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Either youve lived it, or youve heard about it from friends: the endless job search, featuring hundreds of applications sent. Maybe one or two companies reply . . . that end up being bots. It can feel like your résumé has been sucked into a black hole. And in a way, it has. Its perhaps been consumed by a ghost joba job listing that looks legitimate, with a full description for a role, maybe even a starting date and a LinkedIn link. Theres a twist, though. The job isnt real. Its either an essentially fake listing for a job that doesnt really exist, or the role isnt really open. And they make up roughly 40% of job listings, according to a 2024 Resume Builder survey. There may be no hiring manager on the back end, or it’s not really a position that exists, says Brandi Britton, an executive director at recruiting company Robert Half. Theyre becoming more common, and companies do this for a variety of reasons. But in a job market as miserable as this one, they can feel like a cruel trick on job applicantswhich is exactly how the recruiters Fast Company interviewed for this story describe them. A lot of companies see this as a harmless strategy, says Michael Baynes, cofounder and CEO of financial consulting firm Clarify Capital. His company led a 2025 survey that asked 1,000 U.S. employers why they werent actively trying to fill current open job positions. Answers included: their company is always open to new people (37%), to have an active pool of applications in case of turnover (22%), and in case irresistible candidates apply (16%). But frustrated job seekers feel misled. Why would companies bother to post jobs theyre not hiring for? And how can you spot them? Fast Company talked to several hiring professionalswho point-blank call the increasingly common practice toxic. Read on where we’ll cover: How to spot ghost jobs a mile away Which types of jobs tend to be magnets for ghost jobs Why recruiters think it’s a failing strategy for both applicants and employers, but why it persists Whos posting ghost jobs and why? Recruiters who spoke with Fast Company for this story say posting ghost jobs might even damage companies reputations with job seekers who come to find them unreliable. But thats not stopping companies of all stripes from posting notices for ghost jobs. Tech, education, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail are posting the most, in that order, per Clarify Capitals survey. But recruiters who spoke with Fast Company say its about equally prevalent across industries. Ghost jobs are usually for roles that are more entry level, more junior, that have multiple head count, or for companies that know they’re going to be hiring tens of hundreds that year, especially with bigger companies, says Lamar Nava, vice president of customer services at Betts Recruiting. Shes seen a lot of employers post them, particularly when hiring took a big dip in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns. They were either posting for roles they assumed would open back up in the future, or trying to look more like they were thriving while they were struggling. But pipelining for roles that arent openaka building a talent pool to potentially tap for future roles when its not time to actually hireis a request Navas employer clients have been making for the past decade. Its one of the most typical reasons recruiters see companies posting ghost jobs. Sometimes, Navas clients will fill a role and then ask her to continue sending through candidates for that pipeline, just in case they find someone really good. I have always been very against that. Not only is it a huge waste of time, Nava says, but it’s a horrible candidate experience. Bill Sofio, an Express Employment Professionals and Specialized Recruiting Group franchise owner, says companies create pipelines for specific roles via ghost jobs because those companies have already filled roles with overqualified candidates who they fear will leave once the job market improves. The biggest problem with this pipelining technique, says Robert Halfs Britton, is that most companies never end up going back to that pool of candidates. Either their priorities change, or they simply dont have the bandwidth. Then theres company reputation. Posting lots of job openings can indicate a companys success, either for the sake of potential candidates, or for investors. But Nava thinks it can have the opposite effect: When a role is open for so long, it can make people suspect of the company and ultimately hurt its brand. Thats despite companies posting ghost jobs to signal growth. They want to show the market exists [for that role], and there is a need, says Gillian Robles, vice president of accounts and growth at Maven Recruiting, even though they dont necessarily have the budget or head count to hire. Ghost job postings may also serve to test out the overall candidate pool. A couple of years ago, in the tech space, Nava says, people would post to test out potential salaries for specific areas . . . just see what their talent pool would look like. Now, she adds, theres so much technology that can do that for companieslike websites that offer salary benchmarking toolsthat ascertaining possible ranges through job postings ranks among the least efficient ways to get that information. Still, some hiring managers, particularly newer ones at smaller companies with fewer resources, may post jobs to simply scope out the candidate scene. They post a ghost job to potentially see: What is out there? How do I look for this? What should I price this at? Robles says. They want to see whats out there before engaging with candidates. Sometimes, companies list ghost jobs as a signal for current employeesparticularly underperforming ones. They throw the job posting out there while the underperforming employee is on a performance improvement plan, Sofio says. While he interprets that as companies hedging their bets, others see it as an explicit threat to employeesas