Ghost jobs are becoming alarmingly common in today’s job market. These aren’t roles for people dressed as ghosts but rather fake job listings—positions advertised by companies that don’t actually exist.
While this might not sound too troubling at first, the scale of the problem is staggering. A recent survey revealed that 40% of companies have posted at least one fake job listing this year. Even more unsettling, 85% of these companies admit to contacting applicants and conducting fake interviews for these nonexistent roles. For job seekers, this means wasting time, effort, and hope on something that was never real.
Companies have several motives for posting ghost jobs, none of them reassuring. Some do it to give current employees the illusion that reinforcements are on the way, encouraging them to stay motivated under the false belief that their workload will soon decrease. Others use these fake listings to create an image of growth and success for investors or competitors. Perhaps most cynically, some companies flood the market with ghost jobs to make their existing staff feel replaceable, pressuring them to work harder and accept lower pay.
Another common reason is to collect resumes for future hiring. While this might seem more practical, it’s little comfort to someone who needs a job immediately. The practice highlights how unfair and disheartening the system can be, leaving job seekers frustrated and questioning whether their efforts are worthwhile.
To avoid falling victim to ghost jobs, experts recommend carefully examining job listings. Look for the posting date; if it’s missing or the listing is several weeks old, it’s likely not worth pursuing. Another strategy is contacting the hiring manager directly to confirm the position’s existence. While this process can be tedious, it might also demonstrate the kind of initiative that employers value—assuming the job is genuine in the first place.
The prevalence of ghost jobs serves as a stark reminder of the flaws in today’s work culture. It’s a system that too often asks people to jump through hoops for opportunities that may not even exist, wasting their time and energy in a deeply disheartening way.
