Millions Of “Ghost Jobs” Haunt The U.S. Labor Market

The U.S. labor market may appear robust with millions of job openings each month, but a closer look reveals a growing “ghost job economy” where many postings never translate into actual hires. 

In June 2025, employers reported 7.4 million openings but filled only 5.2 million roles, leaving over 2.2 million positions that never materialized, according to My Perfect Resume. 

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The Ghost Job Gap

Since 2021, roughly 28%–38% of all job postings have failed to result in hires. June 2025 alone saw 30% of openings go unfilled. This persistent gap wastes job seekers’ time, skews policy data, and raises credibility concerns for employers.

Sectors most affected include:

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• Government: 60% of postings unfilled
  
• Education & Health: 50%
  
• Information: 48%
  
• Financial Activities: 44%
  

Construction and hospitality remain exceptions, often matching or exceeding hires relative to postings.

Prior to 2021, openings and hires generally moved in tandem. From 2010 to 2014, openings ranged from 2–4 million, with gaps rarely exceeding 500,000. Between 2015 and 2019, openings climbed to 6–7 million, with hires closely tracking.

The divergence began in 2021, when postings surged above 11 million but hires stagnated around 6–7 million. Despite cooling economic conditions, the ghost job rate remains high at 28%–32%.

Why Ghost Jobs Exist

Not every unfilled posting is intentionally misleading. Several structural factors contribute to the gap:

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• Labor shortages: Sectors like healthcare and education struggle to recruit enough qualified staff.
  
• Recruitment pipelines: Employers maintain postings to build candidate pools for future roles.
  
• Administrative delays: Budget freezes, approvals, and shifting priorities leave roles open but inactive.
  
• High-turnover industries: Continuous postings maintain pipelines even if immediate needs are met.
  

These factors mean the ghost job economy is a mix of structural challenges and intentional overposting.

Implications for Job Seekers and Policymakers

The illusion of abundant opportunities can frustrate workers, slowing career progress and eroding trust in the labor market. Policymakers also face distorted data when openings do not reflect real hiring activity. 

Until postings more accurately represent actual opportunities, millions of Americans may continue chasing jobs that exist only on paper.

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