by Adam Dapkewicz, CGU MBA Candidate

As an MBA candidate at the Drucker School of Business at Claremont Graduate University, I am applying for summer internships like many of my other classmates. A majority of the applications are fairly simple and require the same basic information. Generally, a resume and cover letter are needed, plus demographic information and voluntary disclosures. Besides the resume and cover letter all of the information that I provide as a candidate is typically the same each time.

I recently applied for a role in which all of the questions asked seemed just like every other application. Until I stumbled across the fill in the blank box titled “SSN” with a nine-digit space below.

Growing up I had always been taught never to give your Social Security Number out to anyone. I have seen many email scams in which fake “banks” say they need your Social Security Number to open a new account or transfer money. However, seeing this in a job application was something I was very unfamiliar with. “Job applications and companies did not need this information to judge me as a candidate, right?” I thought to myself.

Confused and unsure of how to proceed, I reached out to the CGU Career & Professional Development office asking if this was normal? Should I continue to fill it out? Is this something I can expect from other applications? Quickly, responding I was told “no”. This was not normal and is a huge red flag! I was advised to not continue with this application and did just that.

I feel lucky to have noticed this unusual aspect of the application and to have the Career & Professional Development office as a resource for when I have questions like this or need advice and guidance. Giving out personal information like your Social Security Number or bank account information in job applications is not safe. It is important to be wary and take note of what information job applications ask for. If something in an application seems off or doesn’t feel right, trust your gut and reach out. The Career & Professional Development office has been an amazing help and guidance for me throughout this process, and I am grateful they have been there for me when I have questions.

For more tips on how to spot fraudulent employers, read this article from the National Association of Colleges and Employers.