Get hired! Your questions answered

Question: With all the unemployment, I can only imagine the people out there who are conning the job searchers. I had a career manager contact me and stated that -- for a fee -- they can help me get a job. How do I know if they are on the up and up? I am sure there are a lot more companies out there, but how do I find out which ones are legitimate? --Carla Bergman

Answer: While career consultants and outplacement firms do charge a fee for their services, job seekers should always do their due diligence before forking over any cash, our experts say.

For starters, look online to see if other customers are slamming their services and check if they've been reported to the better business bureau, Palmer advised. "Do the research necessary to find out if the business is legitimate."

Some red flags to watch out for include making promises that seem impossible to keep. "Legitimate companies are not going to tell you that if you give them this amount of money you are going to get a job," Palmer said. Soliciting hefty fees for placement in lower-level jobs is another warning sign. Typically, the companies that charge a fee to help you find a job are for executives, Palmer added. "If you're not at that level, that's a red flag,"

And finally, before spending any hard-earned money, make sure the amount seems reasonable. "You should be paying in the order of hundreds of dollars, not thousands," Crispin warned.

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