The term is called “Ghost jobs.”
A recent analysis by Forbes looked at data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showing that millions of job openings were posted this year but many weren’t hired because the postings were faked.
The numbers show that 30% of those looking for a job that was listed will never be hired because they don’t exist.
The top job postings that are fake.
Government roles: 60%
Education and health services: 50%
Information: 48%
Finance: 44%
Leisure and hospitality: 2%
Construction: -44% (more hires than openings)
Business analyst Caroline Castrillon explained why some industries post these ghost jobs.
“Companies keep ghost jobs active for several reasons. To build candidate pipelines for roles that might open later. To signal growth during hiring freezes. To leave approved positions stuck in limbo due to budget cuts. To satisfy internal posting requirements or HR quotas,” said Castrillon.
She also described how some companies post jobs to test market conditions or gauge salary expectations without any immediate intention to hire. Plus, showing a certain number of active job postings to satisfy internal HR metrics or convince investors that the company is growing.
“In some cases, managers post roles they hope to fill someday but lack current budget approval. The posting stays live indefinitely, collecting resumes that may never be reviewed,” revealed Castrillon.
Other tips Castrillon recommends not to be fooled would be to apply directly on the company website and go to official career pages where listings are updated more frequently and show only active openings.
“Look for specifics; vague job descriptions signal theoretical roles without real hiring urgency. Red flags include no salary range, generic responsibilities and missing team details. Legitimate job postings name a hiring manager, include specific projects or initiatives, and provide detailed requirements that reflect an actual open position,” said Castrillion.
