The term “ghosting” has been used for a number of years regarding a job search. This phrase has been used to refer to a situation where a candidate suddenly stops making contact with a recruiter. The idea is that the person has become like a ghost and disappeared on the prospective employer.
The concept of ghosting has begun to change, with the ownership now being placed at the feet of the employer. Specifically, regarding a company posting positions that they have no intention of immediately filling. In fact, this has become such an issue that the New York State Legislature recently passed a bill to address this concern. The legislation would require larger employers in the state (100 or more employees) to disclose whether a posting is tied to a current opening and when they expect to fill it. This would also require an employer to remove a posting within two weeks of filling it.
If you are wondering if you have fallen for a “ghost job” posting, there’s a pretty good chance that you have. Several recent studies reflect that over 50% of job seekers have been “ghosted” in the past year. The time of a job seeker is valuable and wasting resources on “ghost jobs” is a horrible use of time. This is particularly troubling as a job seeker, especially one already currently employed, hardly has extra time to waste.
So, why would a company participate in this “ghost job” phenomenon? There are several possible reasons that a company would do this, however, none of these makes doing this the right thing to do. Companies should never rationalize misleading a candidate by participating in this activity. However, they may think it is OK because it helps the organization build a talent pipeline for when they do have positions to fill, potentially decreasing the time it will take to hire someone when they are ready. It may be done to give a false sense to investors or competitors that the company is doing well financially and growing. Sometimes posting a position can boost morale, especially if there is considerable overtime being worked at the moment. Finally, it may be a fallback in case promoting a targeted internal employee does not work out.
It is not easy to identify whether a posting is of the “ghost” variety, but there are some clues to be aware of when reviewing. Let’s review some of these clues that you should be aware of.
• Continuous Posting – This is sometimes referred in the recruiting business as an “evergreen” posting because it is always occurring. It is designed to continually solicit candidates for hard to fill positions or roles where there is high turnover. Often, there is not an immediate opening, but it is expected that there will be one soon. Similarly, if you have noticed that the position has constantly been reposted, then it may be a “ghost,” or the company has wildly high turnover. Either is a reason to avoid applying.
• Posted External Only – While there are sometimes confidential searches done for external only candidates (especially if it is known there is not a qualified internal), this can be a sign that the company is just building their candidate database. So, prior to posting on an external ad, do a brief check to see if the position is communicated on their website.
• Generic Posting – A posting that lacks detail may indicate that the company does not have a specific position in mind. For example, if the essential functions or specific tasks of the role are not outlined, then in may be a “ghost” posting to build the pipeline.
One way to help insulate yourself from “ghost job” ads is to focus on local job postings found on a regional job board such as WNYJOBS.com. While many national job boards scrape jobs from company websites where “ghost jobs” may appear, employers pay to post on sites like WNYJOBS, so only current and active openings are being advertised. Therefore, for real job openings – keep it local!
As if a job seeker does not have enough to worry about, we now have the growing issue of “ghost job” postings. Do not just automatically hit the apply button for any position that you have interest in. Instead, review the entire posting and determine if this is one in which you should invest your valuable time. By focusing on real open roles, you many find that you have a much more efficient and effective job search.
As always, best of luck in your job search.
The following has been prepared for the general information of WNYJobs readers. It is not meant to provide advice with respect to any specific legal or policy matter and should not be acted upon without verification by the reader.
Joe Stein
WNY Human Resources Professional
Feel free to contact Joe Stein regarding questions or comments at:
Joe Stein
