“Ghost job postings are a myth or reality.” I have been part of this conversation often and I am sure so have been you. Somehow I feel the reality isn’t that simple.
Ghost job postings do exist. Not necessarily because organizations are trying to deceive candidates, but because hiring is often more complicated, long drawn and unpredictable than the job posting suggests.
In my own experience, we once had a role that was approved, posted, but budget got frozen shortly after. The other time we found an internal candidate who was a great fit. On the other hand I have also witnessed internal candidates being already shortlisted, but external applications being still invited and postings staying live for months.
Strangely an ex-colleague of mine who now works for a start-up shared they keep “exploring the market” without an immediate hiring decision. Another one working in a GCC shared their frustration on priorities changing faster than job postings getting updated and the helplessness it brings.
For candidates, however, the outcome feels the same as the applications disappear into a black hole. At times there are no or delayed updates and worst, no closure whatsoever.
It’s obviously many times beyond the control of a recruiter who is the POC for a candidate. The hiring market is already stressful enough without this additional uncertainty becoming part of the process.
Organizations aim for the best candidate experience and they put in a lot of effort into it. Probably they need to be more mindful and active, if not proactive, in addressing this concern as well.
My one friend (runs his own agency and likes playing devil's advocate) who brought it up again last evening over a cup of coffee also added this - transparency won’t solve every hiring challenge and but it will build trust. I usually don’t agree with him 100% but this time I did.
What’s been your experience?
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