I’m new to working with a staffing agency. Is it normal for them to ask for two references and your social security number if you have not been hired by them? They are seeking to fill a role immediately, they contacted me on Tuesday for my preliminary interview and to discuss interview times for Wednesday, I told the recruiter my availability and she told me that was fine and she would call me back after her meeting to do interview prep. She was on west coast time so I was waiting around for her call but she never did. Then another recruiter from the same company called to ask for two references and my social security number. He texted me to ask me to interview prep on the morning of the interview. No one ever sent anything about the interview confirmation even after I asked him on Tuesday and he told me he would send it once he got to the office. This morning he sent me another text message to ask if I had availability to do interview prep. I know they are hiring fast but I don’t have a good feeling about it and I feel rushed. To not know the location or how I’ll have to maneuver and the changes in people without notification worries me. Should I continue forward?

10 Comments

1. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 12:13PM UTC

   Are you sure they're a legitimate agency? There are a lot of scams out there and I don't think I have ever had anything work out with an agency that has asked for this upfront.

   I simply say I am uncomfortable sharing my ss# so early in the process but am a citizen and will provide it if offered the role. Also, if they ask for a copy of driver's license I'll block out address and ID #. For the roles that have worked out, I was never asked for this sensitive information before hiring.

2. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 1:05PM UTC

   No, just pass if you cannot confirm and verify.

3. Dameka LewisAugust 21,2024 at 1:57PM UTC

   That goes for Asians too. I had some Asians try to scam me with an employment offer a couple of years ago.

4. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 2:05PM UTC

   What we do is give them a verbal offer contingent upon a satisfactory background check and references. Once we get a yes to the verbal offer only then do we get a ssn to begin the background.

5. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 2:11PM UTC

   Rule of thimb: never give your SSN on the phone. You should ask them to give you their number and call them back to verify they are with xyz agency. And check on line for their website and info. Trust your intuition.

6. misskelleypAugust 22,2024 at 4:14PM UTC

   actually try doing an internet search for the company and get the number that way....

7. AnonymousAugust 21,2024 at 2:20PM UTC

   Put a freeze on all 3 credit reporting Co's.

8. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistAugust 22,2024 at 5:26AM UTC

   First off, always listen to your spidey sense.

   What do they need your social security number for?

   If they say it's to run a background check, that's not how it works. When we run background checks on our candidates, they get an email from the background check company. they have to authorize the background check to be conducted and they provide their confidential info to the background check company, not to us.

   The reference request is not overly concerning per se, but the use of text does concern me.

   I have noticed when reading about jobseekers getting scammed, that a lot of scamming either starts or is done by text.

   What do you mean by " To not know the location"?

   Some times with staffing firms, they have sourcers who find candidates, recruiters and account managers who deal with the clients so you may deal with different people.

   Is this a well known staffing firm? Call either their corporate office or local office and see if these people actually work there.

9. misskelleypAugust 22,2024 at 4:13PM UTC

   Staffing agencies do always ask for your SSN (make sure you're talking to a LEGIT company) up front, because you will be their employee. But I always say that I'll provide it once I'm assigned to a job.

10. AnonymousAugust 24,2024 at 1:57AM UTC

    Former recruiter in staffing. Never give your SSN. That info is later gathered after a formal offer. Hope you didn’t give them the info. No one gets hired by text messages or should text messages be answered with your SSN: there are lot of spammers out there preying on jobs seekers. Be cautious.