I have a question for employers/companies:

23 Comments

1. April DMay 11,2025 at 8:20PM UTC

   I find that many times there is a rule or practice that they have to post externally. But in most cases they already have a candidate internally they want, and they only post it to check the "rule" box.

2. AnonymousMay 13,2025 at 12:31PM UTC

   That is true (I'm a recruiter.) Also, companies often post for "pipeline" building - to build a pool of potential candidates for jobs they regularly need filled though not necessarily right now. Both are legitimate business practices - NOT ghosting, mean-spiritedness, or scams. There are scams out there and plenty of articles on how to spot them, but pipeline posts aren't among them.

3. AnonymousMay 12,2025 at 12:40PM UTC

   You've never been on the flip side, have you? As a hiring manager you post a position, usually one you desperately need filled, start the interview process only to have the position put on 'hold' but HR wants to keep the posting active so that when the hold is supposedly lifted they'll have a pool of candidates. So, you hope that the hold will be a short duration and pray that no one else on your team decides to leave. Trust me, a lot of managers are just as frustrated as candidates are.

4. AnonymousMay 12,2025 at 1:01PM UTC

   (Not OP), I have been on the flip side before, and you hit the nail on the head. This is especially true right now when funding (especially if it is from a federal grant) is quite fluid and many things are being put on hold. Even if a private foundation or state agency funds a project, it often has federal grants that it disburses. On top of that, the tariffs disrupt the supply chain, and companies don't know if they can continue producing what they produce, and if they can, they don't know what it will cost. The whole system is a mess right now.

5. AnonymousMay 12,2025 at 1:28PM UTC

   Been there, done that. I was actually interviewing the young lady and I was so impressed with her. I was on my way back to my desk to begin the offer process. On the way to my desk, I got the call that I could only hire a temp, not a full time person. I had to make that call. It was a terrible feeling but there was nothing I could do about it.

6. AnonymousMay 12,2025 at 1:50PM UTC

   OP here: HR needs to stay out of the hiring process. This is insane. Leave the hiring to people who know what they're doing.

7. AnonymousMay 12,2025 at 2:39PM UTC

   If HR stays out of the hiring process, it isn't going to get done. Understand that quite often it's not HR calling the shots but just facilitating the process as best we can.

8. Nancy BauerMay 12,2025 at 8:50PM UTC

   Seems to me that the hiring process is broken. It's not working for anyone.

   What can we do to fix it?

9. AnonymousMay 13,2025 at 3:46PM UTC

   AI is not helping it actually compounds the number of applications. The easy to apply button with no thought put into the resume. Using keywords so only certain resumes pop, but end up not being a good fit. I saw one job posted on LinkedIn over the weekend showing 5400+ applicants applied with 36 that day and it was only 9:00 am.

10. AnonymousMay 13,2025 at 1:16PM UTC

    I've recieved emails about openings at a company with the same positions included for months. I understand hiring freezes but these seem like the company is just collecting applications.

11. AnonymousMay 14,2025 at 4:00PM UTC

    They are, it's building the pipeline.

12. AnonymousMay 12,2025 at 2:38PM UTC

    I feel for you, I do.

    I feel like everything is chaos right now and many companies are trying to keep up with the chaos. My company, for instance, we had a couple of positions posted (backfills at that), one we had even had moved on to interviews and had made our choice...and were then told we can't. I'm so frustrated. Moreso than for my hiring managers who desperately needed these positions filled and were now told to figure it out because you can't.

13. Me!May 12,2025 at 5:02PM UTC

    I suspect more ghost jobs exist than estimated. Perhaps companies want to show perception that the company is healthy and they are hiring for investors. I have seen instances where jobs are posted to show employees the company is hiring (as they are overwhelmed) with no actual intention of filling the position.

14. AnonymousMay 13,2025 at 12:40PM UTC

    It’s not HR who makes the decision, but C-level suite who holds the purse strings. I worked for a company that depended on the Chief Growth Officer to approve ANY type of spending. Whether it was hiring or employess expensing Ubers for business travel. She was the one who made the layoff decisions when a portion of the company was divested.

15. AnonymousMay 13,2025 at 3:44PM UTC

    This was my experience with one company. If you cannot trust your managers, VP, SVP to make hiring decisions something is not right with your structure.

16. GirlBossanova934974May 13,2025 at 1:17PM UTC

    You can blame two things for this problem. 1) Many managers today have been promoted based upon some sort of popularity contest aka no real qualfications. They are in many cases highly inexperienced. They simply don't have the experience to remember what happens when a job market improves aka people jump ship very rapidly from lousy employers 2) Today's job market rewards job hoppers who run from one job to the next every 2-3 years. By the time one of these job hoppers is done wrecking a company or a group, they are on their way to the next place peddlng their acting skills ad nauseum. These types are never held accountable for the damage as they are long goneto the next greater fool.

