# Phrases that tell you the company in the help wanted ad might be shady **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324 "2002-04-18T15:05:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/1 "2002-04-18T15:05:59Z")
\*\*I HAVE SO MUCH BUSINESS THAT I . . . FIRE YOUR BOSS!\*\* Call Mr. Haney at . . \*\*$75,000 a year GUARANTEED! CONSULTANTS NEEDED\*\* (then you read further, and they are looking for car sales “consultants”) \*\*CLOSERS NEEDED NO COLD CALLING! BURN YOUR SUIT FORTUNE 500 COMPANY! BE YOUR OWN BOSS I WANT TO TEACH YOU MY BUSINESS WORK AT HOME!\*\* Company confidential **LOOKING FOR FRUSTRATED EXECUTIVES** Any other good ones from these scumbags? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Gundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Gundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gundy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/2 "2002-04-18T15:24:49Z")
**ROCK ‘N’ ROLL ATMOSPHERE!** **NEED 10 HARD WORKERS TO REPLACE 10 WHO DIDN’T!** ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/3 "2002-04-18T15:30:07Z")
DO YOU HAVE A COMPUTER? ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/4 "2002-04-18T15:32:38Z")
I’ve actually seen some that say: **FREE BEER** ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/5 "2002-04-18T15:33:39Z")
**WRITE YOUR OWN CHECK!** ---
**Author:** ![Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/53a042/32.png) [@Vinnie\_Virginslayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vinnie_Virginslayer)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/6 "2002-04-18T16:13:06Z")
Another bad sign is when you see the ad reappear in the paper every 4 months. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/7 "2002-04-18T16:17:49Z")
**LOOKING FOR SELF-STARTERS** ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/8 "2002-04-18T17:04:00Z")
Pretty much anything out of spam. Got this one today: “Don’t worry about the recession, whose [sic] President now, or keeping your old job!” ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/9 "2002-04-18T17:31:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HelloKitty \* > \*\*I’ve actually seen some that say: > > **FREE BEER** \*\* I would probably check that one out, just to be thorough ya know 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/10 "2002-04-18T17:39:29Z")
**MODELS WANTED!!** [sub]Not that I, uhhh, would ever place such an ad…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/11 "2002-04-18T17:42:07Z")
**YOU CAN’T CASH A FAXED CHECK** Actually saw that one for a teller’s job. ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/12 "2002-04-18T19:44:18Z")
**Nudity not required** -lv ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/13 "2002-04-18T20:02:35Z")
Anything with a disclaimer: Not a pyramid/MLM scheme. Not envelope stuffing. Etc. IBM never has to put such disclaimers in their ads. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/14 "2002-04-18T21:56:05Z")
“Just call 1-888…” “No experience necessary, we will train you…” ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/15 "2002-04-18T22:02:15Z")
:blushing: I actually called about the “Models Wanted” one, but I was in High School at the time and not yet worldly. I also interviewed with the “Rock & Roll Atmosphere” people…I wonder if they’re the only ones who use that phrase? I just wrote about it in the pit a couple of days ago. VERY VERY slimey. In fact they never actually told you what you’d be doing until your first day with a guy training you. Slimey. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2002, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/16 "2002-04-18T22:42:13Z")
Bring your own bedsheets ---
**Author:** ![biker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce7236/32.png) [@biker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/17 "2002-04-19T00:02:54Z")
no phone number or address listed, only a friggin’ fax machine. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/18 "2002-04-19T01:57:15Z")
MAKE UP TO $3000 A WEEK AT HOME BE YOUR OWN BOSS…TODAY! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/19 "2002-04-19T04:39:32Z")
Any ad that doesn’t specify what job they are hiring for. Jobs advertising for marketing and setting up displays. And I agree with the “Work at home” ones - the work you do is putting ads in the newspaper to sucker in other losers. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2002, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324/20 "2002-04-19T04:44:01Z")
**NOVA** The Japan Dopers will get that one. I am continually surprised at how many otherwise legit-looking ads run in the paper each week that don’t include the company’s name. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-that-tell-you-the-company-in-the-help-wanted-ad-might-be-shady/104324.md?page=2)