The Fact
In a 2025 Clarify Capital survey of 1,000 U.S. employers, 1 in 5 reported intentionally leaving roles unfilled to reduce costs while appearing active in hiring.
What This Means
Some posted or nominally open jobs are not being treated by the employer as immediate vacancies. That can make the public job-posting environment look more active than the employer’s near-term hiring plans actually are.
Sources
- Clarify Capital. “The Truth About Ghost Jobs in 2025: A Hiring Mirage.” 2025 employer survey; methodology reports 1,000 American employers and 200 job seekers.