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Ghost jobs draw a senator's attention as official labor data holds steady

Ricky Chan • Oct 6, 2026 • 9 min read

Ghost jobs draw a senator's attention as official labor data holds steady

Ghost jobs are job postings for roles that may not be open. They have moved from a job seeker complaint to a political and business topic. Inc. reported that an elected official is now targeting the practice.

This article sets the reported figures on ghost jobs beside the latest federal labor data. It also explains what those figures can and cannot tell a job seeker.

Key takeaways

  • Greenhouse says that in any given quarter, 18-22% of the jobs posted on its platform could be classified as ghost jobs, according to Yahoo.
  • Forbes reported that ghost jobs make up 19% of postings and are teaching Gen Z that employers are untrustworthy.
  • Federal data from the St. Louis Fed shows job openings, hires, and claims that do not point to a collapse in hiring.
  • A listing on a job board is not proof that the role is real, so check that a role is live before you spend time on it.

What are ghost jobs, and how common are they?

Ghost jobs are postings that stay online without a real plan to hire. The reasons vary. A company may be collecting résumés, or it may have left an old listing up.

Yahoo reported on a Greenhouse analysis of its own platform. Greenhouse says that in any given quarter, 18-22% of the jobs posted on its platform could be classified as ghost jobs.

Forbes put a similar figure on the wider market. Forbes said ghost jobs, comprising 19% of postings, are teaching Gen Z that employers are untrustworthy.

These are two different sources with two different scopes. One covers a single platform. The other is a commentary figure in a news column. They are not the same measurement, and neither is an official government count.

Why the political angle matters

Inc. reported that a senator is demanding an investigation into the practice. Its report said an elected official is now targeting the practice.

That is a reported demand, not a rule. The article does not describe a new law or a finished inquiry. What changed is that the topic is now being raised in public office.

What the federal labor data shows next to ghost jobs

Federal data cannot count ghost jobs. It does show the setting in which they appear. The figures below come from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Openings and hires

The St. Louis Fed reported that FRED series JTSJOL, Job Openings: Total Nonfarm, was 7079 on 2026-08-01. The series unit is thousands of persons.

The St. Louis Fed also reported that FRED series JTSHIL, Hires: Total Nonfarm, was 5192 on 2026-08-01. The series unit is thousands of persons.

Both series are survey-based totals. Openings are a count of reported vacancies. Hires are a count of people who started jobs. A gap between the two is normal and does not prove any listing is fake.

Unemployment and claims

The St. Louis Fed reported that FRED series UNRATE, Unemployment Rate, was 4.2 on 2026-09-01. The series unit is percent.

The St. Louis Fed reported that FRED series ICSA, Initial Claims, was 197000 on 2026-09-26. The series unit is persons.

The U.S. Department of Labor gave a matching figure in its weekly claims report. It said that in the week ending September 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 197,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level.

What the Labor Department said

Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling issued a statement on the September 2026 Employment Situation Report. The Labor Department quoted him saying: "President Trump's economic agenda continues to deliver for American workers and businesses."

That is the administration's own framing of the report. It is a statement of position, not an independent measure. It also says nothing about how many postings are real.

Why ghost jobs strain trust for candidates and employers

Candidates feel the cost first. They write, tailor, and send applications to roles that may never produce a reply. Forbes tied this to a loss of trust among younger workers.

Employers report trouble too. HR Dive reported that the biggest overall challenge for employers for the fourth straight year was receiving too many applications from unqualified candidates. The problem was cited by 55.7% of respondents.

HR Dive said that was followed by "ghosting or unresponsive candidates," which was cited by 51.6%. So the distrust runs in both directions.

The pattern is a loop. Candidates doubt listings, so they apply widely. Employers receive more applications, so they struggle to sort them. HR Dive described the result as a hiring trust gap.

What to check before you apply to a posting

Ghost jobs are hard to spot from the outside. A few plain checks can still save time.

  • Look for the same role on the employer's own careers page.
  • Check whether the posting has been repeated for a long time without change.
  • Note whether the description is vague about the team, the duties, or the manager.
  • Treat a listing on any job board as a lead, not as proof.

None of these checks is certain. A real role can look thin, and a ghost job can look polished. The goal is to confirm that a role is live before you put effort into it.

What GoDotWebs is and why it is useful

GoDotWebs is a profile-to-opportunity matching system on an automated database. It is an alternative to hunting on LinkedIn and to paying a private career coach who only gives you a list.

LinkedIn is a weak place to find work that is actually open. A listing there is not proof the role is real. A private career coach usually sells direction, and you still write, tailor, send, and follow up on your own.

GoDotWebs also coaches you. The coaching is about the matches, not a list you have to interpret alone.

One Google search, or one question to ChatGPT, is not the product. The product runs many searches against your profile and matches what comes back.

Discovery is automated. Listings are not invented. Each opportunity is checked so it is still live. You still review the match and you still apply.

You can find the service at https://godotwebs.com and see pricing at https://godotwebs.com/pricing. Questions go to info@godotwebs.com.

What this does not mean

The figures above do not show that most jobs are fake. The reported shares come from one platform and one news column. They are not a national count.

The federal data does not measure ghost jobs. Openings, hires, unemployment, and claims describe the labor market in general. They cannot separate real vacancies from stale ones.

The senator's demand does not mean a law has changed. It also does not mean any company has been found at fault.

Nothing here promises that a better search method will lead to a job. Any tool can help you find and check roles. You still choose where to apply, and results depend on many things outside your control.

Frequently asked questions

What are ghost jobs?

Ghost jobs are postings for roles that may not be open or may not be actively filled. They can stay up for many reasons. Greenhouse, as reported by Yahoo, says that in any given quarter, 18-22% of the jobs posted on its platform could be classified as ghost jobs.

Do the federal job openings numbers include ghost jobs?

The sources here do not say. The St. Louis Fed reported that Job Openings: Total Nonfarm was 7079 thousand on 2026-08-01. That series measures reported openings, and it does not label any posting as real or fake.

Is a LinkedIn listing proof that a role is real?

No. A listing there is not proof the role is real. Check the employer's own careers page and confirm the role is still live before you spend time applying.

Why are employers also unhappy with the hiring process?

HR Dive reported that too many applications from unqualified candidates was the top challenge, cited by 55.7% of respondents. It also reported that ghosting or unresponsive candidates was cited by 51.6%. Both sides describe a trust problem.

How does GoDotWebs deal with ghost jobs?

GoDotWebs runs many searches against your profile and matches what comes back. Each opportunity is checked so it is still live. You still review the match and you still apply.

Sources

About the author

Written by Ricky Chan and the GoDotWebs team. GoDotWebs is a profile-to-opportunity matching system, and it also coaches. It runs many searches against the record you already have, matches openings that are still live, and coaches you on those matches.

Last updated: 6 October 2026.

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Ghost jobs draw a senator's attention as official labor data holds steady | GoDotWebs Blog