ghost job

A ghost job is a job listing for a position that doesn’t really exist, or has already been filled. You apply, and nobody was ever planning to hire.

What ghost job means

Wikipedia defines a fake job, ghost job or phantom job as a posting for a non-existent or already filled position. Job seekers use the term with frustration: the listing stays up for months, gets reposted, and applications vanish without a reply.

Employers post them for various reasons, according to Wikipedia: to look like they’re growing, to collect résumés for later, to keep current staff believing help is coming, to meet HR requirements, or to gather information about competitors’ wages.

Examples

• “That listing has been up since January. It’s a ghost job.”
• “I’ve sent 40 applications and I think half were ghost jobs.”
• “How do you spot a ghost job? It’s always ‘open’ and never filled.”

Signs of a ghost job

Wikipedia mentions some common warning signs: listings that are continuously open or repeatedly reposted, catchy titles, and vague descriptions with little detail. None of these proves a job is fake, but together they’re a hint to spend your energy elsewhere.

Where it came from

The name fits the idea of a phantom position: it looks real, but there’s nothing there. It also echoes ghosting, since applicants to these listings usually never hear back.

Related terms

• Ghosting: cutting off contact without explanation.
• Rage applying: mass-applying out of frustration.
• Career cushioning: lining up a backup job.
• Job hopping: switching jobs often.

See more terms like this in our work and money slang guide.