Is That Job Even Real? How to Spot Ghost Jobs

By Taye Johnson

In a world where the job market has become increasingly competitive, the phenomenon of “ghost jobs” has started to garner significant attention from job seekers and employers alike. Ghost jobs seem to vanish just when you think you’ve got a grasp on them. But, unlike paranormal entities, the existence of these jobs is not a subject of mystery or superstition; rather, it’s a frustrating reality that impacts countless job seekers.

Ghost jobs are job listings that appear to be available on company websites, job boards and even in newspaper classifieds, but for all practical purposes, they don’t exist. These positions might have been filled internally, put on hold or even canceled, yet they remain publicly listed as if they were actively seeking applicants. In some cases, companies continue to collect resumes for positions that may open in the future, leading to a surplus of applicants for non-existent roles.

For job seekers, the common occurrence of ghost jobs is disheartening and time-consuming. Crafting personalized cover letters, tweaking resumes and preparing for interviews demands a significant investment of time and effort. When the job doesn’t actually exist, it’s not just an opportunity that evaporates — it's also the wasted hours that could have been spent pursuing genuine job opportunities.

The continual pursuit of these ghost jobs can take a psychological toll. Job seekers may start to doubt their qualifications and feel as though they’re failing despite being fully capable and well-qualified. This can lead to a decrease in self-confidence and a rise in job search fatigue. On a larger scale, ghost jobs can skew labor market data, making it difficult for economists to assess job availability and market trends accurately. This misinformation can lead to misguided policy decisions and create a misleading narrative about the state of the economy.

In August 2024, the Department of Labor released a revised version of the U.S. Jobs Report, which showed a 68,000-a-month decrease in job growth from the initial 242,000 reported for the labor year that ended in March. The need for accurate information is not solely an issue for economists and policymakers. It is also a concern for job seekers, who may be relying on that information to make decisions about their career choices.

There are also other factors to consider when it comes to ghost jobs. Automated systems often control job postings, employers can fail to remove listings once they've been filled or even canceled. Other times, jobs are posted in anticipation of budget approval for new roles but may not materialize as expected.

Ghost jobs are capturing the attention of job seekers. Photo from Freepik

What can you do? Research the company and look for news about hiring freezes or financial struggles that may indicate the job is no longer available. Also, reach out to your professional network to see who may have insights into whether a job is actually available. As you’re going through the hiring process, pay attention to the interviewer’s responses. If a company’s responses to questions are vague, it could be a sign that the job isn’t truly open or there is an internal candidate that has already been selected. On the other hand, if a job posting is outdated or the company has a pattern of posting then removing similar jobs, trust your instincts that it might not be an available position.

While the concept of ghost jobs might seem abnormal, they are an unfortunate byproduct of the modern job market inefficiencies and the economy. By staying vigilant and learning to distinguish between legitimate openings and phantom postings, you can save yourself time and focus your efforts on the real instead of the fake.