Recognizing “Ghost Jobs” and Fake Job Postings

Check the date: if it’s been up for months or keeps reappearing, be wary. Confirm the role is on the company’s own careers page and look for current employees on LinkedIn. Federal contractors sometimes post jobs contingent on winning a contract, so ask. Vague, boilerplate descriptions are another tell. Skip anything too good to be true or using a Gmail-type address. Those last ones may be scams.

One of the best ways to avoid “ghost jobs” when applying online is to submit your application directly through the company website. When a company posts a job, it has the most control over what appears on its own website, whereas job boards scrape websites and may not remove listings when a position is filled. Most employers will keep their site up to date.

Start by verifying the position directly on the company’s website. Red flags include postings up for months, vague job descriptions, compensation that seems out of line, recruiter emails that don’t match the company, or employers/recruiters you can’t verify through credible sources. And if it sounds too good to be true, it usually deserves a closer look.

Check the posting date and repost history. Roles open for 60+ days or reposted monthly are red flags. Confirm the job appears on the company’s own careers page. Vague duties, no named team or hiring manager, and “always accepting applications” language signal pipeline-building, not hiring. Best test: message a recruiter or team member on LinkedIn and ask if the role is actively being filled.