That job you applied for might not exist. Here's what's behind a boom in "ghost jobs."

https://www.cbsnews.com ^ | June 27, 2024 | Edited By Aimee Picchi

[RomanSoldier19]

Fake job ads are proliferating online, with more companies admitting to posting realistic-looking job openings that don't actually exist.

Forty-percent of companies said they have posted a fake job listing this year, according to a survey in May of 650 hiring managers from career site Resume Builder. Three in 10 companies currently have fake listings on their sites or on job boards, according to the survey.

[SaveFerris]

It’s the Democrat way

[StAnDeliver]

"I’m struggling to figure out why companies would do this; the reasons postulated in the article are not convincing."

Scams. The "Hey, all remote jerb sign up today and get a check!" check-cashing one is hot right now. They send you a check, tell you to cash it, have you send some back to originator, check will eventually bounce, and no job.

[frogjerk]

The third suggestion you posted is the most probable one. Think money...

But, who knows if it is actually happening or not.

[Captain Walker]

I was working as a contractor for an HR subcontracting firm. I found a job listing online from my contracting employer for a full-time job. It was as if he’d looked at my resume and written the job specifically for me. He was a great guy, and we got along fine. He was also a practicing Christian. Which explains why he was honest with me. He said, “No, the job’s not real. None of my current advertisements are for real positions.

I'm looking for the "practicing Christian" part. (Is it really because although he lied to the world, he didn't lie to you?)

[frogjerk]

To have society, and especially companies, treat it so cavalierly and cynically, is just an outrageous marker of the destruction of basic norms of human decency.

Companies and societies dont do this. People do this.

[BipolarBob]

This is a scummy thing to do for desperate people. However my reply is to send in fake resumes to these fake jobs. Fake names, addresses and SS numbers. Turnabout is fair play.

[musicman]

BTTT!!!

[shanover]

Our society is lies and dystopia.

[SaveFerris]

Unfortunately true

[dfwgator]

Just as there is “Just In Time” Inventory, there is “Just In Time” employees.

[dfwgator]

It’s what leads to Revolutions.

[pierrem15]

1) It's still fraud, potentially even wire fraud and at least fraudulent advertising. You're being conned into wasting time and money to respond.

2) It's also a great way for employers to lower wages: sniff around and find people willing to do the same job for less and then fire your current staff. Especially older staff who earn more. The company's unemployment insurance may go up but they'll weigh that in.

[dragnet2]

Everything is lies, lies, lies

It really is...I really feel sorry for the young in this country. Most of them will be in and out of no-where, punitive crap jobs the rest of their lives while things like buying a home, marriage, having kids and all that will never happen for them. The government has really eff'd over this country in every direction.

[SaveFerris]

Yes

[SaveFerris]

Yep

I wish that wasn’t true but it is

[MayflowerMadam]

Hubby, now retired, gets a kick out looking at prior employers’ H.R. websites and the positions they have posted. 99% of them don’t exists. Not sure what the deal is, but they’re companies in incestuous relationships with the Fed government, and we think it might have to do with getting grant money or something — having those jobs appear for all to see. It doesn’t make sense, and we don’t know for sure.

[xoxox]

Same here.

[xoxox]

It gets tiring, doesn’t it?

[dragnet2]

Very sad...It’s no wonder so many young folk are depressed. They look at what their parents and grand parents were able to do, when the country had endless opportunities...And all they’re left with is a corrupt ‘America last’ punitive government that lies about everything....

[flamberge]

The HR personnel are trying to appear to be doing something useful.

...And...

They might be testing trends on pay expectations.

Bingo! By Jove! I think you've got it with those two explanations.

My estimate is that less that 50% of advertised jobs are ever filled. There is no intention of filling them. They are just wage and salary surveys.

I spent way too many years working at "Bigtime Mega Corporation." Saw this kind of stuff at first hand. It has been going on for quite a while.