Breaking Job News: Job Scams Surge & Nearly Half of Americans Feel Effects of Government Shutdown

Headlines hit home when the slowdown lands in your mailbox, your benefits, or your neighborhood. Today's job news headlines highlight the ripple effects of the ongoing federal government shutdown, including slower mail, delayed benefits, and canceled community programs. Host Pete Newsome breaks down how prolonged policy gridlock and potential federal layoffs could reshape local economies, job stability, and public trust far beyond Washington.

Then, Pete turns to a growing threat in the modern job market: fake job listings spreading across LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and other hiring platforms. With scammers posing as real recruiters, even spoofing companies like J.P. Morgan, he reveals how today’s automated hiring systems make it easier than ever for bad actors to blend in. Learn the latest job scam statistics, warning signs, and prevention tips to protect your data, spot fake interviews, and avoid costly reimbursement-check traps.

Finally, Pete challenges a classic career cliché: “Just be yourself.” Drawing on new research from Columbia University, we explore how unfiltered authenticity can backfire at work and what successful professionals do instead. 

News Articles: 
1. New Partnership for Public Service polling finds nearly half of Americans already noticing shutdown impacts: https://ourpublicservice.org/press-release/new-partnership-for-public-service-polling-finds-nearly-half-of-americans-already-noticing-shutdown-impacts/
2. Job scams on ZipRecruiter and LinkedIn: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/job-scam-ziprecruiter-linkedin-work-postings-fake-listing-rcna238162

 💬 Weigh in: Have you ever come across a fake job posting or suspicious recruiter message?

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Episode Transcript

Pete Newsome (00:00):
In today's job market headlines, Americans are
feeling the impact of thegovernment shutdown.
Job scams are skyrocketing onLinkedIn and ZipRecruiter, and
an Ivy League psychologist saysjust being yourself is terrible
career advice.
I'll get to that in a minute,but first, nearly half of
Americans say their federalgovernment shutdown has already
impacted their communities.

(00:21):
In a partnership for publicservice poll, 48% said they've
noticed tangible impacts fromthe shutdown.
That includes things likeslower mail, delayed benefits,
or canceled services.
The survey shows 69% ofDemocrats, 38% of independents,
and 27% of Republicans reportseeing the effects firsthand.
The partnership's president, MaxDyer, summed up the situation

(00:44):
by saying, our governmentemploys over 2 million people
across the country, so itshouldn't come as a surprise to
see how much of a burden thepublic is carrying from this
completely avoidable shutdown.
He also warned that the worsteffects are yet to come, and
nearly half of the respondentsin the survey seem to agree,
saying they're worried aboutwhat will happen next if mass

(01:04):
federal layoffs start to kickin.
It's too early to tell howwidespread the layoffs will be
if they happen at all, since theTrump administration's plans
for job cuts are currently heldup in court.
Polls like this show thatfederal jobs go way beyond
Washington bureaucrats.
And when those jobs disappear orgo unpaid, everyone eventually

(01:25):
feels it.
The question is, how long willthis linger?
Today's day 20 of the shutdown,which makes it the third
longest in history.
And unfortunately, as the timeI'm recording this, there's no
end in sight.
Now let's switch to somethingevery job seeker needs to hear.
Fake job listings continue tospread on major platforms like
LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter.

(01:46):
NBC News reports that scammersare increasingly creating job
posts that are nearlyindistinguishable from real ones
using spoofed recruiter emailsor hacked accounts from
legitimate companies like JPMorgan.
According to the Federal TradeCommission, online job scams are
up 19% this year, costingAmericans nearly $300 million,

(02:06):
with the average victim losingabout $2,000.
These scams often askapplicants for personal
information like Social Securitynumbers, bank accounts for
quote, direct deposit, or evenupfront equipment purchases paid
for with fake reimbursementchecks.
Cybersecurity experts say manyof these schemes trace back to
criminal networks in SoutheastAsia, the same groups behind

(02:28):
romance and investment scams.
As the labor market slows withfewer jobs being created, more
desperate job seekers are beingtargeted.
And the sad part is people fallfor these scams because they're
operating in a system thatalready feels dehumanized.
And as I've said many timesbefore, AI and automation tools
like OneClick Apply, that one inparticular drives me insane.

(02:50):
They've made hiring soimpersonal that it's easier than
ever to fake it.
Canots are fighting algorithms,ghost postings, and AI
job-generated ads.
And now they have to worryabout whether the job is even
real or it's a complete scam.
And that's not progress at allfrom technology.
It's just complete chaos.

(03:10):
Hiring should be personal, itshould not be a volume game.
And it's on employers, theplatforms, and yes, recruiters
like the ones that work for meat my company to make the
process transparent and humanagain.
Let's end on somethingpotentially useful for your
career.
A Columbia Universitypsychologist says just being
yourself at work is terribleadvice.

(03:33):
In his new book, Don't BeYourself, Why Authenticity is
Overrated, and What to DoInstead, Tomas Tomorrow Permusic
describes four authenticityrules to avoid in the workplace
and in life.

Here's what they are (03:45):
always be honest with yourself and
others, be true to your valuesand follow your heart no matter
what.
Don't worry about what othersthink of you, and bring your
whole self to work.
Here's a quote that sums up histhinking.
A world in which everybody isjust focused on being themselves
and expecting others to adaptto their uncensored,

(04:06):
uninhibited, or unedited self isa self-obsessed, egotistical,
and antisocial world, notsomething we should aim for.
That's pretty direct.
He's been doing this a longtime, and it's all backed by
science.
So, what does he say you shoulddo instead?
Adapt and evolve, actively seekdirect, even harsh feedback,

(04:26):
and pay close attention to howothers see you, and then adjust
your behavior to fit thesituation you're in.
Now, if you're someone who'ssurprised to find out that
authenticity above all elseisn't the best approach, this
book might be worth a read.
And I can say from my ownexperience that I found people
who are most successful do agreat job of reading the room

(04:48):
and are the most adaptable.
So it's advice I definitelythink is worth paying attention
to.
Here's a fun fact to closetoday.
Did you know thatprocrastinating on a project can
actually increase focusinefficiency?
Researchers say stepping awaybriefly allows your brain to
keep processing ideas in thebackground.
So sometimes that last minuteburst of productivity really is

(05:10):
science at work and not justwaiting till the last minute.
It certainly makes me feelbetter about my approach over
the years where I have been toobig of a procrastinator at
times.
Well, maybe that's been for amuch better reason than I
thought.
So I won't feel bad about itanymore.
So those are your headlines fortoday.
Thank you for listening.
Please like, subscribe, sharewith anyone who might be

(05:30):
interested.
And as always, I welcome yourfeedback.
Talk to you tomorrow.