A new trend among Gen Z workers called “rage applying” isn’t new to society but has become very common amidst the current economy and job market.
The concept of the buzzword term is employees applying to various roles, some having low interest or little experience in, at a rapid pace out of frustration with their current job due to being underpaid, overworked, inadequate benefits, or all of the above. The goal is to find a new job with better benefits as soon as possible and get revenge on their soon-to-be former bosses.
The trend has been partially popular on TikTok, primarily among Generation Z, as many take their horror stories to the social media app, some getting millions of views on their videos.
Chelsea McLin, a coordinator at a nonprofit organization, told CNBC Make It that she was “fed up” with her current role and decided to “rage apply” to other jobs, where she sometimes makes four to five applications a day.
“I got mad at work, and I rage applied to 15 jobs,” McLin said in a TikTok video that garnered more than 2.3 million views. “I was just overwhelmed and stressed all the time. I was like, ‘I don’t like the person I am right now. I want to move before I actually hate this job,'” McLin told CNBC Make IT.
As the main objective is to find a better job, employees also want to show their old bosses how better off they are working elsewhere. This could cause havoc when attempting to find a new role as an employee may end up in the same predicament they were in previously.
Career coach Jasmine Escalera told HuffPost those following this trend should be mindful of their energy when applying to these new roles, as it could make or break the future of their careers.
“If you do not take the time to reflect on what you really want out of your next opportunity and do your research on potential new employers, you could end up in the same loop of toxic, unfulfilling jobs,” Escalera told HuffPost.
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