'Ghost jobs' mask tight labor market

 The U.S. labor market appears strong, with job openings outnumbering hirings by over 2.2 million a month since 2024, but many of these are "ghost listings," CNBC reports. In reality, the openings-to-hirings ratio has plummeted in recent years, partly due to economic uncertainty, pandemic over-hiring, and stricter immigration policies. Oftentimes, companies will post listings merely to build out strong candidate pools in advance. Experts warn that this discrepancy misleads job seekers and policymakers into believing the labor market is healthier than it is.

One of the biggest sources of frustration for job seekers is the ghost job and virtually every industry is guilty of the practice to some degree. While some will say that it wastes the time of job seekers, the real frustration for job seekers is the false sense of hope the posted position provides, particularly for those who have been searching for months or even years.

When companies leave roles open for months, repost old reqs, or post “evergreen” roles with no timeline or budget, it creates the illusion of opportunity.
But it also distorts everything — market data, recruiting metrics, and most importantly, candidate trust.

From the candidate side, nothing is more frustrating than applying to a role that was never truly live. It feels like being ghosted before the process even starts.

From the business side, ghost jobs send false signals:
• “We’re hiring” (but we’re not)
• “We have demand” (but we don’t know when or if we’ll fill it)
• “We need more recruiters” (when what we really need is better req discipline)

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
A job posting is not a hiring strategy. And a pipeline is not a plan.

Companies should be asking:
“Is this role budgeted, prioritized, and aligned to a timeline?”
If not, it’s not a job — it’s an aspiration.

Over 80% of recruiters admit they’ve posted roles they aren’t actually hiring for.
Ghost jobs are everywhere, but easier to spot when you know the signs.

🔍 How to tell a job is a “ghost job”:

• Old or stagnant posting: Up for weeks/months with no updates or changes

• Not on the company’s careers page: Listed on job boards but missing from the official site

• Vague or generic description: Recycled language, unclear responsibilities, no reporting structure

• No human contact: No recruiter/hiring manager listed, no engagement after applying

• Constant reposts: The same role keeps appearing but never progresses

• Pipeline vibes: Companies fishing for résumés but not actively interviewing

✔️ What to do:

• Prioritize roles verified on the company site

• Cross-check posting dates and updates

• Reach out to someone inside the company to confirm it's active

• Invest your time where hiring intent is clear

Have you seen evidence of this in your own job search?

Six-figure salaries no longer deliver financial stability

Gone are the days when a six-figure salary promised financial stability. In fact, many Americans earning such an income are living paycheck to paycheck, writes USA Today. A recent Harris Poll survey of six-figure earners found that one in three were “financially distressed,” and two in three said their income did not reflect wealth. More than half said they required twice their current earnings to achieve financial security. And while a $100,000 income sits above the national median for full-time workers, years of inflation have eroded its purchasing power.

A six-figure salary doesn’t mean what it once did.

That’s the takeaway from a new Harris poll, which suggests a six-figure income in 2025 equates to survival, but not necessarily to success.

One in three six-figure earners described themselves in the poll as financially distressed. Two in three said six-figure pay is not a sign of wealth.

The Harris Poll survey, released Nov. 14, reached 2,109 Americans, including 728 who earn at least $100,000 a year.

The notion that high-salary workers are struggling rings counterintuitive. Economic data show that high-income Americans increasingly power the economy, spending freely at a time when less affluent households are pinched.

The American Dream is slipping further out of reach for Millennials and Gen Z.

According to HousingWire:

🏡 Home prices have risen 46% nationally
🚗 Financing a used car – ($539/mo) up 35.8%
💸 Insuring your car – ($233/mo) up 155.4%
⚡ Powering your home – ($178/mo) up 52.1%
👶 Care for one young child – ($1,365/mo) up 53.3%

Home prices have been up nearly 50% since 2020. Mortgage rates through the roof. Wages? Barely moving.

And yet, my generation keeps hearing the same tired advice: “Just cut back on Starbucks.”

No amount of skipping lattes or avocado toast is going to close a six-figure gap in housing affordability. This isn’t a budgeting problem. It’s a structural one.

Until we start addressing policy, wages, and housing access (and move on from the personal spending habit straw man), we’re missing the point.

The American dream hasn’t died. But it is certainly in critical condition