A growing number of job seekers today are finding themselves stuck in a frustrating loop of applying to multiple roles, often with promising descriptions, only to hear nothing back. This disconnect between advertised opportunities and actual hiring outcomes has brought attention to what many are calling the ‘ghost hiring’ trend. Even as companies signal strong hiring intent, the reality on the ground appears more complex. A report by CNBC stated, “Four in 10 companies posted fake job listings in 2024, and three in 10 are currently advertising for a role that is not real, according to a May survey from Resume Builder.” Adding to the concern, many candidates receive no response after applying, raising questions about whether these roles are truly active.But how can candidates identify whether a job posting is active, exploratory, or unlikely to be filled anytime soon?Gurleen Baruah, organisational psychologist at That Culture Thing, tells indianexpress.com, “Ghost jobs are indeed on the rise, and there are a few things job seekers can do that are in their control. First, check the date of the posting. If a role has been open and repeatedly advertised for over a month, there’s a chance it may not be actively hiring. Also, if you see multiple similar roles from the same company staying up for a long time, that’s a signal.” She continues, “Second, verify on the company’s actual careers page. If it’s listed on job boards but not on the official site, it could be questionable. You can also try reaching out to people directly, hiring managers or HR on platforms like LinkedIn. None of this is foolproof, but it helps you read the signals better.”Practical steps job seekers can take to better align themselves with evolving expectationsExpectations will keep evolving, so the focus has to be on staying aware and adaptable. “You can’t prepare in a fully foolproof way, but you can keep working on what is in your control. That includes learning new technologies, understanding how AI is shaping work, and building skills like problem-solving and adaptability,” mentions Baruah. At the same time, human skills are becoming more important. Baruah states, “If you look at reports like those by the World Economic Forum, skills like critical thinking, resilience, and emotional intelligence are consistently rising. As more technical tasks get automated, these human capabilities will matter even more.”What changes can organisations implement to improve transparency and communication in hiring?Many organisations post these roles because they want to be prepared for future hiring and build a repository of candidates. In some cases, Baruah explains that they are also collecting data because applications contain rich insights, which can be used later for talent mapping or other internal purposes. There are also instances where it’s done to signal growth to investors. So while transparency is important, it’s not always straightforward in practice. What they can still do is be clearer in communication, even if not fully transparent. Simple signals like whether a role is immediate, future-focused, or part of pipeline building can help manage expectations. It allows them to keep their strategy while reducing confusion.Story continues below this ad“Beyond that, it really comes down to intent. If the focus is only on optics or perception, then it becomes a different issue altogether. That kind of reflection has to come from within the organisation. You can’t force transparency, but you can hope for more honesty and clarity rather than relying on such tactics,” concludes Baruah.