in, you’d better shape up because youre replaceable. Lastly, certain companies or scenarios necessitate posting jobs that a companys already hired for. For example, says Britton, some government entities are required to post to make sure they consider all applicants and to show theyre recruiting from a diverse pool, even if theyre not. In situations where companies want to hire someone specific from abroad, who would join with an H-1B visa, theyre obligated to post that role to the job market in the U.S. to prove that its specialized enough to necessitate hiring from abroad. How do you spot a ghost job? Fortunately for job seekers, there are a few tells that a post for an open position isnt real. Look out for long-running job postings with no updates, or postings that appear and disappear all the time, Sofio says. That may seem obvious, but Robles cautions that a job thats bee up for six months could mean two things. It could be an evergreen posting, or its a stale job, she says. If its evergreen, it doesnt mean its not a ghost. It could represent wishful thinkingthe company wants to always be hiring for that position, so they leave up the posting even when hiring has come to a standstill. Vague job descriptions, says Britton, can also mean a posting is fake, as can ones with start dates from a few months before the time youre seeing it. (An August start date listed on a post thats up in October constitutes a red flag.) Some signs point to real jobs. On LinkedIn, for example, you can see if a job has been promoted, meaning a company spent extra money to get that post in front of more candidates. You wouldn’t necessarily do that if this is a ghost job, Robles says. She adds that clear next steps in a job posting is a positive sign. Is there a specific hiring manager tied to the job posting? she says. If theres no contact information, to me, thats a red sign. Lingering specters That said, some ghost jobs even lead candidates to interviews. Even if there are no plans to hire, they could sometimes just take advantage of the growing candidate pools they create. In that case, candidates should ask their employer contacts why the position is open, how long theyve been looking to fill it, and what theyre not seeing, but would like to see, in the candidates who have applied. Questions that drill down on these specifics, says Robles, can help reveal to candidates whether companies have a real need or if theyre being wishy-washy. Overwhelmingly, recruiters who spoke with Fast Company felt that posting ghost jobs was bad corporate practice. You’re not only frustrating a whole bunch of people, says Sofio, but those people talk to the people you’re trying to attract. Nava calls it cruel to job seekers, who are in a vulnerable position. Despite job seekers voicing frustrations over nonresponsive job postings, some signs point to the practice letting up. New Jersey, Kentucky, and California have all introduced legislation that would require companies to remove inactive job postings or disclose if a posting is for a future opening. Plus, Clarify Capital saw the rate of employers who kept job postings active for more than 30 days go from 68% in 2022 to just about 33% in 2025. Robles advises optimism. With companies using more tech like AI to search through candidates résumés, they might have an easier time returning to those pipelines their ghost job postings filled that they previously didnt have the bandwidth to meaningfully explore. In other words, ending up in a ghost job-fueled talent pipeline may not be as hopeless as it once was. Technology tools can pull your application again to the surface when needed, she says of the increasing use of AI in hiring. Perhaps, then, unlike a ghost job that was never really realyour very real application comes back from the dead. If you encounter a ghost job,” notes Robles, “maybe it comes back around.”
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In July, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding access to alternative investments like private equity and cryptocurrency in retirement accounts. The move reflects a broader shift in how Americans think about wealth building and financial freedom, and it is a signal to employers that the future of employee benefits is going to look very different. While crypto may have once seemed fringe or speculative, digital assets have steadily moved into the mainstream. From Fortune 100 companies to institutional investors, the appetite for diversification beyond traditional asset classes is growing. According to a survey by NYDIG, 36% of employees ages 30 and under would be interested in putting a portion of their salary toward Bitcoin; nearly a third of respondents would choose an employer that offers that kind of benefit over one that does not. Today, the question for HR leaders is no longer if crypto should be on the table, it is how to responsibly offer it as part of a modern benefits package. Whether you are crypto-curious or already exploring alternative benefits, 2026 presents a pivotal moment to reevaluate your retirement offerings and meet your workforce where they are. The Shift in Retirement Planning For decades, 401(k)s and employer-sponsored retirement accounts have focused almost exclusively on stocks, bonds, and mutual funds and were the gold standard for most company benefits packages. These traditional assets remain foundational, but they are no longer the full picture. The recent executive order removes some regulatory barriers that have made it difficult for plan administrators to offer alternative investments like crypto. This is particularly relevant for younger, tech-savvy employees. A growing share of Gen Z and Millennial workers are seeking out portfolios that reflect both their values and their appetite for innovation. A recent YouGov study found 42% of Gen Z investors own crypto, which is nearly four times higher than the share (11%) who have a retirement account. For these employees, diversification is not just about returns. It is about