Why Posting Ghost Jobs Could Haunt Your Business

Ever heard the phrase "fake it 'til you make it"? Well, when it comes to job postings, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, posting fake or "ghost" jobs can come back to haunt businesses in ways you might not expect. Whether the intention is to make the company look like it’s thriving or to gather resumes just in case, this practice can do more harm than good. So, let’s break down why posting fake jobs isn’t the savvy move some employers think it is.

1. It’s a Short-Term Play with Long-Term Consequences

At first glance, posting a ghost job can seem harmless. Maybe you want to give off the vibe that your company is booming and constantly expanding. After all, a growing company attracts top talent, right? But here’s the catch: while this might boost your brand image in the short term, savvy candidates are getting wise to these tactics.

Word gets around quickly, especially on platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn. If applicants realize the position never existed or was never filled, your company’s reputation can take a hit. Transparency is everything in today’s hiring world, and dishonesty—even when it seems trivial—can have lasting consequences.

2. It Erodes Trust in Your Brand

Trust is hard to earn but oh so easy to lose. Imagine being a job seeker who’s excited about an opportunity, only to find out that the position wasn’t real. Frustrating, right? For applicants, ghost jobs can feel like a bait-and-switch.

When you create false job openings, candidates lose trust in your company. They’re less likely to apply for future roles, and what’s worse, they could spread the word to others. Once your company is seen as unreliable or manipulative, it’s tough to win people back.

3. It Can Backfire with Current Employees

Some employers use ghost job listings as a way to motivate underperforming employees—letting them see that there are “potential replacements” out there. But here’s the thing: this tactic often backfires. Instead of lighting a fire under your team, it can spark resentment and anxiety. Employees start to feel undervalued, worried that they’re being replaced, and the result is often lower morale, not higher productivity.

In the long run, your team’s loyalty and engagement are more valuable than any fear-based motivator. Happy employees are productive employees, and creating a supportive environment is far more effective than dangling threats.

4. You Waste Valuable Time and Resources

Gathering resumes “just in case” might seem like a good idea. But here’s the reality: processing resumes and conducting interviews for non-existent positions is a waste of time for both the hiring team and applicants.

Plus, if and when you do need to hire, the resumes you’ve collected may already be outdated, and those candidates might no longer be available. Worse yet, candidates may feel misled if they find out there’s no real job behind your listing, which might discourage them from applying again when you have an actual opening.

5. It Damages Your Employer Brand

Your employer brand is more than just your reputation—it’s what sets you apart in the competitive hiring market. A strong employer brand helps attract top talent and keeps employees loyal. But ghost job postings? They’re a surefire way to damage that brand.

According to CareerArc’s Employer Branding Study, 55% of job seekers abandon a potential job application after reading a negative company review online. That means a misstep like posting fake jobs could have a domino effect, discouraging great candidates from even considering you in the future.

Authenticity is Your Best Asset

Here’s our some of our top tips for cultivating a robust and effective hiring process:

• Focus on highlighting actual company achievements to attract candidates instead of relying on fake job listings.

• Build trust by being upfront with candidates. If you’re not hiring at the moment, invest in your talent pool by engaging with potential candidates through networking or internships.

• If you’re dealing with underperformance, have open, honest conversations with employees about expectations and areas for improvement. A strong feedback culture always beats creating phantom competition.

• Keep a database of top candidates from real hiring processes, and engage them when future opportunities arise. This way, you’re not starting from scratch or wasting resources.

• Foster a genuine and engaging brand by showcasing real stories of growth, culture, and employee satisfaction. Authenticity will always win over gimmicks.

At the end of the day, posting fake jobs might seem like a clever workaround, but it’s a shortcut that leads to nowhere. The key to building a strong, reputable, and successful business lies in transparency, honesty, and respect—for both current employees and potential candidates. As you look to grow your team and your company, remember that the best candidates are drawn to authenticity, not smoke and mirrors.