Posted on 11/12/2025 10:31:20 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Judging by current data, you'd think there's literally a job out there for anyone who wants one. Looking deeper under the hood, though, tells a different story.
The level of job openings as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for years has shown there are at least as many available positions as there are unemployed workers.
But comparing the openings with actual hirings shows that not all those jobs are being filled.
Not even close, in fact: Since the beginning of 2024, job openings have outnumbered job hirings by more than 2.2 million a month, according to BLS data. That points to an ongoing problem with "ghost jobs" that never seem to get filled.
"The U.S. labor market looks deceptively strong on paper. Millions of openings suggest opportunity, but many are illusions," said Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MyPerfectResume, an employment assistance platform that released a report this week on the shadow employment market. "The ghost job economy inflates hope, wastes job seekers' time and clouds the data [that] policymakers rely on to steer the economy."
Job openings have generally been on the decline since peaking above 12 million in March 2022, when opportunities outnumbered available workers by better than 2 to 1. In August, the latest month for which data is available because of the government shutdown, openings totaled more than 7.2 million while hires were just 5.1 million. The ratio of vacancies to workers was about even.
To be sure, the picture isn't as simple as comparing the two numbers.
The postings number represents the total stock of jobs, while hirings are the flow of people hired during a particular month. So a job can get posted across multiple months without being filled,
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
The Epoch Times did a great story on this- about five months ago, and this was the number one reason they gave for ghost job postings: “Moreover, some companies will post jobs just to keep an inventory of potential workers for positions that may open in the future.”
“stalling jobs picture“
CNBC - a rat propaganda op masquerading as a financial news network
RE: ,,,, positions that may open in the future.
The question is HOW FAR INTO THE FUTURE? Many applicants need jobs to pay their bills NOW, and they apply to jobs that aren’t available now.
AI resume builder MyPerfectResume used U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data in an analysis published last week, which shows that nearly one in three U.S. job postings go nowhere. In other words, millions of open roles never materialize into real employment opportunities.
In June, for example, there were 7.4 million reported job openings in the U.S. but only 5.2 million hires, leaving over 2.2 million jobs, or 30% of roles, unfilled. Employers advertised these “ghost jobs,” but the roles remained vacant.
“We have posted this job for months and can’t find anyone. I guess we better call Pajeet and get the lawyers on the H1B visa stat.”
I am looking for work. Any FReepers hiring?
Finally, the openings-to-hire ratio has fallen over the past few years, from 1.8 to 1 at the peak of the job opening cycle to the current level around 1.4 to 1, indicating fewer “ghost jobs” out there.
In other words, the "ghost job" phenomenon that CNBC wants us to be all alarmed about is actually not as bad as it used to be.
I find that a load of BS. When we hire, we never go back and look at old-farmed resumes. We take new inquiries every time. I doubt Amazon and other big ones do it either. Back in the day when I cared about upward mobility, I sent resume everywhere and if not contacted immediately for an interview not once have I ever got a call back weeks, months, or years later.
I’m sure this happens - my firm doesn’t and I’d never sign-off on such a thing - but sometimes I do wonder if “job hopping” is coming back to roost.
I want to be clear: I’m a firm believer in individual responsibility and autonomy. I’ve actually helped mentor occasional folks who reported up to me about external offers - sorry to lose them, tried to convince them to stick it out, but never had any hard feelings and on a few occasions, even flat-out told them “This sounds like a great opportunity and I won’t lie: I’d probably jump for it.”
I work for a for-profit business, not a charity so I’m not going to approve a pay scale for a posting worth more than the value...
Purely anecdotal, but one thing I’ve seen the last 5 years or so? Post a more senior position because we see a need. Can’t get a good candidate. Re-think it. Maybe we’ll be better off thinking of it as a slightly lower role, looking to leap a junior internal into a refactored position that challenges (and rewards) and then reassessing.
I want to be clear: I’m not suggesting ANYONE be Old Boxer (Animal Farm) to their employer.
But... I do think I’ve seen a shift the last 5-10 years. I’d envision a “next frontier” new role, struggle to find a good fit, re-think/re-cut the role, and be more amenable to hiring from within to upjump higher performers - challenge them (and yes, reward them) - and go from there. It has actually worked out great 4 out of 5 times.
There’s too much revenue at stake to roll the dice and I hate to use gambling terms (if you’re gambling? You’re gambling) - but I can say this... We’ve/I’ve gotten much more comfortable with paring back Grand Plans and incrementally promoting within - you can’t leap someone into a new world they aren’t ready to tackle. But - I’ve had several situations where I rethink a posting, maybe split it half or rethink the org chart, and tab a trusted internal candidate to make a “half-leap”.
I’ll say it again: Individual responsibility and I’d never hold it against someone to jump ship for a big chance I simply don’t have available... but I do feel like lots of companies (I know we are) increasingly recognize the safe play and the most value comes from promotion within.
I am amazed that management accepts this make work excuse from HR. While it may sound reasonable, it isn't. Not unless your "future job" is going to be opening up in under two weeks.
People who are good and have skills are not going to be still available six months down the road. They will be working for another company and since you were a jerk who posted a job that did not exist they are not going to be inclined to drop an honest company to work for a bunch of crooks.
>>“Moreover, some companies will post jobs just to keep an inventory of potential workers for positions that may open in the future.”
Or, more likely, a lot of companies post ghost jobs to create the illusion of growth and success. It’s all just kabuki theater.
People are missing the point....
If there is a job opening the fill the job but also keep a file on hand when a job may open up in the future....if it does they go into the file and contact the person who was most qualified to see if they are interested...
In many ways it makes it easier to fill any future jobs that may open.
SeekAndFind wrote: “Some companies will post jobs just to keep an inventory of potential workers for positions that may open in the future.”
Saw that in bidding on government contracts. Some contracts required inclusion of resumes for specific positions covered by the contract. Sometimes did not have to be employees of the company. Would solicit for job openings and then include the resumes on the proposals.
Jobs are posted because it is required. All internal job openings must be accompanied by an external posting for at least one week or until the job is filled. Then there is a “moon shot candidate.” That candidate will never get the job, but it shows that the company interviewed someone.
I would not assume that.
If there are 1.8 million openings and 1/3 (0.6) are ghost, then the real ratio is 1.2
if there are now 1.4 million openings and 1/3 (0.466) are ghost then the real ratio is 0.933 - significantly worse for the job seeker.
Sexual harassment is another motivation for a ghost job — the employer is looking for a female student to seduce. There was a time I would not have believed it but I have seen circumstantial evidence.
Don’t forget another possibility of ghost jobs: posting a tech/engineering job for a low salary so the employer can claim no one applies (no one is capable) and demand the ability to hire a H1B worker.
KEY WORDS:
88% LACKED THE SKILLS FOR THE JOB
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