Employment Hero, the HR, hiring and payroll software company, has released new research into the state of recruitment in the UK, revealing that ‘ghost jobs’ – roles advertised but not genuinely being recruited for – have become widespread, with younger workers hit hardest.
The research revealed that a quarter (24 per cent) of UK workers believe they have applied for a ghost job, rising to 37 per cent among 18-34 year olds. Only 38 per cent of roles appearing in job searches are seen as genuinely relevant, highlighting how difficult it has become to separate genuine opportunities from noise.
The rise of ghost jobs appears to be driven by a mix of factors. Some employers post roles to build a candidate pipeline, test salary expectations or benchmark the market without an immediate intention to hire. More worryingly, the phenomenon has also been linked to phishing activity, where fake listings are used to collect personal information from jobseekers, exploiting desperation in an increasingly competitive market.
Beyond ghost jobs, the research highlights widespread frustration with the UK hiring system. One in three UK workers (33 per cent) say their current role was difficult to find, rising to 46 per cent among 18-34 year olds. Shockingly, eight in ten workers (80 per cent) say they have applied for a job and received no response, with more than half (54 per cent) citing this as the most frustrating part of the job search.
Delays and poor communication are also major pain points. Nearly half of workers (46 per cent) cite time consuming tasks as the worst part of the recruiting process, 44 per cent report long waits between interviews and 42 per cent say they have been ignored or ‘ghosted’ after interviewing.
These experiences are actively discouraging people from engaging with the labour market. Six in ten workers (61 per cent) say the job search or hiring process has put them off looking for a new role altogether, rising to 69 per cent among younger workers and 67 per cent among women.
The situation is particularly concerning given the wider economic outlook. Official figures show that almost 1 million young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET), while the latest ONS data revealed that the UK unemployment rate hit a five-year high in November.
“Young people are facing one of the toughest job markets the UK has ever seen,” said Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director at Employment Hero. “On top of fewer opportunities, many are applying for roles that don’t exist, and even when they do, candidates are being ghosted. This creates a huge trust problem and also stalling career mobility. Our mission is to create a fairer recruitment experience for both sides of the market, which is why we’ve created the only platform that connects HR, payroll and recruitment with live candidates in one consolidated system globally – where jobs are real, expectations are clear and people are treated with respect.”
Source – https://www.theglobalrecruiter.com/one-in-four-uk-workers-applied-for-jobs-that-dont-exist/