Table of Content
Introduction
Have you ever applied for ghost jobs that don't exist in reality?
Many potential candidates and employees have fallen prey to this kind of situation this year.
According to an online survey, surprisingly 73% of over 1000 applicants have suffered ghosting in the job market.(source)
People often get notifications of the job roles that are closed or no longer exist. This is happening even on the most popular job portals right now. This creates a tension or a skill-will misfit in the market.
Job seekers then do not trust the offered job so easily. They need more proof, validation, and verification of the employer or the job.
What are Ghost Jobs?
Ghost jobs are the open positions that a company promotes but does not hire for. There can be various reasons for such job posts, varying from one company to another.
These jobs are on job portals, boards, or company sites, but they may not let the candidate reach or enter into the actual hiring process.
Nevertheless, these ghost jobs are now highly noticeable in the job market, which is leading to confusion and frustration among job seekers.
Why do Companies Post Ghost Jobs?
Companies posting ghost jobs can be due to various reasons, like:
- Increased Engagement
Many companies post ghost jobs on online portals to increase engagement by inviting applications and queries.
So that they can show that their staff and hiring department are people-centric and they value potential candidates.
- Boosting Social Interactions
Ghost jobs invite online applications and help in boosting social media interactions.
When people share opportunities, it helps in increasing the engagement and interactions naturally.
- Increasing Traffic on the Website
Posting ghost jobs generates lots of traffic on the company’s website, which leads to better click through rates and more popularity.
- Fulfilling Legal Requirements
Some company’s post these closed job vacancies to fulfil the legal requirements or to show the level of hiring in their teams.
How do Applicants React to Ghost Job Offers?
The applicants do not reach the hiring process. They fill out application forms and wait for confirmation which generally never comes. Then, the applicants feel the surge of frustration, ending up in:
- Not applying to new similar job posts.
- Withdrawing immediately from the first job post.
- Blacklisting the company and not applying again there.
- Spreading negative reviews on the online job portals about the company for never hiring or writing back to the candidate.
Live Statistics or Report on Ghost Jobs
According to the Clarify Capital survey, 50% of hiring managers say that they leave these job openings active so that they can keep looking for potential candidates.(source)
Moreover, this survey also found that 43% of hiring managers leave job vacancies open to show that the company is growing and stable during challenging times.
Lots of job openings are evergreen, giving hiring managers the opportunity to hire when the right candidate applies.
Companies also save resumes in the talent pool like the one offered by uKnowva HRMS for future references. This helps HR managers speed up the hiring process in the next cycle or when anyone leaves the organisation abruptly.
How to Avoid Applying for Ghost Jobs?
Avoid applying for these ghost jobs, use job search portals that show the initial job posting date. Jobs posted a long time ago are the ones that convert into ghost jobs.
Like, jobs posted in the past 24 hours are less prone to become ghost jobs compared to ones posted a few months ago.
Applicants can sort these by posting dates on most online posting sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and many more moving older job vacancies to the bottom. Search for jobs that are live in the past 24 hours, week, or month.
For older jobs, check out the company's website to see if they are still hiring for those posts or not.
Also, check out the company's LinkedIn profile or any social media platforms to look for any prospective connections.
Send a formal and respectful message to ask them about the post and expectations.
Let them know about your interest in that position and clear your queries about the job or the company.
How do Ghost Jobs Affect a Brand?
Ghost jobs can negatively impact the hiring process and frustrate the applicants. These old postings hamper the brand's credibility and loyalty, for example:
- Job seekers may not get a good impression of the company and fewer applications will be received.
- Employee referrals will be reduced because employees might hesitate because of the company's less or zero response.
- The potential candidates may not apply for a good position because of earlier ghosting.
- Job applicants may get upset about not hearing back about a job and might share their negative experiences.
- According to an IBM report, applicants are more likely to be potential customers after a positive experience, whether they get selected or not.
Conclusion
The concern of ghost jobs is rising continuously leading to negative employee experience.
We can solve this issue by implementing a user-friendly HRMS, which will boost communication.
uKnowva HRMS is the latest customisable software that promises to give a satisfying experience to all its employees and customers, with top-notch feature quality.
FAQs on Ghost Jobs
- Why do companies post ghost jobs?
There are several reasons for posting ghost jobs:
Talent Pipeline: Companies may want to collect resumes to build a pool of potential candidates for future openings.
Market Research: Firms might use job postings to gauge the availability of specific talent in a certain location or industry.
Brand Awareness: Keeping job postings active can make a company appear to be growing or more active in the industry.
Uncertain Hiring Plans: Sometimes companies post jobs even if they're unsure whether they will hire, due to pending budget approvals or uncertain project timelines.
- How can I tell if a job posting is a ghost job?
Some signs that a job might be a ghost job include:
- The job has been posted for an unusually long time with no updates.
- The company repeatedly posts the same job but never seems to hire for it.
- A lack of communication or feedback after applying.
- Multiple identical job postings from the same employer across different job boards.
- What should I do if I suspect a job posting is a ghost job?
Research the company: Check if they are genuinely hiring by looking for recent news, LinkedIn activity, or their career pages.
Follow-up: If you’ve applied and haven't heard back, it’s okay to follow up with the recruiter to check the status of the position.
Diversify applications: Don't spend too much time on one job. Apply to several openings to avoid disappointment if the position turns out to be unavailable.
- Are ghost jobs legal?
Ghost jobs are not illegal, but they can be considered unethical, especially if they mislead applicants. Companies should aim for transparency in their hiring processes.
