The job market is brutal enough without running in circles — but that’s exactly what happens when job seekers unknowingly apply to ghost jobs. These are job listings that companies have no real intention of filling.

Sometimes they’re posted for show. Sometimes they’re data-collection tools. And sometimes they’re straight-up bait to justify internal politics or external optics. But the result is always the same: a massive waste of time for qualified candidates.

In fact, a 2023 Clarify Capital survey found that 68% of managers admitted to posting job openings with no intent to hire immediately. Why? Reasons range from collecting resumes “just in case” to making it look like the company is growing.

So, how do you avoid ghost jobs before wasting another hour customizing your resume? Start by looking for these red flags:

The job is only posted on third-party sites like LinkedIn or Indeed

While job boards are convenient, they aren’t always accurate. These listings often lag behind internal ATS systems — which means a job might already be closed but still appear “active” on aggregators. Pro tip: Always cross-check the company’s careers page. If it’s not listed there, assume it’s outdated or no longer real.

It’s been reposted… again and again.

When you see the same job appear repeatedly — sometimes every few weeks — that’s a strong sign the company isn’t really trying to fill it. Or worse, they’re intentionally keeping it open for reasons unrelated to hiring (like visa sponsorship justification, compensation benchmarking, or looking busy for investors).

LinkedIn even has metrics to tell you if a job has been reposted, and how long ago . If a general role like “Marketing Manager” or “Full-Stack Developer” is reposted multiple times, that’s suspicious. These are high-demand roles that should fill fast.

The job is at a “growth-stage” tech company

This might sound counterintuitive — shouldn’t high-growth companies be hiring aggressively? Not always.

In reality, some startups post jobs to appease investors, demonstrate “momentum,” or fluff up their headcount projections. According to a 2024 study by Hunter Ng, many job listings from growth-stage tech firms serve more as data collection tools or optics plays than legitimate recruiting efforts. And inside many large tech firms, job reqs are kept open for months to meet internal KPIs — even when there’s no urgency to hire.

The company has a reputation.

If the consensus buzz online and around town is that a company has red flags as a place to work, it would not be a stretch to think they wander into grey-area hiring practices. A good, supportive company culture is less likely to tolerate behavior that does not treat all people, employee or not, with respect.

At the very least, you should be aware of potential problems working at a company with an iffy reputation.

TL;DR: Trust Your Instincts, Do Your Research

Ghost jobs are a symptom of a deeper issue: hiring systems built to benefit companies, not candidates. Until we overhaul the hiring process, job seekers will have to stay sharp.

  • Always check the company’s careers page
  • Avoid jobs with recycled listings or no timeline
  • Be skeptical of overly vague or evergreen postings
  • And know that your time — and talent — deserves better