autonomy and flexibility and moving away from traditional norms. Why Crypto Deserves a Seat at the Benefits Table Cryptocurrency is continuing to mature, and over the last decade, Bitcoin has delivered a total return of more than 43,000%, compared to roughly 200% for the S&P 500. While volatility remains a key characteristic, digital assets have demonstrated long-term potential as hedges against inflation, vehicles for international wealth transfer, and tools for financial inclusion. Major institutions now offer crypto products and ETFs tied to Bitcoin are increasingly accessible through traditional brokerages. From a benefits perspective, offering crypto access is not about replacing existing options. It is about adding choice. In the same way some employees opt for ESG-aligned investments or Roth versus traditional accounts, digital assets offer a new flavor of personalization in retirement planning that caters to younger demographics. Importantly, this aligns with broader trends. Employees are demanding more modern, self-directed benefits that reflect how they live, spend, and save in the digital age. Acknowledging the Risks and Addressing Them Of course, crypto is not without risks and I always recommend that individuals do their research before opting in. The solution is not to avoid the topic; it is to empower employees with tools and education. Employers exploring crypto-based benefits can take a measured approach. They can consider offering it as an optional investment, not a default. Id also suggest working with vetted providers who prioritize security, compliance, and clear communication. Pairing any offering with robust educational resources, FAQs, and access to financial advisors who can demystify digital assets, is also a great way to boost comfortability. The key is to treat crypto the same way you would any emerging benefit, with transparency, optionality and a commitment to employee well-being. Practical Steps for HR Leaders in 2026 For HR leaders ready to explore crypto benefits, the first step is understanding your workforcedemographics and culture matter. A fintech startup with a younger, more digitally native employee base might see strong engagement with crypto offerings, while a more traditional organization may need to start with education before adoption. Surveying employees to assess their interest in digital assets can be a simple but powerful way to temperature check. The next step is choosing the right partners. Not all crypto providers are equipped to support retirement accounts, so it is critical to work with platforms that prioritize regulatory compliance, custodial protections, and seamless integration with existing 401(k) systems. Some platforms now offer hybrid investment options that allow employees to allocate a portion of their paycheck into select digital assets without leaving the benefits ecosystem they are already using. Transparency is important. Its best to avoid automatically enrolling employees in crypto offerings. Instead, HR teams should provide opt-in structures that come with clear, plain-language explanations of both the opportunities and the risks. Educational webinars, explainer videos, and live Q&A sessions with financial experts can go a long way toward demystifying the space. If your company already hosts financial wellness sessions, this could be a natural extension of that programming. Pilot programs can also be an effective way to start small. For example, a small to medium-size tech company might roll out crypto access to new hires first or limit participation to a single office location. This allows HR teams to collect feedback, monitor engagement, and refine the program before scaling company wide. Finally, do not forget governance. Any new benefit, particularly one tied to emerging financial tools, may need to be incorporated into your companys official investment policy statement and reviewed by legal and compliance teams. Document the process for evaluating and updating these benefits, and make sure employees receive up-to-date risk disclosures and support materials. Crypto does not have to be a wholesale transformation of your retirement program. But offering a responsible, opt-in pathway to digital assets could send a strong message to employees that your company is forward-thinking, flexible, and prepared to meet the evolving financial needs of its workforce. The Future of Financial Benefits Offering access to crypto does not mean veering from traditional assets. It means you are acknowledging the financial lives of your employees are evolving and that your benefits should, too. An important strategy for companies looking to hire smart young talent. As the regulatory landscape continues to shift, employers have a rare opportunity to lead withinnovation. Crypto-based benefits are not a gimmick or a passing trend, they are a signal that your company is preparing for the future of work and the future of wealth. As a leader, make sure you empower your team with the options they need to build a more diversified, resilient financial future.
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When teachers rely on commonly used artificial intelligence chatbots to devise lesson plans, it does not result in more engaging, immersive, or effective learning experiences compared with existing techniques, we found in our recent study. The AI-generated civics lesson plans we analyzed also left out opportunities for students to explore the stories and experiences of traditionally marginalized people. The allure of generative AI as a teaching aid has caught the attention of educators. A Gallup survey from September 2025 found that 60% of K-12 teachers are already using AI in their work, with the most common reported use being teaching preparation and lesson planning. Without the assistance of AI, teachers might spend hours every week crafting lessons for their students. With AI, time-stretched teachers can generate detailed lesson plans featuring learning objectives, materials, activities, assessments, extension