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Ghost Jobs on Indeed
Indeed is the highest-volume job board in the US. It's also full of ghost jobs — for a specific reason: Indeed charges employers per click or per application, which means some employers keep old postings active even after filling a role (they stop checking, the system keeps running).
Indeed-Specific Ghost Job Signals
1. "30+ days ago" Posting Date
Indeed caps displayed posting dates at "30+ days ago." Any job showing this is at minimum 30 days old — and might be 90+ days old. High risk.
2. "Easily apply" Badge
Jobs with the "Easily apply" badge accept Indeed resumes directly. These accumulate massive application volumes. Check if the role has 500+ applicants — if so and it's over 2 weeks old, likely a ghost job.
3. No Application Confirmation
If you apply and get no automated email confirmation, the company's applicant tracking system may be inactive — another ghost job signal.
4. Job Description
Watch for:
- Listed salary matching the minimum wage (placeholder salaries)
- Very short descriptions (under 200 words) for senior roles
- "Various responsibilities as assigned" type language
- The same description across multiple locations (templated/ghost)
5. Company Response Rate
Indeed now shows an employer response rate ("Responds within X days" or "This company does not typically respond"). A low or no response rate is a major ghost job signal.
6. Reposted Job
Check if the job appears in multiple listings under slightly different titles at the same company. If you see "Software Engineer," "Software Engineer II," "Senior Software Engineer" all posted by the same company at the same time — they may be ghost jobs used to capture candidates at all levels.
The Indeed Ghost Job Problem
Indeed's business model creates ghost job incentives:
- Sponsored jobs remain visible regardless of whether hiring is active
- Free job posts have no expiration — companies forget to take them down
- ATS integrations may auto-repost jobs when they expire
Quick Indeed Checklist
- [ ] Not showing "30+ days ago"
- [ ] Under 500 applicants
- [ ] Company response rate shown as "active"
- [ ] Description is specific and detailed
- [ ] No duplicate listings for same role
- [ ] Trouvr score above 50
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