Word of the Week: Rage applying

Rage applying: Applying to as many new jobs as possible due to frustration or
unhappiness in the current role.

"Talk to the manager when feeling discontented instead of rage applying."

-Coined by a Canadian TikTok user and social media marketer, Redweez

After words like quiet quitting and quiet firing became quite a rage, a new term related to workplace frustration—rage applying—emerged earlier this year.

It became famous after a TikTok user, Redweez's video, went viral; when angry with her then role, she rage-applied to 15 other jobs and eventually landed one with a $25,000 raise and a better working environment.

Also referred to as panic applying, career experts say that the act may not be the answer to overcome feelings of anger towards the current job.

And not all job seekers will end up with offers, which can be even more disheartening.

The first step against it would be to slow down. It's essential to introspect about what one wants from a job and look for opportunities to fulfil those expectations rather than applying in a fit of rage.

The next step would be to communicate needs openly. Most career guidance journals advise talking to the employer about what one is feeling. That will help them more than applying to other places.

The advantages of rage applying, say experts, are that it gives applicants a chance to reminisce on their achievements while sprucing up their CVs. Plus, one can never get enough of practising interviews. And above all, the applicant is also up-to-date with their market value.

However, most career advisors still emphasise the need for targeted and well-researched job searches that align with the job seeker's expectations as against rage applying.