January 24, 2025: Don't Get Ghosted Chasing a Ghost Job

Have you ever been ghosted? It's when a person suddenly cuts off communication without warning. However, there's another alarming trend know as 'Ghost Jobs' which is on the rise. Several sources, notably the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider, have recently reported on the rise of “Ghost Jobs.” According to these sources, one in five jobs advertised online is fake. Given this dilemma, LinkedIn has begun identifying job listings as “verified” when they have confirmed the job is legitimate. While LinkedIn's action should help job seekers on their platform, why is this happening?

According to Resume Genius, companies do this for a variety of reasons:

1.       To create a false perception the company is growing.

2.       To leave the door open for critical talent that might apply.

3.       To get more followers and collect email addresses for mailing lists.

The desire to create a false sense of growth is primarily focused on motivating existing employees. If employees believe the company is growing, they may be more inclined to stay despite any internal challenges or frustrations. Additionally, the strategy of keeping the door open for critical talent that might apply is stifling the overall job search process for many people.

If you are currently applying for jobs, be wary of ghost jobs and look for the following red flags:

1.       Check the posting date and avoid applying to jobs listed for more than two months. The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) states that the average time to fill a job in 2024 was 41 days. Therefore, job postings active for more than two months may be fake.

2.       Cross-reference job posting on a site like LinkedIn with those on a company’s website. Typically, job postings on a company’s website will be the most current and accurate.

3.       Check the quality of job descriptions in every posting you consider. If the details are vague or appear sloppy, someone may have quickly thrown the description together for a ghost job posting. The more specific the details, the better you can assess whether it’s a legitimate job or not.

4.       You can always try reaching out to the company directly. Be respectful and avoid using language that implies they might have fake postings. Structure your request to simply acquire additional details due to your interest in specific position(s).

Within the referenced articles, there were reports of people getting as far along as in-person interviews for ghost jobs when there was never any real intent to hire the candidate. Good questions to always ask if you get to a job interview include:

1.       Why is the job open? Is it a new role? Is it backfilling someone that has left or been promoted? Any insight you can learn will be helpful to you for the interview and ensuring you’re not chasing a ghost job.

2.       How will the role contribute to overall success of the group/department/operational unit/etc.

3.       What are next steps after the interview?

4.       What is the timeline for the hiring manager to decide?

5.       Will the company inform you of the decision even if not selected?

6.       Ultimately, if things are moving slowly or you’re not receiving any follow-up engagement, the job may be fake. When a company really needs to hire someone, the engagement and process will feel legitimate. If you get a funny feeling about anything, that may be a red flag they’re wasting your time.

In summary, using these strategies can help you avoid ghost jobs. If you are currently seeking a new job and need help with your resume, interview preparation, engagement with recruiters, or overall guidance to land your dream job, we can help.

Take the next step to Elevate Your Professional Journey with Elite Career Solutions, LLC. Let us help you navigate the job market and achieve your professional goals!

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Source Credit for Subject of Newsletter:

Wall Street Journal: Fake Job Postings Are Becoming a Real Problem; January 12, 2025; Lynn Cook.

Entrepreneur: More Soul-Crushing Than Ever – Popular Hiring Platform Finds Around 20% of Its Postings Were ‘Ghost Jobs’; January 13, 2025; Sherin Shibu.

Business Insider: Worried You’re Applying to a ‘Ghost’ Job? Here’s How to Tell; January 15, 2025; Sarah Jackson.

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