Click to Apply. Stay for the Illusion.

We are constantly bombarded with headlines about the state of the workforce. “Unemployment is up.” “No one wants to work.” “Companies are desperate for talent.” And yet, thousands of job seekers are applying to roles that were never meant to be filled in the first place.

Let that sink in.

We are living in a strange contradiction. Job seekers are doing everything right. They are applying, tailoring their resumes, sending follow-ups, and still hearing nothing. Meanwhile, companies continue to post roles online with no intention of hiring. Whether it is to collect resumes, fulfill legal obligations, create an illusion of growth, or keep their brand visible, the result is the same: people are being misled.

This is not just an inconvenience. It is harmful.

The Domino Effect of Misleading Job Listings

When companies keep job postings active for show, it causes a ripple effect that hits both sides of the labor market. First, it artificially inflates the appearance of opportunity. It gives the illusion that roles are available, that growth is happening, and that help is on the way.

In reality, the existing team is often stretched thin. Employees are juggling multiple job descriptions. A coordinator is filling in for a vacant manager. A receptionist is doing HR work. An office assistant is handling payroll. These are not strategic moves. These are bandaids placed over open wounds that leadership refuses to acknowledge.

So what happens?

Burnout rises. Morale drops. Teams fall apart. And while all of this is happening internally, the company still looks like it is hiring from the outside. It is not.

The Public Messaging Problem

One of the most damaging parts of this trend is the impact it has on public perception. Companies cry out for talent. They say nobody wants to work. Politicians use these job listings to build talking points about a lazy workforce or an economic recovery. But behind closed doors, those “now hiring” signs are not connected to onboarding schedules or interviews. They are connected to image control.

When a company says it cannot find workers but has no recruiters reaching out and no plans to fill roles, that is not a hiring crisis. That is a leadership issue. And it leads to a dangerous cycle where people blame the wrong things.

Job seekers start doubting themselves. They wonder why they are not getting interviews. They assume they are underqualified. In reality, they may have applied to dozens of jobs that were never going to be filled. Their time and energy are wasted. Their motivation takes a hit.

And for those still inside the company? The pressure builds. They are doing extra work, staying late, skipping breaks, and covering for “ghost roles” that will likely never be replaced.

What Companies Need to Understand

There is a difference between building a pipeline and giving people false hope. There is a difference between being proactive and being deceptive.

Keeping job listings open with no plan to hire may seem harmless to leadership. But it creates real consequences for real people. It damages trust in the hiring process. It pushes good candidates away. And it contributes to an already fragile labor market filled with tension, misinformation, and frustration.

If a company is not actively hiring, they should not be actively posting. If they are unsure when a role will be filled, they should be transparent about that. If they need help managing multiple roles under one title, they should start by looking inward instead of placing the burden on overworked staff and misled applicants.

At Stratum Labor Consulting, We Call It Out, and Help Fix It

This is why we do the work we do. We speak up for employees, job seekers, and the HR professionals caught in the middle of a system that often rewards appearance over action. We have seen the harm that misleading job practices can create both for the people applying and for the organizations struggling to keep up behind the scenes.

We also know leadership is under pressure. We understand that staffing challenges, limited budgets, and shifting priorities can make it difficult to operate efficiently. That is why our goal is not to criticize from the sidelines. Our mission is to partner with decision makers to bring clarity, structure, and support to the hiring process.

We have been on both sides. We know what it feels like to apply with hope and hear nothing back. And we also know what it feels like to manage a team stretched thin, trying to do the work of three roles while staying afloat.

It is not sustainable. It is not fine.

It is time to rethink how job postings are used. It is time to hold space for honest conversations around staffing. And it is time to move away from using job listings purely as tools for image, funding, or compliance.

People deserve honesty. Teams deserve real support. And leadership deserves the tools and guidance to make it happen.

Stratum Labor Consulting is here to help build that bridge.