'Their widespread use creates a disconnect between advertised openings and actual hiring intent,' warns report
Nearly half of HR professionals admit they regularly post ghost jobs, raising the alarm on transparency and fairness in the hiring process.
A new survey by LiveCareer of more than 900 HR professionals revealed that 45% are "regularly" posting ghost jobs.
Ghost jobs refer to job listings that seem legitimate but are actually for positions that are not open or don't even exist, according to the Academy to Innovate HR.
"Companies post such fake or outdated jobs for several reasons," the AIHR said on its website. "For instance, some employers want to assess market interest and the availability of skills for specific positions, while others simply forget to remove old postings."
In the LiveCareer report, 48% of HR leaders use ghost jobs for special needs like seasonal hiring or building out a talent pipeline. Another five per cent said they only do so for "special circumstances."
The duration of these ghost jobs varies per organisation. According to 43% of HR professionals, these listings can remain up from one to four weeks.
Some 37% said these ghost jobs are active from one to three months, while 15% said they last for less than a week.
LiveCareer said their findings show that ghost job postings are "becoming a common part of recruitment strategies," but warned of their potential consequences for organisations.
"Their widespread use creates a disconnect between advertised openings and actual hiring intent," it said.
The AIHR also listed some of the potential negative effects of ghost jobs, which are:
Candidate frustration is also a potential effect from ghost jobs, which LiveCareer found is increasingly happening.
Some 47% of HR professionals in its survey said they have received multiple complaints about ghost job postings, with 49% saying they hear complaints occasionally.
"Candidates are increasingly aware that hiring teams frequently post ghost jobs, and their frustration is reaching a point where they are openly expressing concerns," the report read.
According to the AIHR, it is best for HR teams to be "upfront about their intentions" when they're setting up ghost jobs for future roles or resourcing purposes.
"Clearly state in your ads that you want to build your talent pool, and your call for applications is not to fill immediate openings," it said.
"This can help your company minimise candidate frustration, and protect its employer brand."
