Posting you’re “open for work” can be like turning on a porch light on a dark night. It attracts an array of recruiters, like moths. Some are highly desirable, bearing roles, matching one’s skills, experience, and salary expectations. Others seem like good possibilities but need to be further explored. And a disappointing many are from left-field or preposterous.

I’m amused at how many emails I receive from recruiting companies for technical, developer, or customer support roles, for which I’m not qualified, having been a marketer for 20+ years.

A few days ago, I received from a recruiter “an exciting job opportunity” to become an associate analyst (content writer). There was little information about the contract role besides proficiency in using computers, ability to understand and carry out allocated tasks, analytical skills, and capable of ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of data feeds and flows.”

Highlighted in yellow at the top of the description was “PhD degree is must.” And the role paid a maximum of $22 per hour on W2 without benefits.”

Half an hour later, I received another email with the same job description, except they were now seeking a candidate with a master’s degree, the hourly rate dropped by two dollars, and the “working timings” was 9 am to 5 pm CST with no flexibility.

It’s doubtful they’ll get many candidates. What’s disturbing is the hiring agency might be getting $75 per hour from the client, paying the candidate $20, and pocketing the remaining $55. And because of the low rate, the agency won’t attract top-drawer talent, and thereby, be able to present a diversity of candidates.

It’s no wonder why quiet quitting is still trendy, and there’s an upturn in people starting their own businesses or choosing roles that provide a better work-life balance. From all walks-of-life, people are reinventing themselves, turning trucks into mobile eateries, beauty parlors, bars, dog grooming, and shops. They’re choosing the nomad lifestyle, leveraging the convenience of mobile internet accessibility and communication technologies to code, write, manage, promote, and sell from anywhere, at any time. And they’re identifying niches – from green technologies to virtual assistants – that need to be filled.

While it’s reassuring that switching on an “open to work” sign triggers interests from recruiters, it’s not an opportunity to exploit jobseekers with low wages, no or limited benefits, and unreasonable expectations.