Ghost Postings: Why and How To Spot Them
Years ago career fairs were the common way employers reached a variety of job seekers quickly. Advertising their business and open positions, while collecting a large quantity of resumes and talent contacts, should the right role eventually become available. The age of technology has brought with it new opportunities for recruiting and with it the practice of “Ghost Posting”.
But what is a ghost post and why would anyone want to use this tactic? Ghost posting is the term for positions that are live on recruitment websites such as Indeed or LinkedIn but where the company has no intention of filling the role. This may be a position that was at one time open, or a position they may want to fill in the future.
The motivation of ghost posting isn’t new, although the implementation of it is. Employers are using this approach to do what career fairs used to do, source a wide variety of candidates quickly, in case the right position becomes available. This also makes the company look like it’s growing and thriving, placates overworked employees, and keeps a warm lead source should they need to fill a role quickly.
Clarify Capital found that 43% of job postings are ghost posts and according to the Epoch Times it can take a job seeker up to eight weeks to receive an offer, and sometimes employers are having candidates proceed through numerous rounds of interviews only to later learn the job isn’t truly available.
This recruiting tactic can leave a bitter taste in the mouth of potential employees as they spend time researching companies, tailoring resumes, and applying to positions. Current employees can become disenfranchised as they realize that their employer isn’t really planning to alleviate their workload by hiring more help. Employee burnout is a real issue and feeds this cycle of keeping a warm candidate pool alive but it is not cost effective (see our blog post Is Your Team Running On Empty).
Some job seekers may appreciate ghost posting, it’s an opportunity to get their resume to a company they aspire to work for in the future. If content in a current position but open to the right career move, a ghost post may serve as a way to keep your options open.
Other job seekers who are in need of employment quickly should do their due diligence to avoid ghost posts and focus on positions that are likely legitimate. It’s easy to get caught in the sea of ghost posts if you don’t know what to look for. According to LinkedIn in August of 2023 there were a potential 1.7 million ghost postings live on their site. That’s a lot of jobs to get lost in! Key things to look for when trying to spot a ghost post are:
Check when the job was posted
It takes an employer an average of 41 days to hire for most positions and an average of 60 for upper level management and executive level positions. Depending on the position you’re applying for, if the posting is much more than 30 days old it may be a ghost posting. This trick isn’t foolproof, however; as some companies are intentional about taking down a post and relisting it every 30 days to avoid appearing to be a ghost post.
Research the company
Check out the company’s website and see if open positions are listed there. Some will list ghost postings, but not all will go to this trouble. When you do a search of the company see if you find any announcements about hiring freezes, which is a good indicator that the company won’t be hiring any time soon. Review Glassdoor reviews and see if candidates are commenting on the lack of responsiveness or blatant intention to recruit but not hire.
Check social media
Companies will usually post and employees will share when they are actively hiring. Again, this isn’t foolproof as some companies are good about working the system, but it’s piece to the puzzle. If searching on LinkedIn, see if you have any contacts at the company, if so reach out and see if they know about the position.
Contact the company
Reaching out to the company directly can sometimes be a good way to find out if they are actively recruiting for the position you’re interested in. You can reach out to the hiring manager, call the company directly, or even stop by with your resume. If it’s a true position they’ll likely appreciate your interest!
How detailed is the job description
Some employers will post vague job descriptions focused largely on the company benefits and the culture, rather than the position itself. This can be an indication that they aren’t truly hiring but are instead looking to attract talent for the future based on what it looks like the company can do for you.
As a job seeker, avoiding ghost posting isn’t foolproof but learning how to spot a post is a good skill if you’re in need of a new position. If you’re actively or casually looking for your next role send us your resume, we’re always looking for great talent we can connect with our clients and we don’t ghost post!
As an employer, consider the impact ghost posting can have on your company’s reputation, your current employees, and the workforce at large. Is it a tactic you want to employ? Will the pros outweigh the cons? Only you can decide that.