Job hunting can be an exhilarating yet nerve-wracking experience for many professionals seeking new career opportunities. Ghost jobs are elusive positions that seem promising but ultimately vanish into thin air, leaving candidates feeling betrayed and disheartened.
The Ghost Job Resurrection
The term “ghost job” has made a comeback in recent times, coinciding with a period of widespread layoffs across various industries.
Staffing experts believe that out of the millions of job openings, a substantial number, around 4,00,000, might be ghost jobs. These elusive roles often linger for an extended period, creating a façade of growth for the companies listing them or building a database of potential candidates for future needs.
Typical Ghost Jobs and Their Prevalence
Ghost jobs predominantly target entry or mid-level roles, which attract a larger pool of applicants due to their relatively lower eligibility criteria. Roles such as customer service representatives, sales executives, administrative assistants, data entry operators, coders, marketers, and HR executives are among the most common in the ghost job landscape.
While these deceptive positions can be found across industries, they are particularly prevalent in the IT sector. The high demand for IT professionals and the abundance of qualified candidates make it an ideal ground for ghost job posters.
Read More: Red Flags To Look Out For To Protect Yourself From Fake Job Offers
The Involvement of Staffing Agencies
Interestingly, it’s not just companies themselves posting ghost jobs. Staffing agencies have also been found to participate in this eerie practice. Recruitment firms, eager to showcase their extensive databases of potential candidates, might resort to listing fake jobs to accumulate more resumes.
With numerous job portals available, some platforms may resort to creating fake roles to gain more clicks and use inflated metrics to justify their fees.
Evading the Ghostly Encounter
While there’s no foolproof method to identify ghost jobs, there are certain precautions that candidates can take to avoid falling prey to these spectral traps.
- Scrutinize the Job Description (JD): A clear and concise job description is essential. If the JD appears vague, overly broad, or lacking specific deliverables and expectations, it might be a ghost job. Request details about the projects or tasks you’d be responsible for and how your role contributes to the company’s objectives.
- Employee Reviews and Feedback: Monitor employee reviews. Look for any complaints about candidates being ghosted or roles that seem redundant or deceptive.
The resurgence of ghost jobs in the job market has brought new challenges to the job-seeking process. By remaining vigilant and employing some essential checks and balances during the job search, candidates can safeguard themselves against the haunting world of ghost jobs.
Image Credits: Google Images
Feature Image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: Moneycontrol, Firstpost, Forbes
Find the blogger: Pragya Damani
This post is tagged under: ghost jobs, what are ghost jobs, staffing agencies, job description, employee reviews, feedback
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