“Fake Recruiter Podcast”
Cody, WY -- HeadHunters NW, a leading executive search firm serving the Small Arms & Shooting Industry and other specialized sectors, today announced the release of the "Fake Recruiter Podcast," a new episode of its HeadHunters NW podcast focused on the increasingly sophisticated scams targeting job seekers. Host Shaylene Keiner is joined by Mike Petronella, a retired law enforcement professional and sales leader, and Aaron Hutsell, a computer science professional and the creator of GhostJob, a Chrome extension that helps job seekers evaluate LinkedIn job postings before they apply.
Petronella shares how scam attempts surged after he marked himself "open to work" on LinkedIn. He describes receiving highly realistic emails about a purported VP of Sales role at Zev Technologies, complete with detailed role information, before the scammers began pressuring him to pay for tiered resume and CV rewrite packages. He walks listeners through the red flags that exposed the scheme, including "recruiters" writing from Gmail addresses and a manufactured sense of urgency designed to rush him into paying.
Hutsell explains how GhostJob scans LinkedIn job posts and assigns each listing a trust score backed by evidence, including whether there is a real application path, whether the posting matches official company sources, the presence of generic "word salad" language, contradictions within the listing, and context on whether a job has been reposted. He emphasizes that independent verification is crucial for job seekers, and that any request to pay a fee is a major warning sign.
"Scammers are getting very good at looking like real recruiters, and experienced professionals are prime targets," said Shaylene Keiner, President of HeadHunters NW. "A legitimate recruiter will never ask a candidate to pay. This episode should be required listening for anyone who is open to their next opportunity."
"Everything about those emails looked real: a real company, a real title, real details about the role," said Mike Petronella. "Once they asked me to pay for a resume rewrite and started pushing me to hurry, the red flags were impossible to ignore."
"Don't take any job post at face value. Verify it independently through the company's own official sources, and if anyone asks you to pay a fee, walk away," said Aaron Hutsell, creator of GhostJob.
The podcast episode is now available on HeadHunters NW's website and across its podcast distribution channels.
Learn more about GhostJob:
Website: https://www.jobghost.io/
Chrome Web Store: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ghostjob-ghost-job-detect/clbbopifmidceplphamfdfapgacgbhnd
For more information about HeadHunters NW's executive search services, contact Shaylene Keiner at info@HeadHuntersNW.com or by phone at 503-551-7114. Connect with us on social media at LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
About HeadHunters NW: HeadHunters NW is a premier executive search firm specializing in recruiting exceptional leadership talent across Artificial Intelligence & Software, Cybersecurity & Intelligence, Defense & Aerospace, Manufacturing & Automation, and the Small Arms & Shooting Industry. We transform organizations by identifying and securing executives who scale at the pace of your ambitions. Our expertise lies in finding leaders who don't just meet growth targets -- they accelerate beyond them, turning challenges into competitive advantages. For more information or to discuss your executive talent needs, visit HeadHuntersNW.com or contact Shaylene Keiner at 503-551-7114.