In today’s hiring market, a new phrase has entered the mainstream - “ghost jobs.”

More and more candidates are questioning whether the roles they’re applying for even exist. Recent UK reporting suggests a significant number of workers believe they’ve applied for jobs that were never real or were never actively being recruited for.

Here we look at what is driving this growing scepticism, and what it means for employers and candidates.

What Are Ghost Jobs?

“Ghost jobs” refer to roles that are advertised but:

• Are not actively being recruited for
• Have already been filled internally
• Are being used to build talent pipelines rather than hire immediately
• Remain live long after hiring has paused or stopped

In some cases, these roles may have been genuine at one stage, but no longer reflect a real, open vacancy.

Why Are They Increasing?

According to recent studies, among companies that posted ghost jobs in the past year, approximately 26% posted up to three fake job listings, 19% posted five, 19% posted 10, 11% posted 50, 10% posted 25, and 13% posted 75 or more. There are a few key reasons behind the rise of ghost job perceptions:

1. Pipeline Building
Many companies advertise roles to build a pool of candidates for future hiring needs. While strategic, this isn’t always clear to applicants and can be off-putting.

2. Market Signalling
Some organisations post jobs to signal growth, attract investment, or enhance their employer brand - even if hiring isn’t urgent.

3. Changing Hiring Plans
Economic uncertainty means hiring decisions can shift quickly. Roles may be paused or cancelled after being advertised.

4. Automation & Job Board Algorithms
Jobs can be automatically reposted or kept live longer than intended, creating the impression they are still active.

The Impact on Candidates

The consequences for job seekers are significant:

Loss of Trust
Candidates begin to question the legitimacy of roles and the transparency of employers.

Application Fatigue
Applying for roles that lead nowhere can be frustrating and demotivating. It can also lead the candidates to be put off by seeing the same company posting the same job for a long period of time, especially if there is no response from their application.

Reduced Engagement
Candidates may become less selective, applying for more roles with less effort - further lowering application quality.

The Impact on Employers

While ghost jobs may not always be intentional, they can have real consequences for businesses:

Damage to Employer Brand
A poor candidate experience can quickly impact how your company is perceived in the market. Remember that candidates talk and word spreads, and this can lead to a potentially perfect candidate not applying for a future role. 

Lower Quality Applications
Nearly half of job seekers lie during applications, with 44% admitting to deceptive practices to compete in oversaturated markets. Trust erosion costs everyone as mutual dishonesty creates inefficient hiring cycles that waste time and damage professional relationships.

Long-Term Talent Attraction Issues
Top candidates may avoid companies they perceive as unclear or unresponsive.

How to Avoid the “Ghost Job” Label

To maintain trust and attract the right talent, businesses should:

Be Transparent
If a role is for future hiring or pipeline building, make that clear in the job description.

Keep Listings Updated
Regularly review and remove roles that are no longer active and be sure to keep your recruitment agent updated so that we can do the same.

Improve Communication
Providing timely updates or feedback, even automated, can significantly improve candidate perception.

Work with Recruitment Specialists
Agencies can ensure that only live, qualified roles are promoted, helping maintain credibility with candidates.

Final Thoughts

The rise of “ghost jobs” highlights a growing disconnect between candidates and employers in the modern hiring process.

In a market already shaped by automation and high application volumes, trust is becoming one of the most valuable currencies in recruitment.

Organisations that prioritise transparency, communication, and genuine opportunities will stand out - not just attracting more candidates, but attracting the right ones.

Because in 2026, it’s not just about filling roles; it’s about building trust.

If you’re looking for your next member of your team or looking for a new job, get in touch with our team of recruitment experts, and we would be happy to help you with your search.