1 in 5 job postings are fake or unfilled, making ‘ghost jobs’ a serious problem for job searchers: report

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the hiring platform found that one in five job listings were fake or not filled with job posters.

“It’s kind of a horror show,” Greenhouse CEO John Strauss said on the hiring floor. The Journal: in an article published on Sunday. “The labor market has become closer than ever.”

These fake or unfilled positions, sometimes called “ghost jobs,” have already made it difficult labor market a nightmare for some job seekers, including Serena Dao.

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According to a Wall Street Journal report, the hiring platform found that one in five job listings were fake or not filled with job posters. (iStock / iStock)

Dao told The Journal that even after sending out more than 260 applications, he made it to five final-round interviews without an offer, an experience that made him question how many of the job listings were real and how many were ghosts.

Dao said that he was able to find a job through networking rather than online recruitment platforms.

“People want a candidate who is 120%, even 100%,” Dao told The Journal. “I’m really happy and lucky to be there.”

US ECONOMY ADDED 256,000 JOBS IN DECEMBER, LEAKING EXPECTATIONS

Glenn Loveland, senior career coach at Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, told the program that human-to-human networking is increasingly important in today’s hiring market. (Photo by Angus Mordant/Bloomberg/Getty Images/Getty Images)

Glenn Loveland, senior career coach at Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, told the paper that human-to-human networking is increasingly important in today’s hiring market.

“Authentic relationships are the foundation of lasting success,” Loveland said. “The days of simply uploading resumes to job boards and hoping for the best are quickly fading away.”

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But for those candidates who still want or need to use the online job application sites like LinkedIn or Indeed, the danger of applying for a ghost job is still real.Some experts advise job seekers to speak directly with the recruiter to find out if the posting is genuine or not.

“Talking to someone at the company can help you find out how serious they are,” Kickresume CEO Peter Duris told The Journal.

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The labor market overall is growing faster than expected, according to government sources.

The Labor Department said Friday that employers added 256,000 jobs in December, significantly exceeding the estimate of LSEG economists.