The rise of ghost jobs and recession-proofing your career
Kelly • Oct 17, 2022

The world is pretty turbulent right now. In Europe, we’re seeing political upheaval, rising energy prices, and a cost of living crisis hit hard as the shadow of a potential recession grows. After intense post-pandemic growth, candidates, workers, and organisations may have to brace for turbulent times ahead as the tide begins to turn on a buoyant jobs market.

But could this changing climate be influencing job postings? One of the strangest new trends that has emerged recently is that of ghost jobs. A survey of hiring managers by Clarify Capital found that 20% of managers have open job postings they don’t plan to fill until 2023. 40% have postings that have been open for 2 to 3 months. While 50% said they keep postings open as they are "always open to new people, even if they're not actively recruiting.” This phenomenon can lead to candidates applying to jobs that don’t exist yet – and may never exist in the future.


Applying to ghost jobs can be frustrating, and candidates should be aware of listings that have been open for a long time or that have a vague title or job description. However, is there anything more workers can do to recession-proof their careers?


Here are some of the most important career-strengthening steps you can take right now – inspired by our American Kelly colleague Hugo Malan and his recent Forbes article.


Get Visible

“Don’t settle for coasting through your first months or years in a new role—take advantage of opportunities to connect in person with influential leaders, raise your hand for projects of strategic importance to the organization and make a concerted effort to build your external network.”

Being a visible, recognised force for good is incredibly important when it comes to sticking with an organisation through difficult times. The first in = last out effect is real and it’s especially powerful when an employee has failed to make an impact. So, get involved, ask questions, share ideas, and make connections everywhere you go.


Be Adaptable

“A McKinsey report found that 87% of companies cited a skills gap in 2021. Taking ownership over your professional development plan and keeping your skills fresh is an excellent way to stand out when things get competitive.”


When the world of work changes, you have to change too. Take every opportunity to upskill, learn, and grow, particularly in areas that you recognise as being essential to the future of your organisation or industry. As technology (and work!) evolve ever faster, organisations are increasingly searching for flexible workers who can step up to any challenge or opportunity.


Plan Your Career Future

“As we transition from the Great Resignation to a potential recession, there has never been a better time to recalibrate your career focus.”

What’s next for you? What does your career plan look like for the next one, five, or ten years? By taking control and planning your next career steps, you have a roadmap to follow even if the worst happens and you get hit by job loss or redundancy. You should also think about how your plans might be impacted by the current economic climate – could you recalibrate to make sure you’re able to catch the winds of change?

14 Aug, 2023
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10 Aug, 2023
You’ve seen these guys before when a circus came to your city or maybe on TV. They walk on a wire at an impressive height, sometimes without insurance, sometimes with a long stick that probes the void right and left. They walk slowly, trying the wire with their toes first, making small steps, their eyes fixed on the small platform where they plan to land soon. They never watch down. They don’t listen to an audience that applauses or gasps in awe. They are concentrated on keeping their balance. To keep balance. Let’s come down from the wire above the arena or stage. Let’s look closer at balance, where it has its roots and the secrets of keeping it. Is it an art? Or is it a skill? Can you learn to keep balance? Or is it an innate skill that only gymnasts, figure skaters, circus artists and ballet dancers are born with? Want to know the secrets of a ballerina that must perform 32 fouettes, a complex ballet movement that requires turning 360 degrees at a high-speed standing on the point of a ballet shoe? First, keeping balance is a skill people must learn for years. In ballet, sport, circus, real life, and… work life. A ballerina is taught to pick one point and to fix her eyes on it when she makes her 32 fouettes, a complex ballet movement that requires turning 360 degrees at high-speed standing on the point of a ballet shoe. She focuses on one thing that keeps her upright. She doesn’t look anywhere else. Gymnasts in some disciplines are constantly trained to feel the bar under their feet. They are prepared to land precisely on the bar after they jump, and the incredible contortions we admire in competitions. But let’s come back to the circus artists we have begun with. Often, they have a long stick in their hands to keep their balance. Is their secret hidden in the stick? And what is the secret? You don’t need to be a ballet dancer, a gymnast, or a circus artist to get the idea of balance. Here are your first two steps in your balance training: 1. Keep your main priorities in mind. And have a clear idea about what is very important for you and where you are ready to compromise. But don’t listen to external opinions that don’t align with your ideals. Forget about the audience’s applause – focus on you. 2. Use some help to stay upright and get to your goals. Imagine your life split on two ends of the helping stick, your job is on one end, and your private life is on another. How comfortable do you feel at your height now with the load on both ends? You need support. We at Kelly pay a lot of attention to balance. The balance between people’s private lives and their jobs. The balance between feeling appreciated and professional goals or between achieving extraordinary results and being inspired. Talk to Kelly today. We are not ballet coaches or sports trainers, but we know much about how important work/life balance is in our lives.
03 Aug, 2023
We often associate certain qualities with individuals who seem to possess a natural talent for creativity. We convince ourselves that painting, singing, or dancing are pursuits reserved for these "real" artists while we remain mere spectators. Creativity? Inspiration? No, it's not about me.
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