‘Rage applying’: a risky new move by fed-up jobseekers

A phenomenon popularised on TikTok among Aussie workers could be the catalyst to finding a better job sooner – but it can also be a gamble.

Fed-up workers are applying for any jobs they can find in a bid to secure better pay and conditions as quickly as possible.

As talent shortages continue to give jobseekers the upper hand, “rage applying” has become the latest employment buzzword, with workers mass applying for a range of roles – often with little thought about their suitability for the position.

The phenomenon, popularised on TikTok, is fast gaining momentum, particularly among younger workers who feel unsupported, overworked and underpaid.

“If you’ve ever fired off a handful of resumes after a particularly rough week at work, you’ve rage applied,” Indeed career coach Sally McKibbin says.

Grass is greener

For those who have been unhappy in their position for some time, rage applying may be the catalyst to find a better role sooner rather than later, McKibbin says.

“People are beginning to realise that if they’re feeling miserable and undervalued by their current employer, the grass might actually be greener on the other side,” she says.

But she warns against “blindly firing off CVs just because you’re fed up with your boss” and instead advocates careful consideration of each job opportunity.

“While you might be eager to leave your current workplace, take the time to research company cultures, employee reviews, values, benefits and salary ranges – and only apply for jobs that truly appeal to you,” McKibbin says.

“Taking that little bit of extra time to do the research and to evaluate what’s important could be the difference between finding a role to really flourish in, or rage applying again in six months’ time.”

Experts are warning dissatisfied employees to be cautious about “rage applying”.

Dopamine hit

Psychologist and workplace mental health expert Peta Slocombe is aware of workers applying for up to 10 jobs at a time. This is often with the same resume and only the name and address of the recruiter on the cover letter changed.

But before looking for work elsewhere, she advises disgruntled staff to speak to their employer and investigate ways to improve their conditions or, at the very least, seek closure before moving on.

“It (rage applying) is impulsive. It gives you a dopamine hit and you feel like, ‘Yeah, I’m doing something (about my unhappiness)’,” says Slocombe, founder of Performance Story.

“But if (rage applying) is your first response to frustrations in the workplace then it’s like dating someone and jumping straight back on to Tinder after your first argument – at some point, you have to try and work things through.”

Frustrated

Elma Chitimbire works casually while studying a health sciences degree at Monash University.

She started rage applying in a bid to find a role with better pay, submitting 10 online job applications each week, but heard nothing until she took a more personalised approach.

“There are thousands of job postings every day and I was so frustrated that I had been applying for so many and none of them were even getting back to me,” Chitimbire says.

“I didn’t expect (switching jobs) to be necessarily easy, but I was expecting to get a few emails or calls back.

“I had more luck once I started following up. With what’s now my new workplace, I called and asked if I could bring my resume in.

“They said yes and I ended up getting the job.”

Elma Chitimbire became frustrated applying for jobs.

Childish

Rage applying could cause long-term damage to a worker’s reputation, personal branding expert Sue Parker warns.

“That flick and tick method (of applying for jobs) indicates no strategy or purpose – it’s just aimlessly applying for any job that’s out there,” she says.

“Are you truly wanting to move jobs or are you just wanting to stick it up the boss?

“If you’re doing it because your peeved, that’s just childish and churlish. It wastes everybody’s time and people (employers) will remember that.”

Tailoring your job search

• Decide what you want in a new role. Are you looking for the same job with a different employer or do you want to change career paths?

• Identify your must-haves. List what is non-negotiable and the areas where you may be more flexible.

• Experiment with online searches. Start with broad search terms (ie “customer support” in Melbourne) and then narrow your search (ie “customer support specialist” in Melbourne). If certain job titles jump out at you, conduct new searches for each of these.

• Determine if you meet the employer’s requirements. If you don’t check every box, consider if your skill set and years of experience generally match up.

Source: Indeed