At a recent HR networking event, I spoke with nearly a dozen professionals who had been recently laid off. As a recruitment professional, I heard feedback from each of them that they were applying for jobs they were highly qualified for, yet never hearing back. Despite submitting numerous applications, the same positions remained posted for months with hundreds of candidates. How are companies unable to hire with so many applicants?

The culprit? "Ghost jobs" - job postings that companies have no intention of actually filling. In my opinion, this unethical practice is on the rise, frustrating and misleading job seekers. But why do companies do this?

Some employers post ghost jobs to gather data on the job market and candidate pool. I’ve personally discouraged plenty of hiring managers from posting to get ahead of filling a hard-to-staff role before they have a vacancy or addition to headcount approved. Others do it to appear innovative, attractive, and successful to potential hires, investors, and the business world. Some companies even use ghost jobs to avoid internal promotions and organizational disruptions.

The harm to job seekers is significant. Wasting time applying to fake jobs is demoralizing, leading to discouragement and a loss of motivation. It also makes it nearly impossible for candidates to accurately assess a company's true hiring needs. Worse, repeatedly getting no response can damage a job seeker's self-esteem and confidence - the last thing someone needs after a layoff.

Fortunately, there are ways to spot these unethical "ghost" jobs: 

1. Be wary of vague, generic, or outdated job descriptions. Legitimate hiring managers have a vested interest in accurate postings. The recruiter and HR Department are asking for the posting, I can assure you.

2. Check posting dates. Salaried roles are typically filled within 44 days. Do a few cross-checks. Check the careers page posting dates and what order they are listed. Older jobs are going to be further down the list, more recently posted toward the top. If you click on the posting (on the ACTUAL careers page) most times the original posting date is listed. Many times companies set job postings to auto-refresh every 30-90 days on job boards. If LinkedIn says it's "NEW", what they really mean is the job is "NEWLY UPDATED" based on what is STILL on the company's careers page at the 30-90 day mark. 

3. Research the company's LinkedIn presence. Look for signs the job was actively shared by the hiring team and appropriate department leaders. A lot of times when sharing jobs the poster will tag the hiring manager, the company, the recruiter, and/or their company's hashtag.

4. If you are truly qualified for the job and never hear back, that's a red flag. Move on. When researching the job don't be afraid to comment, like, and connect to the people who should know about the job. If the role was shared, it's a chance for you to make a connection. Leaders try to be as helpful as they can across departments, it's likely if you send a sweet note and resume their first impression will be positive and they'll pass your information along- WIN. If you don't see the job shared, connect with them anyway and send a message. If it's radio silent on all fronts, there is a good chance it's not legit.

Companies can do better by being transparent about their hiring needs and improving recruiting processes. Job seekers- stay discerning and don't get discouraged. With the right strategies, you can navigate the challenges of the job market. Best of luck in your searches!