activities, and homework tasks in a matter of seconds. However, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot were not originally built with educators in mind. Instead, these tools were trained on huge amounts of text and media drawn largely from across the internet and then launched as general-purpose chatbots. As we started using these tools in our practice as educators, we noticed they often produced instructional materials and lessons that echoed the recite and recall model of traditional schooling. This model can be effective for memorizing basic facts, but it often fails to engage students in the active learning required to become informed citizens. We wondered whether teachers should be using these general-purpose chatbots to prepare for class. For our research, we began collecting and analyzing AI-generated lesson plans to get a sense of what kinds of instructional plans and materials these tools provide to teachers. We decided to focus on AI-generated lesson plans for civics education because it is essential for students to learn productive ways to participate in the U.S. political system and engage with their communities. To collect data for this study, in August 2024 we prompted three GenAI chatbotsthe GPT-4o model of ChatGPT, Googles Gemini 1.5 Flash model and Microfts latest Copilot modelto generate two sets of lesson plans for eighth grade civics classes based on Massachusetts state standards. One was a standard lesson plan and the other a highly interactive lesson plan. We garnered a dataset of 311 AI-generated lesson plans, featuring a total of 2,230 activities for civic education. We analyzed the dataset using two frameworks designed to assess educational material: Blooms taxonomy and Banks four levels of integration of multicultural content. Blooms taxonomy is a widely used educational framework that distinguishes between lower-order thinking skills, including remembering, understanding and applying, and higher-order thinking skillsanalyzing, evaluating and creating. Using this framework to analyze the data, we found 90% of the activities promoted only a basic level of thinking for students. Students were encouraged to learn civics through memorizing, reciting, summarizing and applying information, rather than through analyzing and evaluating information, investigating civic issues or engaging in civic action projects. When examining the lesson plans using Banks four levels of integration of multicultural content model, which was developed in the 1990s, we found that the AI-generated civics lessons featured a rather narrow view of history often leaving out the experiences of women, Black Americans, Latinos and Latinas, Asian and Pacific Islanders, disabled individuals and other groups that have long been overlooked. Only 6% of the lessons included multicultural content. These lessons also tended to focus on heroes and holidays rather than deeper explorations of understanding civics through multiple perspectives. Overall, we found the AI-generated lesson plans to be decidedly boring, traditional, and uninspiring. If civics teachers used these AI-generated lesson plans as is, students would miss out on active, engaged learning opportunities to build their understanding of democracy and what it means to be a citizen. Why it matters Teachers can try to customize lesson plans to their situation through prompts, but ultimately generative AI tools do not consider any actual students or real classroom settings the way a teacher can. Although designed to seem as if they understand users and be in dialogue with them, from a technical perspective chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot are machines that predict the next word in a sequence based on massive amounts of ingested text. When teachers choose to use these tools while preparing to teach, they risk relying on technology not designed to enhance, aid or improve teaching and learning. Instead, we see these tools producing step-by-step, one-size-fits-all solutions, when whats needed in education is the opposite flexibility, personalization and student-centered learning. Whats next While our study revealed that AI-generated lesson plans are lacking in many areas, this does not mean that teachers should not use these tools to prepare for class. A teacher could use generative AI technologies to advance their thinking. In the AI-generated lesson plans we analyzed, there were occasional interesting activities and stimulating ideas, especially within the homework suggestions. We would recommend that teachers use these tools to augment their lesson-planning process rather than automate it. By understanding AI tools cannot think or understand context, teachers can change the way they interact with these tools. Rather than writing simple, short requests Design a lesson plan for the Constitutional Convention they could write detailed prompts that include contextual information, along with proven frameworks, models and teaching methods. A better prompt would be: Design a lesson plan for the Constitutional Convention for 8th grade students in Massachusetts that features at least three activities at the evaluate or create level of Blooms Taxonomy. Make sure to incorporate hidden histories and untold stories as well as civic engagement activities at the social action level of Banks four levels of integration of multicultural content model. Our study emphasizes the need for teachers to be critical users, rather than quick adopters, of AI-generated lessons. AI is not an all-in-one solution designed to address the needs of teachers and students. Ultimately, more research and teacher professional development opportunities are needed toexplore whether or how AI might improve teaching and learning. Torrey Trust is a professor of learning technology at UMass Amherst. Robert Maloy is a senior lecturer of education at the University of Massachusetts. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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