How to spot a ghost job posting before you waste an application

A ghost job is a posting that is live but not actually being hired for. Companies leave them up to build a candidate pipeline, to look like they are growing, or simply because nobody remembered to take them down.

For a fresher this is expensive. You spend an hour tailoring a CV and writing a cover letter for a role that was filled in March.

Check the posting date, then check it again

A listing that says 'posted 2 days ago' on a job board may have been reposted automatically. Go to the company's own careers page and find the same role. If the company site does not list it at all, be suspicious.

Look for a specific team and a specific problem

Real openings usually mention what the team does and what the person will work on. Ghost postings tend to be generic: broad responsibilities, no team context, no named manager, and a description that could apply to any company.

Watch for permanently open roles

If a company has had 'Software Engineer - All Levels' open continuously for eight months, that is a pipeline-building posting, not a vacancy.

Ask directly

If you get to a recruiter conversation, it is entirely reasonable to ask: is this a new position or a replacement, and when are you hoping the person starts? A real opening has a real answer.

What we do about it

Every listing on Job Mitra is checked against the company's own careers page before it goes up, and we take listings down when they close. That is the entire reason this site exists.