Ghost Jobs: Why 45% of Job Postings Aren't Real
You've applied to dozens of jobs and heard nothing back. Before you blame your resume, consider this: nearly half of those postings may have been "ghost jobs"—listings with no real intent to hire. Here's what's going on and how to protect your time.
The Ghost Job Epidemic
A 2024 survey of over 900 HR professionals by LiveCareer revealed some disturbing statistics:
of HR professionals admit to posting ghost jobs regularly
close job searches without notifying candidates
This means that when you're scrolling through job boards, roughly half of what you see may not represent actual, immediate hiring needs. That's a lot of wasted applications.
Why Companies Post Ghost Jobs
Ghost jobs aren't always malicious—though some are. Here are the most common reasons companies post jobs they're not actively trying to fill:
1. Building a Talent Pipeline
Companies collect resumes for future openings. They may not have a position now, but they want candidates ready when they do. Your application goes into a database that may or may not be reviewed later.
2. Testing the Market
Some companies post jobs to see what kind of candidates are available and at what salary expectations. They're doing market research, not hiring.
3. Appearing to Grow
Job postings signal that a company is growing and successful. Some companies keep listings up to project an image of expansion to investors, customers, or competitors.
4. Internal Candidate Already Chosen
Many companies are required to post jobs externally even when they've already decided to promote someone internally. The posting is a formality—the decision is made.
5. Budget Uncertainty
A hiring manager may have approval to hire, but budget cuts or reorganizations put the position on hold. The posting stays up while they figure things out internally.
6. Keeping Current Employees Motivated
Some companies post jobs to make current employees feel replaceable, hoping it will increase productivity or discourage salary negotiations. This is manipulative, but it happens.
How to Spot a Ghost Job
While you can't always tell, there are warning signs that a posting might not be legitimate:
Posted for 30+ days
Legitimate urgent hires don't stay open for months. If a posting has been up for 6+ weeks, the role may be on hold or filled.
Vague job description
Real jobs have specific responsibilities. If the description is generic or could apply to any company, it may be a placeholder.
No salary range listed
While not always a red flag, combined with other signs, it can indicate the company isn't serious about filling the role.
Constantly reposted
If you see the same job reposted every few weeks, the company may be collecting resumes rather than hiring.
Company is in hiring freeze (but posting)
Check news about the company. If they've announced layoffs or freezes but are still posting, those jobs may not be real.
No response after 2+ weeks
While slow responses are common, complete silence after applying to a recent posting is a bad sign.
How to Protect Your Time
Research the company first
Before applying, check LinkedIn to see if anyone was recently hired for that role. Look at Glassdoor reviews for mentions of hiring practices. Check news for layoffs or hiring freezes.
Prioritize recent postings
Focus your energy on jobs posted within the last 1-2 weeks. These are more likely to be active searches with real intent to hire quickly.
Network into companies
When you have a connection at a company, you can ask if the role is real and actively being filled. Insiders know which postings are legitimate and which are ghost jobs.
Apply directly on company websites
Jobs on company career pages are more likely to be current than aggregator sites, which sometimes show outdated listings.
Set a follow-up deadline
If you haven't heard back in 2 weeks, move on mentally. You can follow up once, but don't invest emotional energy in a position that may not exist.
Why This Matters
Ghost jobs aren't just annoying—they're damaging. They waste job seekers' time, create false hope, and contribute to the sense that the job market is worse than it actually is. When you apply to 100 jobs and hear back from 5, it's easy to feel like something is wrong with you. But if half of those jobs were never real, the math changes.
The Real Response Rate
If you apply to 100 jobs and 45 are ghost jobs, you really only applied to 55 real positions. A 5% response rate on 100 applications becomes a 9% response rate on 55 real ones. Still not great, but more reasonable—and more within your control to improve.
The Bottom Line
Ghost jobs are a reality of the modern job market. You can't eliminate them, but you can minimize their impact on your search:
- Spend more time networking and less time on mass applications
- Prioritize jobs posted within the last 2 weeks
- Research companies before applying
- Use connections to verify if roles are real
- Don't take silence personally—it often has nothing to do with you