Invisible Openings: What ‘Ghost Jobs’ Reveal About Today’s Hiring Practices

In recent months, a curious hiring trend has puzzled job seekers and HR professionals alike: ghost jobs. These are job listings that appear active but, in reality, aren’t meant to be filled. Whether intentional or accidental, ghost jobs are becoming increasingly common — and they say a lot about modern recruitment dynamics.

So what exactly are ghost jobs? Why do companies post them? And what should employers — especially in startups and small businesses — learn from this?

What Are Ghost Jobs?

Ghost jobs are active job postings for roles that:

• Have already been filled
• Were never meant to be filled
• Exist only to collect resumes
• Are kept online for company visibility

For candidates, it’s frustrating — hours spent on crafting applications, with no real opportunity at the end. But for employers, it can also backfire.

Why Do Companies Post Ghost Jobs?

Here are some common (and sometimes controversial) reasons:

• Future-Proofing
  Companies want to build a candidate pipeline even if the role isn’t open yet.
• Reputation Management
  Startups sometimes keep job openings online to appear “in-demand” or “growing.”
• Talent Benchmarking
  Recruiters may post roles just to understand the salary expectations and skill availability in the market.
• Internal Miscommunication
  Sometimes HR teams forget to take down listings after positions are filled.

Risks for Employers

Ghost listings might sound harmless, but they come with real risks:

• Reputation Damage: Repeated fake listings frustrate job seekers and hurt employer branding.
• Wasted Time: Screening candidates for a non-existent role adds noise to the hiring funnel.
• Legal Grey Zones: In some regions, misleading job ads can raise compliance concerns.

What Can HR Teams Do Better?

At Zeba, we believe small and mid-sized businesses should build trust-first hiring practices. Here’s how to avoid ghost-job behavior: