Job hunting is a process full of so many lows that when you come across a position that matches your skillset and sounds interesting, it feels like a minor victory before you even apply. But that feeling usually doesn’t last very long, after days and eventually weeks pass, and you haven’t heard a peep from the company—not even a rejection. Perhaps a friend tries to console you, saying that, in all likelihood, it was always going to be an internal hire, but they were required to post the job. And while that may have been the case, it’s also possible that the opening—or even the role itself—never existed in the first place. Also known as “ghost” jobs, a recent survey from Resume Builder found that 40% of companies posted a fake job listing this year so far. Here’s how to spot ads for nonexistent jobs, and why companies post them