Beware of Ghost Jobs: Why Fake Job Postings Are an Ethical Crisis

Are You Applying to a Real Job? Fake job ads—or “ghost job listings”—are on the rise, misleading thousands of job seekers every day. These deceptive vacancies waste time, harvest personal data, and erode trust in the hiring process Sensitive data from CVs—combined with social media profiles—can enable phishing, fraud, identity theft, or even professional blackmail.

It begins with hope.

You find a job listing that feels perfect. The title fits, the role sounds exciting, and the company is one you’ve long admired. You polish your CV, write a tailored cover letter, maybe even rehearse answers in your head. You hit “apply”—and then… nothing.

No reply. No update. After few days a system generated rejection letter. Sometimes, not even a rejection or response…

Weeks pass. The same job remains posted. Then you hear from someone inside the company: “Oh, that position? It was filled months ago.” Or it could be some other answers..

There is a world of such fake job ads, world of ghost jobs—those enticing but empty listings that clutter our feeds and waste our time.

These aren’t just harmless glitches in the hiring system. They’re deliberate. And they’re becoming alarmingly common.

Some companies claim they’re “keeping their pipeline warm.” Others say it’s part of “future planning.” But behind these vague excuses lies something far more cynical.

What’s Really Going On?

1. Mining Data, Not Talent
Every job application is a goldmine of personal data—phone numbers, work history, even ID proofs. Some companies collect this not to hire, but to build databases. Marketing teams love it. So do third-party data brokers. And in shady corners of the internet, it’s not hard to imagine where some of that information might end up.

2. Creating the Illusion of Growth
A company that appears to be hiring looks like it’s thriving. A long list of openings signals success to investors, media, and competitors. But it’s all theatre—recruitment as PR. The roles? Often imaginary.

3. Treating Applicants Like Research Subjects
Some job ads are nothing more than quiet market studies. What are people expecting in terms of salary? How rare is a certain skill? Instead of hiring experts, companies post a fake job and wait for the insights to roll in—for free.

4. Following the Rules (But Only on Paper)
There are also the jobs that were never open to the public to begin with. The internal candidate was already chosen, but HR posts it anyway—to tick compliance boxes or appear fair. The rest of the applicants? Ghosted.

What Job Seekers Lose

It’s not just time. It’s trust.

People spend hours preparing CVs, answering detailed questionnaires, sometimes even completing unpaid assignments—chasing roles that were never real to begin with.

For young professionals, especially in emerging markets, this cycle of silent rejection feeds burnout and self-doubt. You begin to question your worth. You wonder if you’re doing something wrong.

But it’s not you. It’s the system that’s broken.

Why This Has to Stop

Fake job ads aren’t a clever strategy. They’re a betrayal of people’s time, energy, and dignity.

In an age where more people are freelancing, shifting careers, or trying to rebuild after layoffs, the idea of stockpiling CVs “just in case” is not just outdated. It’s unethical.

Hiring should be honest. Grounded in real need. Driven by respect, not vanity metrics or shady surveillance.

Until that becomes the norm, job seekers must stay sharp. Question early. Notice patterns. And trust your gut when something feels off.

Because a job post isn’t just a form. It’s a promise. And it’s time employers took that promise seriously.

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P Koshy: Dr. Perumal Koshy writes on economic transitions, small enterprise ecosystems, and development policy, with a focus on inclusive entrepreneurship and systemic change. His work draws from a background in Area Studies and SME research, with writings published in UN Today, Financial Express, Indian Express, and ERENET Journal. He serves as Editor of Global SME News and leads strategic initiatives at The Enterprise Institute and the Enterprise Futures Lab, where he works at the intersection of enterprise, policy, and knowledge systems. Through TDW Publishing, he supports independent voices and enterprise scholarship across the Global South.
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