Ghost JObs on LinkedIn
Overview
Ghost jobs are becoming more common and increasingly frustrating. What if we held hiring sites accountable, become more transparent with their users?
My Role
User Exerpience
User Interaction
Design Research
Tools
Figma
Context
Job seekers on LinkedIn often feel like they are shouting into a void. The visual parity between a real, urgent vacancy and a perpetual "evergreen" pipeline post makes it impossible for users to navigate the platform effectively. This lack of transparency leads to "ghosting" at scale, damaging the mental well-being of job seekers and the professional integrity of the platform.
Goals
How might we make it easier for LinkedIn users to spot signs of ghost jobs using LinkedIn visual system?
How might we have a system to demonstrate clarity from the companies that post job listings on LinkedIn?
What is Linkedin
LinkedIn is a multifaceted professional networking platform that serves as a digital resume hub, a social media feed for industry insights, and a primary job-searching engine. While it remains the gold standard for career branding and networking, the platform has seen a sharp rise in "ghost jobs".
11%
of 625 hiring managers always ghost applicants
47%
of 625 hiring managers occasionally ghost applicants
22%
of 625 hiring managers frequently ghost applicants
20%
of 625 hiring managers never ghost applicants
Ghost Jobs
A ghost job posting is an online job posting from a company that does not intend to hire from the applicants that applied. Usually the job posting will be up for multiple weeks, been reposted multiple times or include vague and general work description.
An application will be sent but employers will leave them ghosted with no rejection email, a.k.a. being ghosted.
70%
of 1,641 hiring managers find ghosting morally fine
68%
of mid level roles were ghost jobs
63%
of entry level roles were ghost jobs
53%
of senior level roles were ghost jobs
Current
The current layout of LinkedIn already shows internal data such as "how many people have clicked applied" marker but we can push for more transparency from the companies.
Results
Adding transparency doesn't need to be overhauling the UI of LinkedIn, simply adding small changes to LinkedIn existing designs system helps ease friction between users and employers.
Replicating LinkedIn's homepage UI, I've added on information markers such as how many times a company reposts or alerting users if the company is immediately hiring or not