The Maze of Modern Job Hunting and Ghost Jobs: Exploring the phenomenon of Ghost Jobs as rising recruitment trend and hidden side of job market.

Sahana Madan; Amruta. N; Jeevan. R

Abstract

The labor market is experiencing strange times around the world. Many job seekers are applying to jobs that never seem to get filled or have been posted for months. We refer to these job listings as "Ghost Jobs." An increasing amount of job postings on Indeed and LinkedIn are fraudulent. These are job postings for positions that might never be filled or won't be filled at all. Ghost jobs represent a deceptive phenomenon in recruitment where companies offer job openings without any genuine intention of filling them up with reasons & motives which may vary from company to company across different organizations. Although it is rare, some companies pretend to be hiring to give the impression that they are larger than they actually are or that their growth is consistent. "Ghost Jobs" are positions that businesses may never plan to fill or may look to fill later. The companies merely do it to appear impressive on paper and demonstrate that they are actively hiring. They may be dealing with more urgent issues like budget and employee retention, but they still want to have a pool of qualified applicants in case they need them in the future. The research paper is an exploratory study and to conceptually understand this new and rising job trend, know the reasons behind the rise of "ghost jobs" in technology-based companies and how to spot them. The paper focusses on exploring strategies used to mislead the job applicants and its influencing factors on the company’s brand. So with all these factors at play, it is safe to assume that not only do ghost jobs hurt the economy, but also everyone they affect, from employers to potential employees. This phenomenon significantly impacts the job market and the industry, as it creates frustration and prevents qualified individuals from applying for jobs that “aren't really there.” The paper will recommend suitable strategies for Gen Z job seekers to pay attention to this alarming recruitment trend.