This Marketing Strategy Should Be Fraud

There’s a marketing strategy that crosses ethical boundaries and should be deemed fraudulent: posting fake job listings (in all their scopes). Despite appearing “harmless” or even “beneficial” to current employees, this tactic misleads job seekers and can cause significant harm for everybody involved. This practice is toxic, and when combined with other similar toxic practices, it creates the perfect soup for the despair we’re seeing today. So, how can you avoid this as a job seeker or burn-out employee?

The Reality of Fake Job Postings

According to a survey by Resume Builder, a staggering 40% of companies admitted to posting fake jobs in the past year, with 30% still having such listings active. A whopping 70% believe this is an okay practice and deem it “morally acceptable.” Hiring managers often justify this practice for various reasons, from giving hope to overworked employees to testing market conditions. However, these justifications fail to consider the ethical implications and the adverse effects on job seekers and current employees.

Are we mad? How is it “morally acceptable” to lie and manipulate and ditch altogether all ethical implications of such despicable actions? How dare you treat your burned-out employees with such disdain by making them believe that help is coming? What kind of leader are you that you need to scare your employees by pointing out they’re just numbers? What kind of marketers think this market testing tactic won’t harm anyone? How is this not toxic?

Read that again.

Why Companies Post Fake Jobs:

Signaling to Employees: To create the illusion that help is on the way for burned-out employees.
Market Testing: To gauge the job market, including salary benchmarks and benefits.
Maintaining Appearances: To seem proactive in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Talent Pooling: To gather potential candidates for future vacancies that might never open up.
Scare Tactics: To intimidate current employees by suggesting they can be easily replaced.

Ethical Implications and Harms

False Hope and Wasted Effort

Posting fake jobs provides false hope to both job seekers and current employees. Job seekers invest significant time and effort into applications, only to discover that the role does not exist. This not only wastes their resources but can also lead to emotional distress and diminished trust in the job market. Something that we can see running rampant.

Impact on Job Seekers:

Time and Effort: Crafting resumes, writing cover letters, and preparing for interviews consume considerable time. No wonder many end up using AI aggregators to target hundreds of job offers at once, making the chances of finding a new job even worse for everybody! (More on that in a bit).
Emotional Toll: Repeatedly applying for non-existent jobs can lead to frustration, stress, and decreased motivation.
Financial Costs: Some job applications involve costs, such as traveling for interviews or professional resume writing services, AI aggregator fees, etc.

Damage to Employer Brand

Engaging in deceptive practices can severely damage a company’s reputation. Prospective candidates and current employees may lose trust in the organization, leading to long-term repercussions, including difficulties in attracting top talent. Worse, it can, as we’re seeing, make people wary and disillusioned with the current hiring system. I’m not talking about just a company, but the whole thing!

How can people trust employers when a whopping 40% of job listings are fake, and 70% believe it’s “morally acceptable” to use this horrendous marketing strategy?

Reputation Risks:

Employee Morale: Current employees may feel deceived and undervalued, leading to lower morale and productivity.
Public Perception: Negative reviews on platforms like Glassdoor can deter potential candidates.

Doomsday Example:

Imagine a company going through a process of layoffs in a department. Let’s say it’s operations. They have open roles in the following departments, let’s say sales. The easiest way for people under the layoff sword is to try their best to go to the sales department. Now imagine that after going through the whole process of interviews, the company announces that there are no sales positions. They never existed. It was a “mistake.” Now, imagine the emotional and devastating toll on the people going through a layoff and those remaining in the company.

I’m afraid the above is a real story that heavily impacted everyone involved: those who lost their jobs, those remaining, and the company’s reputation. Who would trust them, after all? (More on this in my book).

Fake Jobs and Misinformation

Posting fake jobs is akin to spreading misinformation, as both involve deliberate deceit intended to manipulate perceptions. Just as misinformation distorts reality and misleads the public, phony job listings provide false hopes and mislead job seekers about employment opportunities.

