What’s Trending: Ghost Jobs
April 7, 2026
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What if the job market isn’t doing as well as we all think? What if the data is wrong on one account: ghost jobs? Even if the name isn’t new, or even the concept of companies posting jobs that aren’t actually hiring, there has been a shift in the job market.
Want to know exactly what’s going on with ghost jobs? Keep reading to learn the take from some of the biggest publications in the US.
In an interview for All Things Considered, Darian Woods and Wailin Wong of The Indicator sat down to explain what ghost jobs are and why they are affecting the economy so much.
Part of the reason these are so troubling is that job seekers no longer know whether they just fell for a scam. Job scams include not only giving out contact information, but also asking for money. This is the most nefarious reason, but technically, these are not ghost jobs. Neither is ghosting, which is when communication stops abruptly and out of the blue; it can happen to job seekers and even to recruiters, by their own account.
So what is a ghost job? Basically, a job that doesn’t exist, but the employer does. In an example provided, they cite a company that is very particular about the skill set they are looking for, so they have job postings in case a candidate who meets those requirements is looking for a job.
“Back in 2018, we sort of saw that 1 in 5 job postings wouldn’t result in a hire, and now it’s almost half. So 1 in 2 job postings don’t result in a hire.”
The problem with this methodology is that it produces false economic numbers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates the job market’s resiliency depending on the number of job openings, but a big chunk of these are technically not hiring.
In an article by Jeff Cox for CNBC, they argue that, according to the numbers, there is a job for everyone, but ghost jobs dispel that notion.
“Since the beginning of 2024, job openings have outnumbered job hirings by more than 2.2 million a month, according to BLS data.”
The problem with ghost jobs is that they never get filled, yet are still counted as open jobs. As such, the US job market seems strong on paper, but the numbers aren’t being backed up. Just in August 2025, openings totaled7.2 million jobs, but only 5.1 hires were made. That’s a big discrepancy.
But why are ghost job listings so popular? Especially since now we know that scams and regular ghosting do not count towards this new phenomenon.
Well, it turns out that most companies are doing it for inventory. As NPR’s example shows, companies are struggling to fill open positions, and still, at the same time, they’re stockpiling resumes for when they need someone for potential positions.
This means most workers are wasting time on their applications because there is no clear end in sight. Employers, on the other hand, risk their credibility. And for policymakers, there is only distorted data.
Deceptive job listings have caught the attention of Chloe Berger over at Fortune. In her piece, she offers a couple of ideas by Peter Duris, CEO and co-founder of Kickresume, for spotting fake job postings.
As some job seekers might know, job-hugging is also a trend that has risen in this economy. This is especially important as the economy isn’t as strong as the numbers would suggest.
“Sometimes listings are simply an accident, as a company forgets to remove the role after it’s been filed. Often, a company is looking to choose an internal candidate but is legally bound to post the role.”
So, how to spot fake job listings? Look for:
· Months-old job postings
· Repeated postings
· LinkedIn, Indeed, or other job boards’ posts, but not the company’s website
These three basic rules are pretty handy clues for fake jobs. So, when is it best to move forward with an application? According to Duris, applying directly on the company’s website and verifying the opening with either the company or the hiring authority.
All in all, ghost jobs are a problem. They are a problem for candidates, they hurt companies in the long run, and they create a false sense of security that could affect the whole economy.
But what can candidates do? For the moment, following Duris’ advice is the best way forward. Of course, this isn’t enough, but change is coming, as in California, New Jersey, and Kentucky, different bills have been introduced to prohibit ghost jobs. And though there is no federal bill yet, Congress has been made aware of this problem as of 2025.
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