How do you verify a job lead mentioned by a new acquaintance?
Treat “my friend’s company is hiring” as a lead. Find the official vacancy or an introduction to a legitimate hiring contact, then check the role, timing and process before sharing necessary information.
Start with these three steps
- Ask where the information came from and when.
- Compare it with the employer’s official careers page.
- Apply yourself through the appropriate process rather than skipping eligibility checks or sharing unnecessary documents.
The distinction that changes your decision
Possible expansion, approved headcount and an open vacancy are different states. The person relaying news may know only an early plan. Clarify the status without asking them to guarantee it.
A filled example
A diner heard about a design opening three months ago. You find no current listing, so you check with the official recruiting contact rather than sending identity documents to an unfamiliar private account.
What to do with your observation
| Observation | Next action |
|---|---|
| Is an unlisted opening necessarily fake? | No. It may be unannounced or closed. Keep it unverified until an appropriate official contact confirms it; do not infer certainty or pay on the strength of a rumour. |
A worksheet you can use
Employer: __; role: __; date of information: __; official link: __; unresolved question: __; formal next step: __.
Is an unlisted opening necessarily fake?
No. It may be unannounced or closed. Keep it unverified until an appropriate official contact confirms it; do not infer certainty or pay on the strength of a rumour.
Evidence and scope
This is an original editorial decision guide. Examples are hypothetical, not testimonials. Participation, another person’s interest and eventual outcomes are separate questions. The source supplies context, not validation of these scripts, exercises or WKND outcomes. No outside expert reviewed or endorsed this guide. LinkedIn research cannot establish the job-search effects of an offline meal.
Rajkumar and colleagues studied LinkedIn ties and job mobility. Rajkumar et al. (2022) — A causal test of the strength of weak ties
Sources and further reading
Rajkumar et al. (2022) — A causal test of the strength of weak ties
This collection in Chinese and English · Life possibilities library