Jobseekers in the United Kingdom are facing a daunting challenge as a startling 34.4 percent of job advertisements listed online have been identified as ‘ghost jobs,’ a practice where companies create fake job openings for their own benefit.
These disheartening findings have emerged from a comprehensive study conducted by StandOut CV, a career and CV expert firm, which aimed to shed light on the extent of this troubling issue in the UK job market.
StandOut CV’s analysis, led by ex-recruiter Andrew Fennell, scrutinised a staggering 91,318 job listings across the 30 largest cities, towns, and boroughs in the UK.
The research considered the number of jobs posted and those that remained ‘live’ but had been advertised for ’30+ days,’ which typically indicates a high probability of being ghost jobs.
The data, gathered on May 19, 2023, and re-evaluated on June 27, 2023, showed that over a third of job listings in the UK fell under the ‘ghost job’ category, signifying a persistent issue within the job market.
Ghost Job Hotspots in the UK
The analysis also revealed geographic variations in the prevalence of ghost jobs. The London borough of Islington emerged as the worst area for ghost jobs, with a staggering 26.1 percent of job listings found to be fraudulent. Following closely behind was Southend-On-Sea, where 23.7 percent of job listings were ghost jobs.
Who are the most Vulnerable Jobseekers?
Certain professions are more susceptible to encountering ghost job listings than others. Veterinary nurses topped the list as the most likely victims of this deceptive practice, with a startling 59.1 percent of job listings in this sector found to be ghost jobs. Software engineers followed closely behind, with 46.5 percent of job listings in their field being identified as fake.
Motivations Behind Ghost Job Listings
The research also delved into the motivations behind this concerning trend. A 2022 survey found that half (50%) of managers admitted to using ghost job ads to attract more candidates for future job openings, while 43 percent used them to create the illusion of company growth when it wasn’t the case. Although this practice might benefit recruiters, it leaves jobseekers frustrated and wastes their time and effort on non-existent job opportunities.
As the issue of ghost jobs continues to plague the UK job market, jobseekers are encouraged to exercise caution when applying for positions and consider the credibility of job listings. While no foolproof method exists to identify ghost jobs, careful scrutiny of job descriptions, company reputations, and the duration of job postings can provide some guidance to jobseekers in their quest for genuine employment opportunities.
StandOut CV’s research highlights the pressing need for greater transparency in the job market and underscores the importance of addressing this deceptive practice to protect the interests of jobseekers across the UK.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
