Isn’t it strange how companies that are continuously opening vacancies for the same position seems like so many candidates have applied but it never filled? What is ghost job? According to Forbes, ghost jobs are job vacancies that companies post on various job portals or job search sites, but the company does not recruit the candidates who apply. This is why many candidates applied a job vacancy doing so many rounds of interview, test, and follow-up… but the results never came out. According to a survey conducted by Clarify Capital, 68% of active job postings advertised for 30 days or more and with more than a thousand applicants are confirmed to be ghost jobs or ghost hiring. Why would they do this such thing? This phenomenon can create a frustration and lost time of jobseekers, especially if they are fresh graduates who are desperate on getting into entry level jobs, most of them probably delaying applying for other and real opportunities out there. Then why do companies open ghost jobs? Companies often collecting resumes for future needs or they like to be called talent pooling. In other instances, they just want to test candidates without the intention of hiring quickly. There are many things to consider in the recruitment process. It could be that the company initially looked for candidates but halfway through the position was already filled by an employee who held two positions. That’s what sometimes makes a job vacancy become a ghost job. How do you know if the company is ghost hiring? What are the signs of ghost job? Ghost jobs sometimes has a very general job description, since they didn’t actually need to hire people in the near future and if they contacted and had you waiting for months with no follow up and clear recruitment process, there’s a high chance it’s a ghost job. So.. what do you think? Comment if you have ever experiance ghost job!

Have you ever thought about why there are so many tests that you have to take in order for you to get a job? Let’s say you have passed passed the HR interview, then the technical test, then the personality test, then the user interview… after a while you stop getting the information regarding the next process. Result remains unclear, but the amount of time and effort you put yourself into as clear as day. Is this normal, or is it taking too much from jobseekers? According to Glints TapLoker survey of more than 1,500 job seekers in Indonesia in March-April 2025 showed that 83.5% of candidates would accept the first job offer that came their way, even if it wasn’t their dream job and still had shortcomings. Furthermore, most candidates expect their applications to be processed in less than 5 business days. If a company takes too long to process a job, 60.9% of candidates choose to apply immediately to another company. This shows that candidates are full in a survival mode on doing jobseeking, one minute they poured themselves into one company’s recruitment and the next they find another company’s recruitment. Not surpised if the multiple hiring test can affects them. With that mental state, candidates begin to question a lot about their answers, test results, and performance. Thinking of not being able to give the right answer suddenly giving the “not good enough” feeling emerges. Thus, they will experiance an emotional burn out and low self-cofidence. On the other side, HR are in spend their time searching for the right candidate in a competitive job market looking for candidates with minimal supervision and “ready enough” to work. Both sides has their limits and no wonder if in the process candidates lose their enthusiasm and end up on quietly withdrawing. Recruitment should identify the potential, not exhaust it. It’s time for a more humane recruitment process amidst the onslaught of this severe job market.

According to GoodStats, before the pandemic, 68% of Indonesian workers preferred to work from the office. Remote work wasn’t as popular as it is now. Indonesian companies still use in-office work systems. The work-from-home system was preferred by only 4% of workers. But in this economy, who doesn’t want to work from home and save on transportation costs? That kinda sums up why remote jobs from companies abroad are popular now. But is it a myth or a fact that to get into remote job from overseas companies are quite difficult? Yes, it’s a fact. Because overseas companies are looking for a candidate who requires high independence, mature in communication, and most importantly minimal supervision. And all of those requirements above are not suitable for fresh graduates.  Typically those requirements suits better for experienced candidates. Global companies aren’t just looking for skills, but also for “the ability to work without much direction.” They want those who are “ready to go” in the field they are good at. This is why fresh graduates has less chance on getting the job because entry-level candidates often still require structure and intensive mentoring. Safe to say, the majority of global remote roles are mid–senior level. A lot of fresh graduate jobseekers have high expectations on getting into work from home scheme job in global companies, but the truth is those unrealistic expectations can make them easily disappointed and feeling “less competent”, even though the context is different. Rather than feeling down, how can entry-level professionals prepare for working from home abroad?  First, you need to build a strong portfolio, Start doing freelance or project-based work. Global companies can see your independence through freelancing. You can also star applying for remote internships and practice professional communication (and written skills). Do you think WFH abroad should open more entry-level jobs, or is that realistic?

Internships are now becoming popular among college students who are eager to gain experience in the professional world. According to theconversation.com, based on their level of education during their internship, 88% were students while 12% were high school graduates. Internships typically last from three to six months, but what if they last up to a year? Is it worth it for final-semester students looking for full-time work? It is true that internships are to deepen knowledge and skills, college students also choose internships of up to a year for experience and job opportunities. Fear of not being able to work after graduating, experience demands in job vacancies, etc. But such long durations also raise questions about the purpose of internships. Seeing it in a different perspective, internship can be a disguised as permanent employment. Companies use internship programs to get cheap labor and under the guise of gaining experience. So they made long durations of internships. But what would be the impact if a 1-year internship became normal? First, long-term internships can have the potential to delay the start of students’ formal careers. They aim for career ladder, clear employment status and rights, but in reality college students are trapped in a prolonged transition phase. This contributes to a completely unhealthy job market. In the long term, this practice can cause lower starting wages because companies relying on students or recent graduates as interns to fill operational needs without the same compensation and protections as permanent employees. Then what is the middle ground? When is a 1 year internship considered reasonable? Long-term internships can be considered appropriate if they are designed with a clear and structured learning framework, supported by mentorship, and regular evaluations. Internships should be a learning experience, not a statusless work experience.  Where do you think the boundaries are?