Why Recruiters Post Fake Jobs on LinkedIn

I’ve always found LinkedIn to be a fascinating space for professionals—part job board, part networking hub, and part personal branding platform. But as I’ve navigated its job listings over the years, I’ve noticed an unsettling trend: fake job postings. You’ve likely seen them too. They look legitimate at first glance, but something feels off—either the roles don’t seem to align with the company’s profile, or they stay up indefinitely without any updates.

The reasons behind recruiters posting fake job listings on LinkedIn are nuanced, and they don’t always come from a place of malice. Sometimes, it’s a strategy. Other times, it reflects deeper issues within the job market or the recruiting process.

From my perspective, a common reason for fake postings is to build a talent pipeline. Imagine you’re a recruiter for a company that doesn’t have a specific role open right now but expects to hire for it in the near future. Posting a job allows you to collect resumes and start conversations with potential candidates so that when the role does open, you’re ready. While this might seem practical, it’s misleading for job seekers who invest time and energy into applying for what they believe is a real opportunity.

Another motivation comes from metrics. In some recruiting agencies, success is measured by how many applications a recruiter can generate. The more buzz a job posting creates, the better the recruiter looks on paper. This leads to scenarios where a job that doesn’t truly exist gets posted just to attract traffic or fulfill quotas.

And then there’s the branding angle. Companies know that active job postings signal growth and vibrancy. When you see a business regularly hiring, you subconsciously perceive it as thriving. This tactic, however, is a double-edged sword. It might attract attention in the short term but risks eroding trust if candidates repeatedly encounter dead-end listings.

What’s troubling to me is the ripple effect these fake postings have on job seekers. They’re not just frustrating; they erode confidence. Imagine the disillusionment of tailoring a perfect application, only to realize the role was never real. It can make professionals second-guess the legitimacy of other opportunities, ultimately creating cynicism toward the hiring process.

Of course, not every suspicious job posting on LinkedIn is intentional. Sometimes, internal miscommunication leads to outdated or inaccurate listings remaining live. But whether intentional or not, the end result is the same: wasted time for candidates and a hit to the company’s credibility.

I believe LinkedIn and other platforms have a responsibility to address this issue. Verification tools, stricter posting policies, and better transparency could go a long way in restoring trust. As professionals, we also need to be more discerning, researching companies and asking questions if something seems unclear.

Fake job postings are a symptom of broader inefficiencies in recruiting. They reveal a mismatch between how companies seek talent and how talent searches for opportunities. By understanding these dynamics, we can push for a more transparent and equitable hiring landscape. It starts with calling out practices like these and advocating for better standards in recruiting.