I’m back to being active on LinkedIn. Sadly, I tend to spend more time here when I’m looking for a job. The process is familiar—update the resume, polish the profile, connect with recruiters, and fill out job applications. I wish I could hang out here year-round, but work usually keeps me too busy.
On day two of my current LinkedIn job search, the bots arrived. They’re easy to spot when their messages include a placeholder like “[their industry/field]” or when they comment on posts that aren’t professional. At first, I played along to see their angle.
The pattern was predictable. They posed as recruiters and asked what type of job I wanted. They requested my resume so they could “review it.” If I didn’t respond quickly, they followed up with a message like, “Are you still with me?” Eventually, they sent a list of vague “issues” with my resume and offered to “fix” it for a discounted fee. Apparently, I was lucky—it was “on sale” from their usual price.
Job seekers already face enough stress. We’re hit with ads, pop-ups, and now AI or bot-driven scams. These bad actors try to drain what little savings we have while we’re between jobs. Even my TV is pushing ads for job programs.
The frustrating part is that LinkedIn still feels like the best place to connect with real professionals. So, for now, I’ll stay. I’ll just be cautious when engaging with people I don’t know. Unless someone has a better site for job seekers, LinkedIn remains my go-to.
My Resume: Kenneth_Doerhoff_Resume.pdf
My LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kennethdoerhoff
