The Hidden Hurdles of Job Hunting: Navigating a Landscape of Ghost Postings and Applicant Frustration

By Mary Delaney, USNN World News

June 13, 2024 – Inglewood, CA — John Marsden, a seasoned technical writer and editor, starts his day like many others over the past year: combing through job boards, tailoring his resume, and submitting applications. Despite his extensive experience, Marsden’s job search has been an exercise in futility, marked by countless applications, multiple interview rounds, and frequent silence from hiring managers.

Marsden’s experience is emblematic of a broader issue plaguing the American job market. According to recent research, nearly 43% of online job postings are “ghost postings”—ads for jobs that don’t actually exist. This practice, used to project an image of growth, keep employees motivated, or cultivate future candidate pools, is causing widespread frustration among job seekers.

Ghost Posting Prevalence

Nearly 43% of online job postings are fake, serving purposes other than genuine hiring, such as projecting company growth, keeping employees motivated, or creating a candidate pool for future needs. A survey by Clarify Capital, involving over 1,000 hiring managers, reveals that ghost postings are rampant across various industries. Tech companies, recruiters, and staffing agencies are among the biggest culprits, frequently posting jobs with no intention of hiring. Stephen Greet, CEO of BeamJobs, explains that these companies maintain a pool of potential candidates to quickly fill roles if needed, rather than actively hiring.

“Tech companies move fast and need to be prepared,” Greet said. “Keeping a pipeline of qualified candidates is essential, even if it means posting jobs that aren’t currently open.”

Impact on Job Seekers

Ghost postings waste applicants’ time and resources, leading to widespread frustration and burnout. Job seekers often invest considerable effort into applications, only to face prolonged silence or discover that the job postings were never meant to result in hires. A study by staffing company Insight Global found that 55% of Americans are “completely burned out” from job hunting. The typical job application process, which can take up to eight weeks and involve multiple rounds of interviews, becomes even more disheartening when applicants realize the jobs they are applying for are not real.

“I’ve applied for around 200 jobs in the past year,” Marsden said. “I’ve gotten as far as the fourth round of interviews, only to be met with radio silence. It’s incredibly frustrating.”

Recruitment Practices

Some companies and recruiters use ghost postings to maintain a pipeline of candidates, inflate performance metrics, or even for internal purposes like keeping HR departments occupied. While some companies use ghost postings to keep their HR departments busy or avoid discrimination liabilities, this practice can backfire. Ben Lamarche, general manager at Lock Search Group, warns that ghost postings clutter job boards, making it harder for candidates to find genuine opportunities and causing qualified applicants to lose trust in the hiring process.

Effect on Genuine Hiring

These practices clutter job boards, making it difficult for candidates to identify real opportunities and causing businesses legitimately seeking talent to lose out on qualified applicants. “Ghost job postings are definitely problematic,” Lamarche said. “They cause frustration and mistrust among candidates and make it more difficult for companies actually trying to hire to find the right talent.”

Applicant Ghosting

The trend of companies ghosting applicants has been rising, with many job seekers experiencing sudden silence from hiring managers despite progressing through multiple interview rounds. For job seekers like Marsden, this trend is all too familiar. He advises others to be wary of listings that use vague descriptions, excessive corporate buzzwords, or focus more on selling the company than explaining the job.

Deceptive Job Postings

Common red flags for ghost postings include vague job descriptions, excessive corporate jargon, and a focus on selling the company rather than detailing the role itself. Experienced job seekers like Marsden have developed a keen eye for identifying ghost postings. He advises others to be wary of listings that use vague descriptions, excessive corporate buzzwords, or focus more on selling the company than explaining the job.

“If there’s three or four paragraphs about the company and phrases like ‘work hard, play hard,’ it’s a red flag,” Marsden said. “Move on.”

Navigating the Job Market: Strategies for Success

To navigate this challenging job market more effectively, consider the following strategies:

• Target Recent Listings: Prioritize applying to job postings that are very recent, ideally within the last 48 hours, to increase the likelihood that the position is actively being filled.
• Network Extensively: Leveraging your professional network can help uncover hidden job opportunities that are not advertised publicly and provide insights into which companies are genuinely hiring.
• Use Niche Job Boards: Specialized job boards relevant to your industry may have fewer ghost postings compared to major job sites.
• Research Companies: Before applying, research the company’s hiring practices and reputation. Websites like Glassdoor can provide reviews and insights from current and former employees.
• Direct Applications: Whenever possible, apply directly through the company’s career page rather than through third-party job boards to reduce the risk of encountering ghost postings.
• Follow Up: After applying, follow up with the hiring manager or HR department to express your continued interest and to verify the status of your application.

These steps can help mitigate some of the frustrations associated with job hunting in a market plagued by ghost postings.

A Call for Greater Transparency

Conor Hughes, an HR consultant, believes that a cultural shift towards transparency and integrity in recruitment is necessary. He has seen firsthand how ghost postings can demoralize job seekers and waste valuable resources within HR departments.

“Padding hiring metrics at the expense of job seekers’ experiences is short-sighted,” Hughes said. “We need a more transparent, integrity-focused culture in online recruitment.”

As job seekers like Marsden navigate the treacherous landscape of ghost postings, it’s clear that systemic changes are needed to restore trust and efficiency in the hiring process. Until then, job seekers must remain vigilant, leveraging their networks, targeting recent postings, and researching companies to avoid the pitfalls of ghost postings. For now, the journey to secure meaningful employment continues to be a daunting and often disheartening endeavor.