You spent two hours tailoring your resume. You wrote a custom cover letter begging for a chance. You hit "Submit."
Silence.
You think: "Is my resume bad? Am I unqualified?"
No. You just applied to a Ghost Job.
In 2025, up to 30% of job listings on major boards are fake. They are posted by companies with zero intention of hiring. They are harvesting data, pacifying overworked employees, or trying to look "high growth" to investors.
If you are tired of shouting into the void, read on. For more on how to actually get hired, check out our guide on partnering with recruiters.
The Scenario
You see a job for "Senior Developer" at a mid-sized tech company. It was posted 3 days ago. It has 500 applicants. You apply anyway.
Two weeks later, you see the exact same job reposted as "New." You apply again.
Two months later, you see it again.
The company never hired anyone. They never planned to. They just wanted a stack of resumes "just in case" someone quits in 2026. You were not a candidate; you were a data point.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
The old way was assuming every job post was real. The new way is assuming every job post is fake until proven otherwise.
| Feature | The Old Way (Naive) | The New Way (Cynical) |
|---|---|---|
| Trust | "If it's on LinkedIn, it's real." | "If it's not on their website, it's fake." |
| Strategy | Apply to everything. | Apply only to jobs posted < 7 days ago. |
| Follow-up | Wait for a rejection email. | Assume rejection if no reply in 5 days. |
| Recruiters | "I don't need help." | "Recruiters are the only ones with real jobs." |
| Goal | Volume of applications. | Quality of verification. |
1. The "Posted 30+ Days Ago" Red Flag
Real jobs get filled in 2-4 weeks. If a job has been up for 45 days, it is dead.
If you see a job that says "Reposted 2 days ago" but has 1,000 applicants, run. This is a "Zombie Job." The recruiter just hit "Refresh" to keep the pipeline full, but they aren't interviewing.
Rule: Only apply to jobs posted in the last 7 days.
2. The "Evergreen" Cattle Call
Does the title say "Software Engineer - All Levels" or "Various Teams"?
That is not a job. That is a database. They are fishing for resumes to fill their ATS. They will call you in 8 months when they actually have a budget. Do not waste your custom cover letter on this.
Real jobs have specific titles: "Backend Engineer, Payments Team."
3. The "Impossible Unicorn" List
If a Junior role asks for 7 years of experience, a Masters degree, and knowledge of 15 frameworks for $60k/year... it is fake.
They write impossible requirements so they can legally tell the government "We couldn't find a qualified local candidate." This allows them to outsource the role or hire a cheaper visa worker. Do not apply.
4. The "Easy Apply" Trap
LinkedIn's "Easy Apply" button is the home of Ghost Jobs. It costs you nothing to click, so they get 2,000 applicants. The noise is too high.
The Test: Go to the company's actual career page (company.com/careers). Is the job listed there? If it is on LinkedIn but not on their website, it is 100% a Ghost.
5. The "Agency" Solution
Staffing agencies (like us) do not post Ghost Jobs. Why? Because we don't get paid unless we place someone.
If an agency recruiter calls you, the job is real. The budget is approved. The interview slot is open. We are financially incentivized to get you hired. Internal HR is paid the same whether they hire you or not.
The Real Numbers
Why do companies do this? It's all about perception.
| Motivation | Who Benefits? | Who Loses? |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Price | Investors (Looks like growth) | You (Wasted time) |
| Employee Morale | Overworked Staff ("Help is coming!") | You (False hope) |
| Data Harvesting | AI Models (Training data) | You (Privacy) |
| "Warm Bench" | Recruiters (Backup options) | You (Limbo) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it illegal to post fake jobs? A: Generally, no. It is unethical, but not illegal. Companies can claim they are "building a pipeline." The only exception is if they are doing it to discriminate or manipulate stock prices (which is hard to prove).
Q: How can I tell if a recruiter is real? A: Check their LinkedIn profile. Do they have recent activity? Do they have recommendations? If they have a generic photo and 5 connections, they are a bot harvesting data.
Q: Should I message the hiring manager directly? A: Yes. This is the best way to bypass the Ghost Job filter. Find the manager on LinkedIn. Send a DM: "I saw the opening for X. Is this an active backfill or a future pipeline role?" If they don't reply, move on.
Q: Why do they repost the same job every week? A: LinkedIn's algorithm penalizes old posts. To stay at the top of your feed, recruiters have to "close" and "reopen" the job. It looks like a new job, but it's the same old stale one.