All articles tagged with #ghost jobs
Ghost jobs are fake or outdated job listings that mislead applicants and distort labor market data. Various regions, including the US, UK, and Canada, are considering or implementing measures to combat this issue, such as legislation requiring transparency and responses to applicants. Experts warn that these practices harm job seekers and skew economic policies, urging more transparency and vigilance in hiring processes.
Graduates, including those with master's degrees, are applying to an unprecedented number of jobs amid a highly competitive and AI-impacted labor market, with many facing ghost jobs, employer ghosting, and feeling that their degrees are a waste of money, especially among Gen Z, leading to increased unemployment and disillusionment.
Companies are posting fake 'ghost jobs' on job search boards, according to a survey of over 1,000 hiring managers. The practice of leaving up ads for expired or filled positions is used by 50% of companies to give the illusion of growth and manipulate employee morale, while 37% do so to gather resumes for future turnover. Another 43% post fake ghost jobs to keep employees motivated or to create the impression that the company is growing. The job search process has become more challenging due to factors such as technology, the rise of AI, and staffing shortages. These practices, along with an increasingly impersonal and demoralizing hiring process, have led to a record high of 44 days for applicants to reach a decision maker. Experts recommend leveraging networking and social media platforms to navigate this difficult job market.
The job market is becoming increasingly strange due to economic instability, opaque hiring processes, and the rise of technologies like generative AI. Job seekers are facing challenges such as "ghost jobs" that are advertised but never filled, and AI applicant-tracking systems that filter resumes and cover letters by keywords. Companies are also using AI hiring support, meaning job seekers may virtually interview with or be prescreened by an artificial-intelligence program. As generative AI continues changing the shape of work, companies float jobs that they have no intention of filling, and layoff announcements permeate the news, discombobulation is par for the course.
The unreliability of JOLTS data is gaining attention as companies are leaving up job postings when they're not hiring, leading to the creation of "ghost jobs." More than half of companies who post job advertisements they weren't actively trying to fill did so "to give the impression the company was growing." This may have contributed to the Fed's belief that the economy was overly strong. However, the US job market remains strong with record low unemployment and weakening jobless claims.