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28% of job postings on company career sites have been open over 90 days

302 points · 364 comments · rubatrejo

  1. Aurornis · · focus · HN ↗
    This statistic constantly confuses people who haven't done hiring.

    If we decide we're going to grow headcount by 10 senior software engineers, we don't copy and paste the same job listing 10 times. We leave it open and collect resumes through that. At a large or fast growing company, we might never stop interviewing and hiring senior software engineers. The listing stays open for a year or more.

    There are also specialty roles where hiring takes months. I've had niche roles open where we didn't get any applicants with any experience on the topic for over 90 days on multiple occasions.

    1. prerok · · focus · HN ↗
      That's fair but still indicates shortage, no?
      1. Bratmon · · focus · HN ↗
        No, the exact opposite! A high percentage of ghost jobs indicates that there are very few actual jobs open in the field, which suggests an oversupply of workers.
        1. vanuatu · · focus · HN ↗
          if the listings are open for the reasons OP stated, then yes it does indicate a shortage. if companies hired all the SWEs they wanted they wouldn't still have the listings
          1. pixl97 · · focus · HN ↗
            100% untrue.

            Let's say I have 50 employees working for $100,000 each.

            Why would I not want to replace 25 of them that are willing to work for $50,000 each if they are producing anywhere close to the same quality.

            In a case like this always open job listings are a warning to others.

            Also there is something called market sampling. Where you put up these job openings and look at the quality of applicants in relation to the employees you already have to ensure you're on the right track internally.

            1. smcg · · focus · HN ↗
              What if your $100,000 worker is actually more than twice as productive as your $50,000 worker?
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