Phantom Openings: Ghost Job Postings, the New Disclosure Laws, and How Leaders Can Restore Honesty to Hiring

Abstract: Ghost job postings, meaning advertisements for roles an employer does not intend to fill soon or at all, have moved from a job-seeker complaint to a regulatory and reputational issue. This article reviews survey, platform, and labor-market evidence on how common ghost postings are. It considers why organizations publish them and what they cost candidates, current employees, employer brands, and the quality of public labor-market data. It also examines the closely related practice of employers ghosting candidates. Drawing on research on applicant reactions, organizational justice, signaling theory, realistic job previews, and psychological contracts, the article explains why misleading postings damage trust well beyond any single hiring process. It then maps the emerging disclosure regime, including Ontario's 2026 job posting rules, New York's pending Senate Bill S8877, proposals in other states, and a Texas consumer-protection probe of LinkedIn. The article sets out five evidence-based responses, with organizational examples, and three pillars for building long-term hiring integrity.