Ghost Jobs — What They Are and Why They Exist

Millions of applicants waste hours responding to jobs that will never be filled.

A ghost job is a position posted with no real intention to hire. The company has no budget, has already chosen an internal candidate, or simply wants to collect CVs for the future. The result? You waste time, energy and motivation.

Why do companies post ghost jobs?

Building a CV database— The company wants a pipeline of candidates for future needs.

Appearing to grow— Posting jobs makes the company look like it's expanding, attracting investors and clients.

Internal candidate already chosen— Law may require external posting, but the decision is already made.

Market testing— They want to see what talent is available and at what salary.

Real-World Example

CASE STUDY

TechCorp London

Senior Product Manager

October 15, 2025

⚠Job posted 8 months ago with no updates

⚠Re-posted 4 times with identical text

⚠Candidates report zero response after interviews

⚠Recruiter's LinkedIn shows the team hasn't grown

SUAR Score: Warning — 92% probability of being a ghost job

The impact on candidates

3-5 hours wasted per application (research + CV + cover letter + interview)

Emotional toll — silence erodes confidence and motivation

Real opportunities missed — while chasing ghosts, real openings close

43%

of US jobs are ghost postings (Clarify Capital, 2024)

68%

had been posted for over 30 days

50%

of managers admit posting jobs they don't intend to fill

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