Created by an 8-year-old girl… Watching her father spend hours on LinkedIn…
A short post on Threads; and ‘Doomjobbing’ suddenly went viral!
65k+ Views… 7k+ Likes… 200+ Shares!
What is Doomjobbing?
Doomjobbing is the latest internet fad-word, which refers to endlessly scrolling online job portals like LinkedIn and applying for jobs without any strategy.
Doomjobbing is basically anxiety in disguise, as employees start applying for jobs on LinkedIn, with the ‘Easy Apply’ process. However, the lack of a strategy leads to disappointment, as the initial optimism slowly transforms into self-doubt with every rejection.
What causes Doomjobbing?
When layoffs started becoming common, thanks to AI tools and the associated cost-cutting within organizations, the impacted employees felt the effect firsthand. Laid-off employees began searching for jobs frantically, in hopes of quickly getting back on track. It led to doomjobbing as they began applying for relevant positions, which quickly turned to applying for any open position, when they started facing rejections.
The Neurological Angle
Dommjobbing has the same symptoms as getting heartbroken on a dating app. When you find a match, the dopamine hits, which is soon turned into disappointment with a failed chat or first contact. However, this experience leads to further craving for fulfilment, which pulls you back into the loop. Hence, it becomes an addictive cycle, especially when it provides you with a temporary ray of sunshine in the form of a successful application.
By staying online on professional platforms like LinkedIn, your fear of losing out compels you to search for jobs constantly, making you burn out faster, even before landing a new job role.
How to avoid Doomjobbing?
While it may seem impossible, it is actually easier to stop doomjobbing before you lose your sanity. Here are a few effective options:
- Treat job-hunting like a job: Allocate fixed hours daily and close the browser or app once the time runs out.
- Spread the word: Since word-of-mouth beats online scrolling, invest more time in actual networking.
- Take a digital break: LinkedIn’s algorithm is meant to keep you engaged; hence, step back when it gets overwhelming.
Conclusion
While doomjobbing started with the fear of being unable to find a job in no time, it has become a sad reality for a majority of employees who are left jobless due to the rampant layoffs. You may think doomjobbing will help you land a job; however, the truth is that you need to tailor your resume for a specific role and organization, which increases your chances of getting a job.
