Have you ever spent hours perfecting a job application and never heard back? The listing remains active, yet weeks pass with no response, no confirmation, no rejection, just silence.
At first, it seems like a matter of timing or competition. But as it happens repeatedly, a pattern emerges, raising the question: Were these positions ever truly open?
An increasing number of job seekers are applying for roles that companies never actually plan to fill. These so-called ghost jobs are frustrating applicants across industries, especially in tech. Around 40% of companies admitted to posting fake job listings in 2024, with 30% currently keeping at least one active.
So, why do companies do this? What’s the benefit of advertising roles that don’t exist? More importantly, how can job seekers avoid wasting time on them? Let’s dive in.
What Are Ghost Jobs?
Ghost jobs are listings for roles that organizations have no real intention of filling (at least not anytime soon). These postings stay open for months, sometimes indefinitely, even when there’s no active hiring process behind them.
Unlike genuine job listings, which follow a structured recruitment process, ghost jobs often serve other purposes, such as creating the illusion of company growth, collecting resumes for future use, or keeping employees hopeful about expansion plans.
Are ghost job postings legal?
Although it’s legal, posting ghost jobs raises ethical questions and can lead to communication breakdown between companies and job seekers. Companies are not explicitly prohibited by law from advertising positions they do not plan to fill. However, depending on how the job posting is presented, deceiving job seekers may occasionally be against truth-in-advertising rules.
When are ghost jobs considered problematic?
- False advertising: A business may be subject to legal action under consumer protection rules if it willfully misrepresents recruiting intentions to applicants.
- Discriminatory practices: A company may face accusations of hiring bias or discrimination if it promotes job openings but only interviews chosen applicants without a sincere desire to hire.
- Wage benchmarking and data collection: Some businesses may be engaging in dishonest business activities by posting fictitious positions in order to collect salary expectations or by collecting candidate data without any real plans for hiring.
Even though employers may view them as a tactic, ghost job advertisements are still a waste of time and effort for job seekers.
Why Are Ghost Jobs So Common in Tech?
Ghost job postings have increased in the tech industry partly because of economic uncertainty, layoffs, and hiring freezes. Even while these ads could appear to be genuine job openings, many businesses deliberately rely on them for purposes other than hiring right away.
- Ongoing tech layoffs: Over the past two years, mass layoffs in tech have created instability, making companies more cautious about hiring. Some businesses post jobs as a safety net, keeping options open but delaying actual hires until market conditions improve.
- Automated AI job listings: A 2024 recruiting survey found that 96% of recruiters rely on automated software or job search apps to repost job listings regularly, maintaining the illusion of active hiring. Even if no roles are available, these listings keep the company visible to job seekers and competitors.
- Economic uncertainty: With ongoing concerns about inflation, recession risks, and unpredictable market shifts, companies are hesitant to commit to new hires. However, they still want to build strong talent pipelines in case hiring picks up again.
- Maintaining an image of stability and growth: For many tech companies, job postings are part of their brand image. Advertising new roles makes a company look like it’s growing and thriving, even when internal hiring activity is minimal.
- Building a talent pipeline: Some recruiters use ghost jobs to collect resumes for future openings, keeping a pool of qualified candidates ready to go for upcoming positions..
- Gauging salary expectations: Companies use job listings to assess the market, gathering insight into salary demands and candidate availability without actively hiring.
- Satisfying investors and stakeholders: Demonstrating hiring activity can signal confidence to investors and stakeholders, even when the actual hiring process is on hold.
For job seekers, this means wasted time and false hope – applying to roles that may never actually result in a real interview. But how can you spot a ghost job before falling into the trap? Let’s break it down.
How to Spot a Ghost Job
The tech sector is well known for advertising positions that are never filled, whether as a result of internal reorganizations, hiring freezes, or just to project an impression of expansion. Here are several warning indicators that a tech job listing may be a ghost job if you’re applying for one:
- The job has been open for months
Even when they don’t intend to hire, many tech companies keep their job ads up for a long time. The same position may be advertised several times without any new hires. This might be because:
- They want to look like they’re expanding even though they’re not.
- They’re collecting resumes for a possible future role, not an immediate one.
- They are using the posting to gauge market interest and salary expectations.
Check the job’s original posting date (some platforms show this), and if it’s been there for months without updates, it’s probably not an active hire.
- No actual hiring activity
One of the biggest frustrations for job seekers is applying to a role and getting no reply in return. No interview invite, no recruiter outreach, and not even a rejection email. In tech, this could mean:
- The company already filled the position internally but left the listing up.
- They posted the job to build a talent pipeline for future roles.
- They’re only looking for very specific candidates and filtering out most applicants automatically.
If you apply and don’t hear back after a couple of weeks, follow up on LinkedIn or email. If there’s still silence, move on.
- Vague or recycled job descriptions
Clear and comprehensive job descriptions for tech positions should include a mention of the precise programming languages, frameworks, or tools needed. If the job posting is vague, overly generic, or looks identical to past listings, that’s a red flag. It could mean:
- They aren’t actually hiring but want to keep the listing up.
- It’s a placeholder post to attract potential candidates for the future.
- The company doesn’t know what they need and hasn’t defined the role properly.
Compare the listing to the company’s older job postings (Google search might show cached versions). If it’s copy-pasted from an old role, it may not be a real opening.
- The job is always open
Some tech companies never close certain job postings, especially for roles like “Software Engineer”, “Product Manager”, or “Data Scientist”. This happens when:
- They want to give the impression that they are constantly hiring.
- They are stockpiling resumes for future use.
- They have a high turnover rate but don’t actively hire until a critical need arises.
If the job is always listed, but you don’t see many new hires for it on LinkedIn, it’s likely not an active position.
- Employees say they’re not hiring
Before applying, check LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or other job search websites to see if employees mention a hiring freeze or layoffs. Sometimes, companies will still post jobs to:
- Keep investor confidence high (showing fake signs of growth).
- Maintain employee morale by making it seem like they’re expanding.
- Meet internal policies that require job postings before hiring internally.
Look at company reviews and recent layoffs. If employees are saying they’re not hiring, but job posts are still live, that’s a clear warning sign.
Conclusion
Even though they might provide businesses with insightful information and strategic advantages, ghost job posts include a number of risks that can affect both employer reputation and candidates.
Tech companies can build deeper relationships with job searchers and preserve a great employer brand by placing a high priority on clear communication, prompt follow-ups, and sincere recruiting intentions.
Early detection of ghost jobs can help candidates focus their efforts on genuine prospects, save time, and feel less frustrated. Everyone gains when hiring practices are transparent as it fosters a culture of mutual respect, efficiency, and trust.
Author Bio
Cezarina Dinu is the Content Marketing Manager for Textmagic. With a robust background in cybersecurity, she is dedicated to crafting informative and engaging content that empowers businesses to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape safely. Her expertise lies in demystifying intricate technological concepts, making them easily understandable, and guiding organizations in adopting effective and user-friendly digital strategies.
The post Ghost jobs in tech: Why companies are posting roles they don’t plan to fill appeared first on Apollo Technical LLC.