Ask a Career Advisor: What Is a Ghost Job?

In our 2025 State of Online Recruiting Report survey, 39.3% of job seekers told us that “fake, fraudulent, or ‘ghost’ jobs” was their biggest challenge when looking for work on a job board/recruiting platform.

What exactly are ghost jobs, and how are they different from fake or fraudulent ones?

If you spot a ghost job, should you apply for it anyway?

We asked Lori Cole, Certified Career Coach and Advisor at iHire, to explain this spooky phenomenon.

What Are Ghost Jobs?

“Ghost jobs are postings published by real employers, but the roles themselves aren’t real or have already been filled,” Cole explained. “They’re different from scam jobs that are meant to trick you into providing personal data and financial information, but still frustrating to encounter.”

So no, these postings aren’t opportunities for ghosts… but they’re haunting candidates just the same.

How to Spot Ghost Jobs

“You could be looking at a ghost job if the ad has been up for a really long time, or if you notice it disappears then reappears again as if it’s new,” Cole said. “An ad that feels overly generic or vague could also be a ghost job.”

Furthermore, ghost jobs are unlikely to mention closing dates or hiring timelines, and you’ll likely never hear back after applying for one.

Why Do Companies Post Ghost Jobs? Are Ghost Jobs Even Legal?

The companies are real, but the jobs are not. Why are employers posting them?

“Employers might be posting ghost jobs to collect resumes for their talent pipeline or give off the impression that they’re growing,” Cole said. “Or maybe they simply forgot to take their posting down once their hiring need changed.”

Ghost jobs aren’t technically illegal, but there’s a federal proposal in the works right now to change that.

“The Truth in Job Advertising and Accountability Act, or TJAAA, proposes requiring that job ads include intended hire and start dates, whether the opening is a new role or backfilled role, how many times the ad has been posted previously, and other details,” Cole said.

Should You Still Apply for Ghost Jobs?

“If you suspect you’re looking at a ghost job, carefully consider whether or not it’s worth your time to apply anyway,” Cole advised. “If the company is collecting resumes for roles they plan to hire for in the future, it really can’t hurt to send yours in, especially if you’re interested in working there someday. Just make sure you stay active in your search and keep applying elsewhere.”

In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket with a ghost job that will disappear without a trace.

Explore our Resource Center for more expert advice from Cole, and dive into our database of verified jobs on iHireLegal to find great opportunities matched to your skills and experience.