Employers posting fake or “ghost” job listings online is a disturbing trend and growing problem in the job market. This highly unethical tactic can impact job seekers’ perceptions and organizational trust.
In May, ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 649 hiring managers to assess the prevalence of posting fake job listings.
Key findings:
- 40% of companies posted a fake job listing this year
- 3 in 10 companies currently have active fake listings
- Alleviating employee workload concerns and suggesting company growth top reasons behind fake job posting strategy
- Hiring managers say fake job postings led to boosted revenue, morale, and productivity
- 7 in 10 hiring managers believe posting fake jobs is morally acceptable
4 in 10 Companies Posted a Fake Job Listing This Year
Overall, 39% of hiring managers surveyed say their company posted a fake job in the past year.
According to these hiring managers, the idea to post fake job listings primarily came from human resources (37%), senior management (29%), executives (25%), investors (5%), or consultants (4%). Further, fewer than 1% say the idea came from other sources, and about 1% of hiring managers were unsure where the idea originated from.
Of companies that listed fake jobs within the past year, approximately 26% posted one to three fake job listings, 19% posted five, 19% posted 10, 11% posted 50, 10% posted 25, and 13% posted 75 or more.
The fake job listings were for entry-level roles (63%), mid-level roles (68%), senior-level roles (53%), and executive-level roles (45%).
Goal of Fake Job Post Is To Trick Overworked Employees
Companies posted fake job listings to make it appear the company is open to external talent (67%), to act like the company is growing (66%), to make employees believe their workload would be alleviated by new workers (63%), to have employees feel replaceable (62%), and to collect resumes and keep them on file for a later date (59%).
“It’s a concerning scenario, particularly when these misleading postings originate from HR departments — the very entities entrusted with shaping accurate perceptions of their organizations,” says Resume Builder’s Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller. “Whether it’s to create an illusion of company expansion or to foster a sense of replaceability among employees, such practices are not acceptable.
“Employees deserve transparency about the companies they dedicate their time to, rather than being led astray by false representations. Any tactic aimed at undermining employees’ sense of value and security is deplorable. Ultimately, fostering an environment of trust and honesty not only benefits individual employees but also contributes to the long-term success and reputation of organizations.”
Majority Say Fake Job Postings Boosted Revenue, Productivity
According to hiring managers, posting fake job listings has had the following impacts on their company:
- On revenue: 68% report a positive impact, 23% state there was no impact, 7% report a negative impact, and 2% are not sure.
- On employee morale: 65% report a positive impact, 21% claim no impact, 12% report a negative impact, and 3% are not sure.
- On productivity: 77% report a positive impact, 14% state there has been no impact, 8% report a negative impact, and 1% are not sure.
8 in 10 Companies Who Posted a Fake Listing Have One Active
Of the companies that posted a fake job listing in the past year, 79% of currently have active fake job listings.
Fake job listings are kept active for various durations: 6% of companies keep them active, on average, for less than one week, 28% for a few weeks, 31% for a month, 19% for three months, 7% for six months, 9% for one year or more.
The fake job listings were posted on various platforms, including 72% on the company website, 70% on LinkedIn, 58% on Zip Recruiter, 49% on Indeed, 48% on Glassdoor, and under 1% on other platforms.
Candidates applying for fake jobs are frequently interviewed
Regarding how often candidates who applied for these fake jobs were contacted, 39% of respondents indicate that candidates were always contacted, while 45% say they were contacted sometimes, 12% say rarely, and 5% report never.
Of companies that would contact applicants, 85% say that candidates were interviewed.
7 in 10 believe posting fake jobs is morally acceptable
Regarding the moral acceptability of posting fake job listings, 43% of hiring managers believe it is definitely acceptable, and 27% think it is probably acceptable. On the other hand, 20% probably don’t consider it acceptable, and 10% believe it is definitely not acceptable.
Two-thirds (66%) of hiring managers say stakeholders — including employees, investors, and applicants — who were not supposed to find out about their practice of listing fake jobs, did uncover the truth.
“The frustration candidates experience due to fake job postings exacerbates the already stressful job search process. Companies engaging in this practice not only tarnish their reputation but also sabotage their long-term prospects. Deceptive practices erode trust, dissuading potential applicants from considering them in the future as viable employers,” says Haller.
“As media scrutiny intensifies, there’s hope that this unethical trend will diminish over time. By spotlighting these issues, we pave the way for a more transparent and equitable hiring landscape.”
Methodology
This survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online by the survey platform Pollfish. It was launched on May 22, 2024. Overall, 649 hiring managers completed the survey.
To qualify for the survey, all participants had to be over 25, have a household income of at least $75,000, have an education level above high school, have a manager-level role or higher, and work at a company with more than 10 employees.Respondents also had to indicate that they are involved in hiring at their company via a screening question.
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