FEel stuck and unappreciated at work? Would you like to work somewhere with a higher salary, a better work-life balance, and a boss you can actually afford? Maybe you just had a really bad day at work. Your first instinct might be to fire applications at every relevant job listing you see—otherwise known as a “rage request”—but that might not be the smartest move.
Rage application is one of the new terms for workplace frustrations that has become part of social media slang, where other terms such as “quiet quit,” “go with your paycheck,” and “quiet fire” have also proliferated. But the actual practice of applying for rage is not new and may hurt your chances of finding a job that better meets your needs.
Read more: Forget “Quiet Quitting”. Here’s how to actually set boundaries at work
In the face of mass layoffs in industries including big tech companies, and anxiety about an impending recession, the job market has been somewhat resilient. The United States experienced a 50-year low unemployment rate in January this year, and 311 thousand job opportunities They were added to the US labor market in February.
A large number of job openings can be tempting to those unhappy at work, but career advisors say it’s important to think about what you really want from a job and navigate the opportunities with those intentions in mind.
“A lot of the anger I see in my clients before they come to me, I take them out of the frying pan and into the fire,” Maggi Mistal, career coach and author, told TIME. “It’s reacting against something rather than being more thoughtful about it by saying, ‘This is a bad situation, but what am I going to love?'” “
What is the Rage app?
The phrase “anger application” was coined. Tik Tok To describe what some workers did when they felt unhappy or ignored at their jobs. Some workers who feel they are constantly passed over for promotions, micromanaged, or too thin or otherwise stressed by their jobs say they apply for any of the roles they can only to get out of their current situations, and wind up being fired. positions with better pay and better conditions.
“Some people need to be forced out of a bad situation,” says Mistal. They might find, “My skills are really in demand,” “I got a lot of responses,” or “Wow, these salaries are higher than what I make.” “
Read more: More workers share their salaries. Here’s how to use pay transparency to get a raise
The pandemic has also had an impact on young workers, And many of them Leave jobs in droves amid major resignations. This period also ushered in remote and mixed work, and saw many unionized workers.
“During the pandemic, employees have had a taste of freedom and flexibility and endorsement. That mixed with some fear, of losing their jobs, people are reacting out of anger or fear, and they just apply for jobs,” Maureen Valve, head coach at Strong Training & Coaching, a professional development company, told TIME.
Why Rage isn’t always a good idea
In a hot job market like today, many job seekers have no problem getting offers, but they may not be much better off if they end up in a similar role with the same problems.
“The downside I see is that wherever they go next, whatever was bothering them, whatever they didn’t deal with, would still be there,” Valve says.
Data shows that employers hire quickly, giving job seekers little time to decide whether to accept an offer. a Scan ZipRecruiter which analyzed the experiences of 2,550 job seekers in late 2024, found that half of those surveyed heard responses from the employers who hired them within just three days of applying for a job. ZipRecruiter notes that the historical standard has been for employers to reach applicants about one to three weeks after preparing an interview.
Not everyone is lucky enough to get offers, which can be frustrating, says Mistal. “They may not get a response, or only hear a rejection, just because it doesn’t match, not because it’s not good or of market value,” she says.
“I think sometimes people say, ‘I’m just going to make sure my resume matches the right words in the job description,'” Mistal adds. “I think there’s an opportunity for self-searching and getting a bigger perspective on the picture, not just putting yourself together.”
Part of job satisfaction, Valve notes, includes standing up for your needs. “Instead of walking around feeling resentful, frustrated, or feeling the need to quit, what do you need to survive?”
What you should do instead of applying anger
Talk to your employerBefore you start a quick application, Valve recommends that you give your current job another chance by openly communicating your needs. “Most of the time, we walk around frustrated, and our boss doesn’t know what we need,” she says.
Prioritize what you really need: If you decide that leaving your current job is best for you, find out what you hope to achieve by moving on. For some, the motivation to apply for other jobs may be financial, and for others it may be about advancing your career or making a side move. Some may want more flexibility. Take the time to figure it out, Valve says, so you’re doing the right roles.
“The best thing we can do when we’re feeling pressed for time, whether it’s financial or otherwise, is keep practicing what your values are, what you want to prioritize,” Valve says. “Whether it’s getting a job quickly, getting a job at a higher level, or having a decent and sympathetic manager, know what your number one priority is.”
Customize your apps: Angry applying often involves random application, and your chances of getting a better job are higher if you take the time to personalize each application, with cover letters and resumes tailored to specific positions. Career advisors He encourages Job seekers to focus on quality rather than quantity of applications, to get the best roles. You can also look Learn new skills To help your chances.
Read more: The best paid remote jobs and how to get them
network: Many job opportunities It hasn’t even been published Connected. Checking with your network about potential openings or following up with contacts about jobs you’ve already applied for can be critical. Friends, former colleagues, and industry connections can also provide insight into company culture that can’t be published online.
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