June 25, 2024
Some 39% of hiring managers said their companies have fake or “ghost” job listings, according to a survey by ResumeBuilder.com.
“It’s a concerning scenario, particularly when these misleading postings originate from HR departments — the very entities entrusted with shaping accurate perceptions of their organizations,” ResumeBuilder Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller said in a press release.
Top reasons behind the fake job posting strategy include:
- Appearing open to external talent, 67%
- Projecting company growth, 66%
- Making employees believe their workload will be alleviated by new workers, 63%
- Making employees feel replaceable, 62%
- Collecting résumés and keeping them on file for a later date, 59%
Regarding how often candidates who applied for fake jobs were later contacted, 39% reported candidates were always contacted, while 45% say candidates were sometimes contacted. Just 12% said candidates were rarely contacted and 5% reported they are never contacted.
“Whether it’s to create an illusion of company expansion or to foster a sense of replaceability among employees, such practices are not acceptable,” Haller said.
However, the ResumeBuilder survey also found that 43% of hiring managers believe fake job postings are acceptable and 27% think they are probably acceptable. And a majority say fake job postings had positive impacts on revenue, employee morale and productivity.
In addition, 66% of hiring managers say stakeholders — including employees, investors and applicants — who were not supposed to find out about the practice of listing fake jobs did uncover the truth.
The data is based on a ResumeBuilder survey of 649 US hiring managers on May 22.