What is Ghost Jobs?
Ghost jobs—also called phantom or fake job listings—are job advertisements that appear legitimate but are either not meant to be filled or represent positions that do not actually exist.
Why Ghost Jobs Matter in Talent Acquisition and HR
Recognising ghost jobs is important for HR because they degrade candidate experience, erode employer brand trust and distort recruitment metrics. For job seekers, applying to a ghost listing can lead to wasted time and disappointment. From the employer side, posting listings without genuine hiring intent undermines transparency and may lead to fewer quality applicants over time.
Common Reasons Behind Ghost Jobs and How to Spot Them
Companies may post ghost jobs for a variety of reasons, such as building a talent pipeline in advance of future hiring, conducting market research on skills and salary expectations, signalling growth to stakeholders, or simply failing to remove outdated listings.
- Pipeline building: Collecting applications ahead of real hiring.
- Brand signalling: Giving an impression of growth or recruitment activity.
- Unintentional listing: A role filled but the posting remains live.
Some red flags indicating a potential ghost job include a listing that remains open for an unusually long period, vague or generic job descriptions, lack of a clear hiring timeline, or absence from the company’s official careers page.
