Worried ‘ghost’ jobs will scare off applicants? Tips for reassuring jobseekers

If potential employees seem a bit wary these days, it should come as no surprise. Jobseekers have likely heard the increasingly common reports of companies posting ads for fake, or “ghost,” jobs. Such employer tactics can fuel resentment and cynicism among the pool of potential employees—a problem no employer wants.

Disturbing trend

Employers have long complained of being short-staffed and unable to find enough workers. Online job postings and even old-fashioned “Help Wanted” and “Always Hiring” signs in employers’ windows seem to be everywhere, but not all the employers advertising jobs are actually hiring.

In May, Resume Builder, an online resource for jobseekers, released results of a survey showing the prevalence of companies that post fake job ads. The company surveyed 649 hiring managers and found approximately 40% said their company had posted a fake job listing this year, and 70% of those surveyed considered posting fake jobs morally acceptable.

Jobseekers would likely disagree. After all, why should they waste their time on an employer that’s not hiring?

The Resume Builder survey found that the fake job listings were most often for entry- or midlevel positions, followed by senior-level and executive-level roles. Sometimes employers contacted the people applying for the ghost jobs, and they were often even interviewed, according to survey respondents.