Consequences:

Inaccuracy and False Hope: False jobs contain incorrect or misleading information because the company does not intend to hire anyone, which can lead to false hope. This, in turn, can cause emotional and psychological distress to the job seeker.
Confusion: This creates confusion and misinforms job seekers about the reality of the market. How many jobs are really available?
Erosion of Trust: Undermines trust in companies in general. If there are 40% fake job listings out there, it means there’s a general praxis for companies to use this tactic when they need to “manipulate” current employees or “show strength” that’s not there to competitors.

The Role of AI Aggregators and Its Impact

AI Aggregators and Automated Job Applications

Many job seekers use AI-powered aggregators and resume submission tools to apply for hundreds of jobs weekly. These tools automate the application process, making it easier for candidates to reach a wide range of potential employers. However, this also means job seekers might unknowingly apply to numerous fake job postings and swamp real ones.

In “You Lost Your Job. Now What? Surviving the AI Shift,” I share thoughtful strategies for using AI without losing the human touch to go through ATS systems. In the book, I strongly suggest that candidates shy away from using aggregators since these make the problem worse. With only 60% of “real jobs” out there, and with each candidate potentially reaching out to ungodly numbers, further use of AI and impersonal solutions might be (and are) applied.

Impact on Job Seekers:

Increased Frustration: Applying to fake jobs through AI tools can lead to repeated disappointment and wasted efforts. How many jobs do you need to apply to before you find something that might not exactly fit your skills?
Emotional Strain: The high volume of applications and subsequent rejections can cause significant stress and impact mental health. How long before you start thinking there’s something wrong with you?
Decreased Trust: Frequent encounters with fake job listings can erode trust in job boards and employers. How long before you stop doing your best when searching for a job because everything is phony? Why bother?

Ethical Alternatives: Jungiang Coaching

Instead of resorting to posting fake job listings, companies can adopt ethical practices that promote a healthy working environment and enhance their brand reputation. One practical approach is Jungiang Coaching, which focuses on improving employee well-being, fostering leadership skills, and enhancing team dynamics. This method nurtures a positive workplace culture, increases employee satisfaction, and boosts productivity.

So, instead of using phony tactics and fear strategies to keep your very burned-out employees, why not do a self-assessment, improve your leaders, and see the current potential in your workforce? This is a better and stronger strategy that benefits all.

Jungiang Coaching Benefits: Building a Healthy Work Environment

Employee Development: Focuses on personal and professional growth, leading to higher job satisfaction.
Enhanced Leadership: Develop strong leadership skills, fostering a supportive and motivating work culture.
Improved Team Dynamics: Strengthens collaboration and communication within teams.

Build healthy organizations, not toxic ones! Turn your leaders into people, not robots! Dare to change the game, instead of contributing to the toxification of society.

Innovative Marketing Strategies

Hiring proper marketing specialists who can think outside the box ethically is crucial for ethical and effective business growth. These professionals can develop creative strategies that resonate with your audience and differentiate your brand from competitors.

Posting fake job roles is not only a sign of bad leadership and hiring processes but also a horrendous and highly unethical marketing strategy. How toxic is the environment when we think this is fine? How can we accept as ethical a marketing strategy that makes things worse?

If you’re an SME reading these words or a solopreneur who wants to look bigger than they are, maybe thinking of using similar tactics, stop. Stop there because you’re using your short-term-gain goggles. Short-term is a recipe for disaster. Long-term is what you’re aiming for.

The Smart Marketing Strategy to Follow

If you’re an SME with a leadership that sees fake job listings as okay, I highly recommend you contact these consultants for assessment. They make kings out of leaders. If you’re ready for a change and want to use a different approach to marketing, you can contact me here.

If you’re burned out with the system, have been an employee for too long, are entirely unmotivated, or just dream of becoming a solopreneur like me, I’ve got you covered. You can check out all my courses on Gumroad (I recommend this one the most), and soon, I’ll be releasing a comprehensive and exhaustive course on smart marketing. I’ll share ethical marketing strategies that invite you to think creatively.