Avoiding Job Scams During the Summer Hiring Season:
Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for school-based hiring. Districts are trying to fill vacancies before the first day of school, and professionals are looking for the right opportunity before the new school year begins.
For SLPs, OTs, PTs, school nurses, school psychologists, special education teachers, and other related service providers, this can be an exciting time. New school year. New opportunity. New setting. New team.
But it is also a time when job scams can appear more convincing.
When hiring moves quickly, scammers move quickly too. That is why school-based professionals need to slow down, ask questions, and verify before sharing personal information or accepting an offer.
A real job opportunity should come from a real organization with a professional hiring process. You should be able to confirm the company, the school district or placement site, the job responsibilities, pay structure, supervision expectations, schedule, start date, licensure requirements, and onboarding process.
Be cautious if someone offers you a position without an interview, asks for banking information too early, pressures you to make an immediate decision, uses a suspicious email address, or says they will send you money to buy equipment. These are warning signs that the opportunity may not be legitimate.
Before accepting a school-based position, confirm who you are actually working for. Is it a school district, staffing agency, teletherapy company, contractor, or another organization? Make sure you understand whether the role is W-2, 1099, full-time, part-time, in-person, virtual, or hybrid.
You should also ask for the offer in writing. The written offer should clearly explain pay, schedule, location, role, benefits if applicable, required documentation, licensure requirements, background check procedures, and who will supervise or support you.
Your license, time, personal information, and professional reputation matter. A good opportunity will not disappear just because you asked for clarity.
At Liricare, we believe school-based professionals deserve safer, more transparent ways to connect with opportunities. Whether you are an SLP, OT, PT, school nurse, school psychologist, special education teacher, or school administrator, it is important to protect yourself while searching for the right fit.
Before you commit, take time to verify the opportunity, confirm the contact, review the offer, and ask questions.
Do not let excitement override verification.
Liricare is built to help school-based professionals connect, get seen, and explore opportunities with greater confidence.
Protect the provider.
Support the school.
Strengthen student services.
