Help Wanted — But Not Really

What once was a familiar sign of opportunity is now just another piece of marketing.

Generation Z is entering one of the most difficult entry-level job markets in modern American history. The unemployment rate for recent graduates is approximately 5.6%, and the widening inequality gap between upper- and lower-class Americans is worsening living conditions for new-grad hires. Research from the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research shows that students who graduate during recessions can earn significantly less for ten to 15 years than those who enter the workforce during stronger economic periods. While the U.S. economy is not technically in a recession today, many new graduates face an uncertain hiring process that can affect lifetime earnings, career trajectory, mobility, and financial stability. For many graduates, especially those who struggle to land even their first position, the consequences can create long-term systemic issues. 

At the same time, the modern job search process has shifted almost entirely online. Platforms such as LinkedIn and large job boards have enabled applicants to apply to hundreds of openings within hours. Immediate, automated resume screening, algorithms, and AI filtering have given rise to a high-volume, low-feedback application world, leading many to apply in masses just to remain competitive. However, a significant share of posted positions are not real, active job openings. Some estimates suggest that over 30% of listings may be “ghost jobs,” or roles that companies advertise without intending to fill immediately, or at all. For job seekers already facing a harsh market, these postings lead to false hope and wasted effort.

Inactive job postings exist to make the hiring process more convenient for recruiters, not applicants. Companies sometimes post positions to collect resumes for future needs. Even if they have no current opening, having a pool of candidates lets them hire quickly later. From an employer’s perspective, this practice is efficient. From an applicant’s perspective, it is misleading. Additionally, publicly available job listings can show that a company is growing or remains financially healthy. Firms leave listings up for months to impress investors, competitors, or customers, even when hiring has frozen. During a recession-like period, companies need any lifeline they can get, and fake job postings can help hide internal problems within a company. In less ethical cases, fake listings exist to collect data on applicants' salary expectations, skills, or personal information. These postings function more like surveys than actual recruitment tools. 

Economists, policymakers, and job seekers all rely on posting data to determine hiring demand. When listings exaggerate the number of real jobs and opportunities available, companies create a misreported view of the labor market and what work looks like for new graduates. Beyond economics, ghost listings have cultural consequences and can demoralize Gen Z graduates. In an online environment filled with viral influencers and narratives that portray success as quick or effortless, Gen Z is losing the will to work in corporate America. Fake job postings do not help get new graduates excited about work, nor do they address issues arising from student loan debt and rising rent. Now that young workers are growing skeptical about traditional career paths and feel the system is unfair, a cultural shift is imminent. 

Beyond creating a healthier economy, we desperately need a change in the way employers manage jobs. As someone preparing to enter the workforce, I’ve seen firsthand how confusing and discouraging it can be to apply for internships and jobs online. Applications disappear into online portals with no response, AI screenings regularly miss talent, and it has become nearly impossible to tell which opportunities are genuine and which are placeholders. I’ve been fortunate enough to land amazing opportunities through extensive networking and months dedicated to learning the hiring landscape. However, for millions of young people, sheer luck and privileged university branding cannot be the only way to land jobs.

In the coming year, policymakers should create more transparent hiring standards for online listings. The US Department of Labor could require employers and job platforms to verify that posted roles are active positions and to label listings clearly as being for future consideration. Job boards like LinkedIn should face fines and consequences for repeat violations, and report mandatory expiration dates for postings that remain unfilled beyond a reasonable timeframe. Additionally, policies need to require employers to provide applicants with status updates, so all job seekers can have a sense of closure regarding their applications. 

These changes matter because the hiring process is often a young person’s first real interaction with the economic system. We learned during our childhoods that America is the land of opportunity.  We have long rooted the American Dream in the belief that effort leads to advancement. However, that dream has become more and more difficult for Gen Z and young Americans to see with a job market that is lying to them. If the next generation is expected to build the future economy, then we must build a hiring system focused on honesty and authenticity, because a labor market filled with illusions cannot produce the opportunities we all dream of in America. 

Image Credit

Tim Mossholder, CC0, via Pexels