What are ghost jobs? Understanding this questionable trend

Have you ever noticed that some companies post job ads for the same position almost the whole year? While sometimes finding the right candidate can be difficult, this is not a case of a particularly long recruitment process. Instead, this is a case of ghost jobs, which is far from a good recruitment practice. Believe it or not, this is an increasingly common practice among modern businesses.  

Are you familiar with the concept of ghost jobs? At T2W we have an extensive experience with recruitment and selection, so we can help you understand this trend. In this article, we’ll delve into ghost jobs, their consequences and some the reasons why people use them. 

What are ghost jobs? 

A ghost job offer happens when a company announces a vacant position, which appears intermittently without hiring anyone. However, the company is not actually looking for candidates for that position. In fact, there isn’t any vacant position at all, so the company is not planning to hire anybody. In general, these ads show up and disappear for long periods. This has become a post-pandemic trend among companies all over the world. 

A dangerous practice 

As you can imagine, creating ghost jobs represent hours of unfruitful work for candidates. Many of them will invest time and effort in applying for positions that actually are not vacant. The obvious consequence is that many people will get a negative candidate experience from the company.  

As time goes by, ghost jobs will definitely have a negative effect on the employer brand. For this reason, despite it being a current trend, modern organizations shouldn’t feel tempted to adopt it. Keep in mind that offering a good candidate experience today is key to create a good image regarding applicants and the public.  

The main causes behind ghost jobs

There are many reasons for companies not to create ghost jobs. However, this has become a modern trend. Why is it? There are a couple reasons why some businesses choose to do it. However, we need to highlight that none of these actually justifies its practice.  

1. An image of continuous growth 

A common motive many companies have is they want to look like they are experiencing continuous growth. Of course, this is an artificial move.  Is it really worth to give the impression that the company is growing bigger and bigger? Consider that this is done at the expense of candidates that really expect to get a job after applying for it.  

This might be a bigger mistake that some people think. About 27% of applicants that had a bad experience in a recruitment process have shared that negative experience in social media or job sites. That is the type of image nobody wants for a company. 

2. A constant search for positions 

On the other hand, some businesses are permanently looking for certain profiles. Whom are we talking about? Well, technology-related positions are some of the most difficult to fill. By announcing vacant positions for these professionals constantly, some organizations try to expand their talent pool and keep the best candidates always close.  

However, as we previously stated, announcing a vacant position with no intention to hire anyone is not exactly a good recruitment practice. This is not an option for organizations that actually value their image inside the job market and in the eyes of the public. Companies need to give a proper follow up to candidates. 

3. The economic uncertainty 

The pandemic is a turning point for companies all over the world. Many of these, especially the smallest ones, went out of business after the changes this major global event caused. Other businesses reduced their number of employees drastically. All these organizations had to adapt to a new working style to survive. Now, the post-pandemic world presents us a new scenario full of changes. 

The business world is very volatile today. Companies with growth possibilities don’t know for sure if they will be able to keep that growth for long. This is another reason for ghost jobs. Likewise, another aspect to consider is the economic instability caused by the recent conflict in Europe. Considering all this, the current economic global scenario is full of doubts and uncertainties. This is why some companies turn to such a questionable recruitment practice. 

Now you know what ghost job positions are. Keep in mind that it’s best not to be influenced by this trend. Use only the practices that offer candidates the best experience possible.  

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.