Ghost Growth: 65% of Workers Say Their Career Growth Is Just for Show

Career growth is supposed to feel empowering. But for millions of U.S. workers, it feels fake.

A new MyPerfectResume survey of 1,000 currently employed adults reveals that most workers have experienced what’s being called “ghost growth,” or the illusion of career advancement that doesn’t come with a raise, promotion, or any real change in authority.

For many, the reward for a job well done is simply…more work. The Ghost Growth Report explores how workers are reacting to performative development and empty promises. The findings paint a stark picture: more responsibility at work, same pay, broken trust, and rising burnout.

Key Findings

Workers Are Taking on More—With Less in Return

A majority of workers are shouldering an increased workload with no raise: 

• 78% have been assigned new duties without a raise or promotion.
• Just 15% say they’ve received a raise in the past year that reflects their growing role.
• 35% say they’ve never been adequately compensated for an expanded workload.
• 53% have been promised promotions or opportunities that never materialized.

The Emotional Impact: Frustration, Burnout, and Job Hunting

Ghost growth isn’t just a career issue; it’s an emotional one:

• 23% say it made them feel frustrated.
• 20% report feeling burned out.
• 16% were motivated to start job hunting.
• 15% feel disengaged from their jobs entirely.
• 13% feel trapped in their roles.

Here is a visual representation of the data above:

Performative Development Is Pushing Workers Out the Door

• 68% have considered quitting due to fake or performative growth, such as a promotion with no raise. 
  • 27% actually left a job for that reason.
  • 41% stayed, but they still considered quitting.
• 39% took on extra work, hoping it would lead to advancement, but received no recognition.
• 31% described the experience as “disappointing.”

Workers Feel Pressure to Pretend They’re Advancing

For many, the pressure to appear upwardly mobile and hide career stagnation comes from both within and outside the workplace:

• 52% say they feel pressure to look like they’re growing, even when they’re not.
  • 19% say it comes from employers.
  • 16% from peers or social media.
  • 17% from both.

What Workers Say Would Help, But Often Don’t Receive

When asked what real growth looks like, workers pointed to concrete outcomes:

• 27% want higher pay.
• 18% say better work-life balance defines meaningful growth.
• 16% want leadership roles or a clear promotion path.
• 15% want to build new skills.
• Just 8% say autonomy alone is enough.
• Only 1% chose “Other.”

Growth Theater Is Eroding Trust

Superficial or slow career growth might check boxes on performance reviews, but it’s not fooling employees. Workers want meaningful progress, measured in compensation, career trajectory, and respect, not just tasks and titles.

When growth is just for show, it doesn’t inspire; it alienates. And when 65% of your workforce sees through it, the cost isn’t just lost trust, it’s lost talent.

If employers want to retain their best people, they need to stop performing and start delivering.

For press inquiries, contact Nathan Barber at nathan.barber@bold.com.

Survey methodology

The findings presented in this report are based on a nationally representative survey conducted by MyPerfectResume using Pollfish on August 7, 2025. The survey collected responses from 1,000 U.S. adults who are currently employed. It explored their experiences with ghost growth, career plateaus, workload vs. compensation, emotional responses, and perceptions of employer support.

Respondents answered a mix of yes/no, single-selection, and multiple-choice questions. Participants represented a diverse cross-section of the U.S. workforce across gender, age, and education levels. All respondents were screened to ensure they were U.S.-based and actively employed at the time of the survey.

The data collection adhered to Pollfish’s rigorous quality control standards to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Demographic breakdown

The survey sample was evenly split by gender, with 50% male and 50% female respondents. Age distribution included 15% aged 18–24, 20% aged 25–34, 16% aged 35–44, 15% aged 45–54, 13% aged 55–64, and 21% aged 65 and older. In terms of education, 14% held a graduate degree, 28% had a bachelor’s degree, 18% had an associate degree, 37% completed high school or an equivalent, and 3% had less than a high school education.

About MyPerfectResume

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