What Are Ghost Jobs? (And 5 Ways To Avoid Them)
Written by
Cynthia Measom
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Amber Barkley
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Even though the U.S. government says there are millions of jobs available right now, people are falling victim to ghost jobs.
Angela Champ, an HR executive, career and leadership expert, and the author of “The Squiggly Line Career,” said, “Ghost jobs are fake, unavailable or long-expired job postings that are listed on job boards.”
Unfortunately, when people apply to a job that’s non-existent, it’s not only a waste of time but also a lost opportunity to secure a job they need to start making money. Here’s more on the mystery of ghost jobs and five ways you can avoid them during your job search.
Why Do Ghost Jobs Exist?
Champ said there are many reasons why ghost jobs exist.
Adhering to Internal Posting Policies
Champ said one reason ghost jobs exist is if the company is required by an internal policy to post all jobs — even when they already have a candidate in mind. In other words, Champ shared, they only post the job to satisfy the policy requirement.
“They have no intention of considering external hires,” she said.
Posting To Receive Funding
Another reason a job applicant might encounter a ghost job is because the company is receiving government or other funding in exchange for creating jobs, Champ said.
She explained, “They post positions that don’t exist in order to get the funding.”
Gauging the Labor Market
Another self-serving reason a company might post a ghost job is for curiosity’s sake.
“The company doesn’t have an open position but wants to gauge the labor market and see what sorts of candidates are out there,” Champ said.
Appeasing Overworked Employees
“The company is under pressure by internal employees to hire more people due to being short-staffed, and so [they] post a position to give the employees — false — hope that the company is planning to hire more people,” Champ explained. “This tactic works for a short period of time, until the employees realize that no one is being interviewed or hired despite the posting being up for weeks or months.”
The Posting Is Evergreen
According to Champ, this means that the company keeps a posting live indefinitely to have access to candidates when and if they finally need someone.
The Posting Is Related to a Scam
“The posting is fake and may be part of a larger scam to take advantage of desperate candidates seeking work,” said Champ.
Ways To Avoid Ghost Jobs
Fortunately, there are ways to avoid ghost jobs, if you are vigilant.
Research the Company
Champ suggested that before applying to postings, candidates should take some time to research the company and ensure it’s not a ghost job.
“Look up the company’s web site and check their careers section,” she suggested. “Have the postings been up for a long time? Look on LinkedIn to see if you can find a company page or any employees working for that company. Does the company page have any posts about the company’s activities? Are the employees posting regularly about their work? Check Glassdoor to see if other candidates have identified this company as a ghost job poster.”
Evaluate the Details of the Job Posting
Champ said that another way to identify a ghost job is if the posting doesn’t have a job description but lists lots of company perks, such as wages, bonus, benefits, paid time off (PTO), vacation and the like — solely with the purpose of enticing candidates to apply.
Check How Long the Job Posting Has Been Open
Another sign of a ghost job, according to Champ, is a posting that has been open for more than 30 days for an entry-level role or more than 60 days for a more senior role.
“Check the posting date to see if this might be an evergreen or fake job ad,” she said.
Avoid Requests for Money From Recruiters or Representatives
Champ said if a posting invites candidates to apply and is immediately followed by a message from a recruiter or company representative asking the applicant to invest into or pay a sum of money to be considered for the next stage or to access company information, it’s a sign of a ghost job.
Be Wary of Postings That Don’t Reveal the Company Name
Champ said if you encounter a posting where the company name is kept confidential and there is no third-party recruitment firm working on the posting, it’s a sign of a ghost job.
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