17. AnonymousMay 17,2025 at 12:26PM UTC

    Job hopping is the only way to increase your salary now. The days of promotions and salary raises are gone.

18. GirlBossanova934974May 17,2025 at 4:09PM UTC

    Eventually, companies come to their senses and realize that incentivizing job hopping is a gigantic waste of money. Too much time is spent training. The worst part fo the job hopper is leaving a trail of wreckage

19. AnonymousMay 13,2025 at 3:42PM UTC

    This is a great question for the times.

    I was laid off 16 months ago. I've had the opportunity to see the same jobs by the same companies posted multiple times. Are they filling and people leaving or holding space for the right one? Or is it decision paralysis. Given all the players in an interview, it puts me on high alert the company cannot make timely decisions or the decision weighs across too many levels or people.

    A few months ago, I went through 8 rounds of interview process, all with very positive feedback and the next interview set up. This was the second time I applied for this job in a 12 week period. It took 4 weeks to get all the interviews completed. (A panel or two would have been more efficient and effective use of their time.) At the end I was told another candidate had a better response for one question and they would not be going with me. Okay, what could I do better next time. There was no mention of other candidates during the entire process. The job was reposted for the third time (I was aware of) within a few hours. The funny thing about this is the sr. recruiter and the SVP I would report to were my first two meetings, and they were ready to hire me. However, this company likes to have opinions across peers, one or two other SVPs, and a small group from the C-Suite. What a way to tell your SVP that they are not capable of hiring, and they need approval from CEO, COO.

    Being a hiring manager myself, I understand that not everyone will be the fit you want at the end. One leader's concern/question can give you pause when everyone else is saying "yes" let's hire. I agree there should be a few people involved to get opinions on how someone will collaborate with key people.

    The odd thing is that some companies do not realize their reputation is at risk for being a flighty/flakey employer by simple mistakes with their hiring process.

    It's May, And I was notified yesterday that I was not moving forward for a position I applied to in January. Perhaps it's the instability of the economy.

20. Cherie KnightonMay 13,2025 at 11:10PM UTC

    I couldn't believe my eyes the other day on a Reddit post from a recruiter saying they're required to post 50 jobs per day that don't exist. It makes sense from a job seeker's side when you get ghosted 24/7. It's disgusting that this exists, period.

21. AnonymousMay 14,2025 at 3:40PM UTC

    I have run Talent teams for Fortune 100 and small startups for years.

    There are many reasons that companies post roles that you "suspect" may not be truly open or filled.

    A few examples:

    1- Posting a role publicly that will be filled internally - there are several folks who are vying for this role, and wanting to open that up to the public so that they fairly consider all possible options. This is often done so that no one internally feels they were not given consideration.

    2- A current employee is needing VISA sponsorship and the law requires open posting to assure that the company has considered all potential hires including those who will not need VISA sponsorship. The company is required to track all applicants for this method.

    3- An Evergreen role. Often a company has a position that they constantly and always have. They keep that one posting up all the time because they have multiples of it and it is easier.

    4- They are stockpiling for the future but are not hiring now.

    Consider that in this current market especially in some disciplines, geographies and industries because the economy is so shaky now that it is taking far longer for most job searches. Talent and HR teams have been decimated in many larger companies in favor of AI or automated systems that have scraped all humanity out of the interview process. So when you apply you may only get a confirmation that you applied and nothing more. No rejection, no communication from a real person, nada. As someone who values the process and prefers to be totally honest when bringing people through a hiring process it is often hard to do this when most companies are moving in the complete opposite direction. As for false hope, when you apply consider that you are in a pool of others (one of many) that are also in the same boat as you and perhaps you are not what they are looking for.

    Take ownership of your own search and reach out to those within your circle who can help you to be introduced because of the work you have done in the past that you will also excel in, in the future. Good luck in your search!

    3-

22. Dawn WhiteMay 16,2025 at 3:16PM UTC

    I'm hiring, and while I'm excited to grow the team, the process has its challenges. Despite clearly stating on platforms like Indeed that certain certifications or licenses are mandatory, my inbox still overflows with resumes from unqualified applicants. Sorting through hundreds of submissions to find those who actually meet the requirements is exhausting.

    So here’s a tip: If you're certified, serious, and want to work with someone who values initiative—feel free to walk in. I welcome it.

23. AnonymousMay 17,2025 at 12:25PM UTC

    What does having a credit score of 600 and above have to do with getting a job??? If you're asking for a masters degree, it better be a good salary.