AI CEO Explains Why Companies Post Jobs They Don’t Intend To Fill

Looking for a job takes a lot of time and effort, but what about applying for a job that doesn't even exist?

News On 6’s MaKayla Glenn explored a growing issue called "ghost jobs."

Ghost jobs are posted online, but the company does not intend to hire anyone for them.

Brandon Mitchell, the CEO of WriteSea, said he is familiar with ghost hiring.

Mitchell's company uses artificial intelligence to help people find jobs by creating better résumés, stronger cover letters, and improving their interview skills.

Mitchell says many companies post ghost jobs to fill their talent pipeline and gauge the skills of job seekers in a particular area, even if they don’t have immediate openings.

“Our company will post a job out there with the expectation that we will hire, but it just depends," Mitchell said. "Right now, we’re getting a lot more inbound interest, and it’s not just us — it’s bigger companies as well. So, what might seem like a ghost job is also companies just taking a little bit longer to respond to an actual candidate. Now, that doesn’t negate from the fact that there are fake jobs or ghost jobs."

While it can be frustrating, Mitchell says ghost hiring cases make up only a small percentage of the hiring market.

"Today's day and age, because of the avant of AI and a few different technologies, some companies are seeing 1,000 to 1,500 job applications within a span of seven days, and so it takes a lot of time to get back. And again, the competition is a bit harder," Mitchell said. "So, you might be applying to these jobs, submitting applications, customizing cover letters, but you just might not be making it to that top echelon of the applicants."

He suggests using trusted job platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed, as they allow the reporting of spam. Avoid unreliable sites that may post fake or outdated jobs. Check the posting date and avoid applying for listings older than 14 days.