlexJobs survey of over 2,600 workers indicates that one-fifth of millennials have been scammed when seeking work-from-home positionseven more than seniors (the group previously thought to be the most susceptible). Part of the problem is that scammers get more sophisticated every year, says Sutton Fell. Gone are the days when a scam could be assumed to be fairly obvious to anyone with a healthy dose of skepticism, she explains, Yet, many job seekers dont realize this, and so they still feel confident that they would know a scam if they saw one and would be able to avoid them. Sutton Fell also points out that scammers have broadened their target audience from jobs for more unskilled jobs such as mystery shopping, envelope stuffing, and check processing, to more professional opportunities in a wide variety of career types and with name-brand companies. By impersonating trusted companies like these, scammers are able to get unsuspecting job seekers to let their guard down much faster, and to successfully get personal information from them more easily, she says. Be careful on LinkedIn and other job boards. Just because something is on LinkedIn, Indeed, or another well-known job board, doesnt mean that the job posting or recruiter has been verified for the site. For example, in a statement Indeed says it uses a dedicated search quality teamdeploying a variety of techniques to assess the suitability and validity of job listings [removing] tens of millions of job listings each month that do not meet our quality guidelines. Indeed also says it encourages job seekers to report any suspicious advertisements to them or to the police. That said, rooting out scammers on job sites is akin to playing whack-a-mole, says Planos, as new ones keep cropping up, and veteran scammers keep evolving. Dont pay. You shouldnt have to pay to obtain gainful employment. If youre asked for money upfront to cover training, recruiting fees, or miscellaneous expenses, this is a clear warning the job offer very likely isnt legitimate. If youre ever asked to get a check and deposit it and then send money out, its a scam. If youre ever asked to purchase prepaid gift cards . . . it is 100% a scam, says Nofziger. Same goes for new employers asking you to use cryptocurrency machines or to immediately supply them with bank account information or Venmo details. For a legitimate job, direct deposit would be set up after youre hired. Scrutinize emails and research recruiters. If you receive an email about a job opportunity, always click on the senders email address to confirm that it is actually associated with the company. Tessian research found that only about half of people pay attention to the senders email address when they check messages, but this is often an important clue. Most companies larger than a mom-and-pop shop will have a corporate email domain, so you can expect emails to come from that domain rather than a personal email account. For example, johndoe@fastcompany.com not johndoefastcompany@gmail.com. Check the companys website. When you apply through a third-party site or get contacted by a recruiter about a job. Go to the organizations website to confirm the job opening is there and look for information on hiring procedures and policies. When in doubt, call the company to confirm legitimacy using the contact information that theyve provided on their website only. Additionally, Google the hiring company using the company name only. If you see multiple websites for the same company, that should serve as a warning. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) also suggests running a Web search with the companys name and the word scam. This will let you know if the company has scammed people before, or if a well-known company is aware of scammers using their name. To combat job scams, some organizations are offering information on their websites about what types of messages they will and wont send during the hiring process. Companies that have had their name used for scams in the past are especially likely to have this information readily available. For example, GE has a dedicated page on its website explaining how to identify a fraudulent job offer. With the GE name and logo featured prominently, The perpetrators will often ask recipients to complete bogus recruitment documentation, such as application forms, terms and conditions of employment, or visa forms. UnitedHealth Group experienced a similar unauthorized use of its name and logo in phony job ads. Cybercriminals post their ads on legitimate job sites and often use familiar-looking or convincing company logos, language, and links to fake websites that appear to be real, a company spokesperson writes. These sites might also charge fees for services. Typically, after a few days the thieves close down the scam and disappear. Trust your gut. If the offer sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Check Google, and search for the recruiters details. If they dont match up, or if they dont exist, treat this as a giant red flag. Also, avoid meetings and interviews that are conducted via social media or generic platforms such as Google Hangouts. Confirm with the company directly. Sharing information for a background check can be tricky because there are companies that require this. However, you shouldnt hesitate to contact the company directly and confirm they are requesting a background check and are actively working with the recruiter. By the time you get to this stage, the hiring company is already aware of who you are. Theyll be happy to confirm the need for a background check, as well as verify the recruiter. The key to stopping scams like these are keeping a level head, doing a gut check, and having the confidence to verify requests and offers. If you push a scammer too hard to verify details, theyll fold and revoke the offer. But legitimate recruiters and job seekers will have no problem proving themselves to you in a way that leaves no room for suspicion. What to do if youve been scammed If you fall prey to any of these scams, there are a few steps youll want to take. Check and monitor your credit: First, keep a close eye on your financial accounts for fraudulent activity and set up credit monitoring to ensure no one uses your personal information. (Consider a credit freeze, which prevents new credit from being issued without your direct permission.) Report the scam: Report the incident to the website where the job was posted, as well as the company being spoofed. And report the incident to your local FBI field office or the Internet Crime Complaint Center. If you act quickly enough, you might be able to prevent the scammers from taking advantage of the information they obtained. Move forward: Besides costing Ramos money to ship out packages, getting involved in a hiring scam affected him psychologically. It makes me feel like I cannot really trust [anybody] anymore, he says. Hes still looking for work, but more cautiously. But to find a new job, Ramos has had to bounce back: Youve just got to pick up the pieces and move on. Coming forward as a victim, Nofziger and Planos agree, is one of the best ways to stop scammers, because it helps others identify red flags. But the shame of falling for an employment scam can keep victims quiet. Job hunting is stressful enough, but when the job youre hoping for turns out to be a scam, the sense of embarrassment and loss compounds things. For employers, employment scams can create reputation and compliance problems, since criminals will leverage established brands for legitimacy. Chris Morris, Jessica Klein, Steve Ragan, and Lydia Dishman also contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article and a previous version.
Category:
E-Commerce
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