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Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

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Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#421

Post by gruez »

newaccount74 wrote: post #356
wil421 wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it’s hard to fire someone in the EU. Eastern Europe is cheaper and so is India.

That's a myth. How is it hard to fire someone? I live in Austria and you can fire people for pretty much any reason. You have to give them 6 weeks notice, and there are some extra protections for people who are old or who have disabilities and who have been working for your company for a long time, but even then you can fire them. You can even fire people for getting sick a lot. And that's assuming you directly hire…

>That's a myth. How is it hard to fire someone?

Maybe the statement isn't true for EU as a whole, but some member countries have far higher bar than what you describe. For instance in Spain the company must provide justification to the government before firing someone.

https://www.rippling.com/blog/termination-in-spain

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#422

Post by tommiegannert »

htrp wrote: post #206
bradley13 wrote: post #59

I once applied for a job that precisely matched my qualifications. It was crazy - the job description could have been written by someone looking at my CV. I didn't even get an interview. Likely no one did. It wasn't a ghost job, though. It was a position created for a someone they wanted to hire. Being a public institution, they were required to advertise positions. That didn't mean that they actually wanted any of t…

I once applied for my own job req (a JD I wrote for a role on my own team), and the HR system automatically kicked my resume out for being unqualified.

HR: Always hire people who are (strictly) better than yourself.

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#423

Post by programmertote »

cscurmudgeon wrote: post #294
ndiddy wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm glad our government has introduced the H1B program to help out employers like you who are dealing with a shortage of tech workers (who will work for 2/3 market and will do anything you say because if they get fired they'll be deported).

Is there any evidence H1B workers in tech have lowered wages? I have only seen anecdotes while the law explicitly states H1Bs should be paid the prevailing wage or above.

Just speaking from my experience -- if the company is a big corp, usually the wages follow average market rates (I was paid market average wage in a top advertising corp in the world and I got my green card there in 6-7 years). Bureau of Labor Statistics puts out average market rates for each job category and the H1B sponsor has to match or pay above that to get the H1B application approved. I was also checking out my market rates (i.e., applying for other companies that allows H1B transfer) constantly during my H1B time because I can move to another job if my current company was paying me lower than average wages.

On the other hand, for some shady companies that are set up as contract shops, then I'd not be surprised if the wages are lower than average market rate, but I have never worked at one, so I might be misleading by even mentioning this here.

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#424

Post by autoexec »

gigel82 wrote: post #278
para_parolu wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This means small companies may not get good talent that value things besides salary (wfh, perks, fun project) and will have to compete with corporations for people who only cares about money. This may (or may not) impact startups

Stop it, no one "values things besides salary", and you know it.

I'd argue that most workers value several things over salary. Very few people are trying to maximize their income at the expense of everything else. They tend to limit their job searches to places near their families. They apply to jobs they'd enjoy doing or at least wouldn't mind vs jobs they'd hate but which pay better. They don't apply to jobs that pay well but are also highly dangerous. etc.

Money > everything just isn't how most people see the world.

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#425

Post by vondur »

bradley13 wrote: post #59

I once applied for a job that precisely matched my qualifications. It was crazy - the job description could have been written by someone looking at my CV. I didn't even get an interview. Likely no one did. It wasn't a ghost job, though. It was a position created for a someone they wanted to hire. Being a public institution, they were required to advertise positions. That didn't mean that they actually wanted any of t…

Yes, this happens quite often in jobs in the public sector.

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#426

Post by s1artibartfast »

lotsofpulp wrote: post #402
s1artibartfast wrote: post #391

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They most certainly did! However, that is a pretty tortured comparison if that was the case. I think I would be harder to make such a cynical zing about the net benefit of allowing 10,000 doctors to immigrate.

That’s true, but in reality, the US chains the engineers and doctors with the specter of losing their visa and arduous paperwork over their head so that they are coerced into selling their labor at an even lower price.

I'm the first to admit it isn't perfect, but that doesn't mean there is no net benefit. hundreds of thousands of people are paid market wages on H1B visas and many get green cards. On balance, this is good for consumers and citizens.

I feel like people have a gut reaction to injustice and harm where they want to trash the whole system, not realizing that would be an even greater injustice and harm.

It is a counterproductive distraction to real change and improvement. It just scratches the emotional itch of moral outrage and superiority.

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#427

Post by dizhn »

HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #401
karmakurtisaani wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think there's anything one can realistically do about this. They probably should get rid of the requirement to have an open application process altogether. If they have someone in mind they will hire, they will hire that person.

It also happens (and is very common) for H1-B positions. The company wants to hire someone specific, because they are cheaper, but legally has to advertise the job first to "prove" that they couldn't fill it with a US citizen/resident. So, the normal ploy is to precisely tailor the requirements to the person they want to hire, and then advertise the job someplace where as few as possible people will see it.

It's not always because the candidate is cheaper but sometimes the candidate will have already worked there for a while under a different visa and have proven themselves.

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#428

Post by RachelF »

vondur wrote: post #425
bradley13 wrote: post #59

I once applied for a job that precisely matched my qualifications. It was crazy - the job description could have been written by someone looking at my CV. I didn't even get an interview. Likely no one did. It wasn't a ghost job, though. It was a position created for a someone they wanted to hire. Being a public institution, they were required to advertise positions. That didn't mean that they actually wanted any of t…

Yes, this happens quite often in jobs in the public sector.

Another trick I've seen in the public sector is to advertise the job for 10 minutes. Typically from 12.00 to 12.10pm.

That way, they've advertised, could not find anyone suitable, and can employ the person they really want.

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#429

Post by Nasrudith »

This gave me a terrible idea for a business idea of dubious ethics.

First create a ghost application bot that creates fake resumes which fit the job descriptions. Then once you have calls or contact back wanting to proceed in the process mark off the job as real. Compile a database of all jobs that are verified as actually conducting a hiring process and thus are probably not ghost jobs. Sell subscription access to said database of validated jobs.

Re: Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

#430

Post by georgeecollins »

Sohcahtoa82 wrote: post #397
georgeecollins wrote: post #321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To me this is like: Why work for a big company? I worked for a big company once and did not like it. Kids out of college are always drawn to the big names, and they can look good on your resume. My feeling is, if you want to work for a big company, work for a small one and make it big. I can say from experience that turns out really well.

> work for a small one and make it big. I can say from experience that turns out really well. Survivor bias. I worked for a smallish company. I was employee number 77. I got laid off about a year and a half later after sales stalled. We're now almost two years after that layoff, and now the company has a skeleton crew just keeping the lights on until the money runs out.

Hopefully you are enjoying yourself at the big company you are at now. Sorry for what happened and I wish you well.
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