Thu, 18 Dec 2025

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 Should more be done to tackle 'ghost jobs', vacancies that don't exist?

Companies are advertising vacancies that have already been filled or might not have ever existed.

* Up to 22% of online job ads last year were fake or misleading, according to a study by Greenhouse.
* A UK study found that 34% of job ads were ghost jobs, with no intention to hire.
* There is a significant gap between the number of job vacancies and actual hires in the US, with 7.2 million job openings but only 5.1 million people hired. Causes of ghost jobs:
* Some companies post fake jobs to create a talent pool or to inflate their numbers and appear more successful.
* Others may use job postings as a way to collect data from applicants. Effects on job seekers:
* Ghosting, where companies don't reply to applicants, is also a common issue.
* Job seekers are often left feeling frustrated, demotivated, and unsure of how to improve their chances of getting hired. Legislative efforts to address ghost jobs:
* In the US, a proposed bill called The Truth in Job Advertising & Accountability Act aims to require expiration dates for job listings and penalties for companies that post fake ads.
* Ontario, Canada has introduced new regulations requiring companies to disclose whether an advertised vacancy is actively being filled.
* Some US states, such as New Jersey and California, are also considering laws to ban ghost jobs. Experts' views:
* Job seekers can try to network with hiring managers to get a sense of whether a job posting is real or fake.
* However, the root cause of ghost jobs may be due to companies prioritizing their own interests over treating job seekers fairly.
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