A recent survey of 649 hiring managers by Resume Builder found that 4 in 10 companies have posted a "fake job listing" this year, and 3 in 10 companies are currently advertising for a role that isn't real.
In this context, "fake jobs" refer to online listings for roles the company isn't actively hiring for but wants to use to collect resumes, among other reasons. It's important to note that even though a proportion of companies say they've posted a fake job, it doesn't mean the same share of their listings are fake.
According to Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at Resume Builder, although the practice of posting fake job listings isn't entirely new, traditional corporate companies are now engaging in it more. Temp agencies have been constantly posting new job ads to maintain a pool of vetted candidates for potential client needs, and now this strategy is becoming more common among other types of companies.
Why do companies post fake jobs?
According to a survey, hiring managers are most likely to post fake openings for entry-level and mid-level roles. They reported posting these listings across the internet, including their own company websites as well as online boards like LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Indeed, and Glassdoor, among others. However, this practice goes against the user policy of many of these job boards.
A spokesperson from LinkedIn tells CNBC Make It that "we require recruiters to post jobs only if they intend to hire a candidate for the specific position indicated." ZipRecruiter responded to a request for comment with its job posting rules page that states submissions must reflect "a real and current job opening."
Despite this, a majority of 7 in 10 hiring managers say the practice of posting fake job listings is "morally acceptable." But why spend the time and effort to advertise a job that’s not actually open? It all comes down to "reasons of appearance," Haller says.
Hiring managers believe that advertising nonexistent openings has a positive impact on their revenue by making it appear like their company is growing faster than it is, according to the survey. They believe the practice increases employee morale by making over-extended staffers feel their workload will soon be alleviated. Others believe the move boosts productivity by making employees feel like they’re replaceable and have to prove themselves against a potential newcomer.
