What are Ghost Job Listings, and How to Spot Them

Ghost job listings appear to advertise available roles, but in reality, don’t reflect an actively available position. Whilst many companies are hesitant to admit to posting ghost job listings, it was recently reported by Fortune that:

• Around 17% of recruiters say up to three-quarters of their job posts aren’t genuine
• 21.5% of recruiters say ghost jobs account for half of all positions they post
• 36% of recruiters say a quarter of their postings are fake or already filled

As a life science jobseeker already trying to navigate through a labyrinth of online postings shared on social media, company websites, and job boards, ghost job listings can be extremely frustrating.

But why do such listings exist, and how can you avoid them?

Why Do Ghost Job Listings Exist?

According to research by Clarify Capital, the most common reasons why employers post ghost jobs are:

The company is always open to new people (50%)

Some companies maintain an ‘always hiring’ stance to capture top talent whenever it becomes available. They may not have immediate openings but keep a continuous flow of applicants to be ready for future opportunities or to capitalise on exceptional candidates. That way, they don’t miss out on someone who would be a valuable asset to the company in the long run.

To keep current employees motivated (43%)

Companies may post ghost job listings to create a sense of competition or urgency amongst current employees, signalling that the organisation is willing to bring in new talent. It’s thought that such listings can encourage employees to step up their performance or remind them that their roles aren’t guaranteed, pushing them to remain productive and engaged at work.

To give the impression that the company is growing (43%)

Posting new jobs can help a company to appear as if it’s expanding, even when it’s not actively growing. This can help to enhance the company’s reputation in the industry, attract investors, or give clients and competitors the impression that the company is stable and thriving. This may also be part of employer branding, projecting an image of success and momentum.

The job was filled (39%)

In some cases, job listings remain live after a position has already been filled. This could be down to delays in removing the listing, internal miscommunication, or companies wanting to continue receiving applications for similar roles in the future. It’s not uncommon for companies to leave posts up until the new hire has fully transitioned into the role, ensuring they don’t lose a candidate if the first hire doesn’t work out.

To have an active pool of applicants in case of turnover (37%)

Organisations may post ghost listings to keep a pipeline of applicants ready in case an employee unexpectedly leaves or there’s a sudden increase in demand for that role. This is a pre-emptive measure that helps them to react quickly to internal changes, without having to start the hiring process from scratch.

In case an irresistible candidate applies (35%)

Sometimes, companies post ghost listings with the mindset that if an exceptional candidate applies, they’ll create or fast-track a role for them. This strategy is especially common in fields where top talent is hard to come by, and businesses want to seize the opportunity if a perfect match comes along.

To placate overworked employees (34%)

When employees feel overburdened, companies may post job listings to give the impression that help is on the way, even if they have no plans to hire immediately. This can serve as a temporary morale booster, offering the promise of relief, even though the company may be slow in filling the position or may not intend to hire at all.

Forgot to delete the job (27%)

Sometimes, job listings are simply left up by mistake. Whether due to human error, outdated processes, or lack of oversight, companies may forget to remove listings from job boards or their website after a role has been filled or is no longer needed. This stems from neglect rather than intention.

How to Identify Ghost Job Listings

If you’re actively searching for a new role, and especially if there’s a sense of urgency involved, applying to lots of ghost listings can hinder your search. Knowing how to spot them can save you time, energy, and unnecessary frustration. Here are some tell-tale signs to look out for:

1. The Job Post Never Closes

If you’ve been searching for jobs for a while, you might start noticing listings that never seem to disappear. These can linger for months, which could suggest that the company is extremely slow in hiring or that the listing isn’t for an immediate role. However, if you’re looking at highly specialised life science roles, it could be that the candidate pool for such roles is much smaller and genuinely hard to fill.

2. Lack of Specificity in the Job Outline

Ghost listings often lack detailed job descriptions, key qualifications, or clearly defined responsibilities. Vague language and lack of specific duties or qualifications could indicate that the employer isn’t in a hurry to fill the role, isn’t clear on exactly what they’re looking for, or isn’t hiring at all.

Be cautious if the job post feels like it’s casting a wide net rather than targeting specific skills and experience unless the job advert is clear on this. For example, some companies will advertise that they are looking for candidates to join their talent community, where you won’t be expected to apply for a specific role, but rather be a part of the company’s network. At least with these types of adverts, you know what you’re signing up for!

3. No Response or Follow-Up

If you apply for a job and don’t hear back, not even to acknowledge that your application has been received, then it could be a ghost listing. Of course, some legitimate roles might not get back to every applicant with feedback, but you should have some form of acknowledgement, and if this happens consistently with the same company or job board, it’s a red flag.

4. The Job is Reposted Frequently

If you see a position being reposted multiple times over a short period, this could indicate that the job is part of a talent pipeline effort rather than a real vacancy. Companies might refresh the listing to attract new applicants, even if they aren’t actively hiring. Pay attention to job postings that keep appearing without any changes in description or application deadline. Remember that some roles are genuinely hard to fill, so not all adverts that are reposted are immediately fake. Use your intuition and look out for other red flags that might indicate there’s no immediate vacancy available.

How to Deal with Ghost Job Listings

Whilst ghost job listings can be frustrating, there are ways you can protect yourself and make sure you’re focusing your energy on genuine opportunities.

1. Research the Company

Before you start your application, do your research on the company. Check their website and LinkedIn page to see if there’s any mention of the role outside of job boards and look at review sites like Glassdoor and other forums to see if there are any red flags or complaints from other jobseekers.

2. Network with Current or Former Employees

Reaching out to someone within the company can give you valuable insights into whether the job is legitimate. If possible, find a connection through LinkedIn or industry events and ask if they know about the role. Employees can often provide inside information that you won’t necessarily find on a job board.

3. Reach Out to the Company Directly

If you’re unsure about if a role is still being filled, or want some extra details before you apply, reach out to the recruiter or hiring manager directly. A lot of job adverts will include contact details for just this, so keep yourself from having to do the guesswork and reach out. If you don’t receive a reply, that could tell you everything you need to know.

4. Diversify Your Job Search

Don’t rely solely on one platform, or one company. Make sure you’re using other job search strategies like networking, attending industry events, and researching the many companies hiring across the industry.

5. Track Your Applications

Keeping a detailed record of where you’ve applied, when, and for what position can help you identify patterns. If you find that certain companies never seem to get back to you or that some job listings never close, you can save time by avoiding similar postings in the future.

6. Let Recruiters Come to You

If you’re using a platform like PharmiWeb.Jobs for your job search, make the most out of features like the CV database. As a candidate, uploading your CV to a database means that recruiters can search for you and match you to their open roles. Rather than trying to find genuine roles, this lets genuine roles come to you.

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