Moonlighting, quiet quitting, rage applying trends set to continue in 2024, survey finds
SINGAPORE — When Taylor (not her real name), 28, found herself commuting for 2.5 hours every day and juggling her many roles at an e-commerce company, she wanted out and turned to rage applying to find a new job.
Rage applying refers to the act of applying to as many jobs as possible as a reaction to building frustration.
“I constantly had to rush work out due to last-minute emergencies or tasks. It would consume my entire mind, even on the weekends,” said the marketing manager, who declined to give her real name as she does not want her account to affect future job opportunities.
Soon, she was making full use of LinkedIn's Easy Apply function, which allows users to apply directly to job postings by uploading their resume and auto-filling their saved answers.
“I would apply to anything remotely close to my job scope and industry; I spammed them all,” said Taylor. “I even reached out to old networks to look for opportunities.”
She applied to an average of 10 jobs a day, and each application took less than 10 minutes to complete.
Taylor is not the only one who sees the benefits of rage applying. A survey of 1,211 Singapore workers by job hiring portal Indeed.com found that 14 per cent of employees are more likely to engage in rage applying this year, double the 7 per cent figure in 2023.
Other insights from the survey released on Tuesday (Jan 23) found that moonlighting as a workplace trend is set to continue well into 2024, with 18 per cent of respondents likely to moonlight this year.
The survey also found that quiet quitting would continue in 2024, with 14 per cent of respondents more likely to quiet quit this year.
With rage applying, moonlighting and quiet quitting set to dominate 2024, TODAY spoke to human resource (HR) experts to understand the appeal of these trends and whether there are any possible drawbacks to those who engage in such practices.
ARE THERE DRAWBACKS TO RAGE APPLYING?
The appeal of rage applying lies in how easy it is, especially given how technology has streamlined the process of job hunting.
However, HR experts question how effective rage applying is and encourage job seekers to “balance their enthusiasm with strategic application”.
“With technology, it’s so easy to rage apply — it is just clicking buttons,” said Taylor, who noted that given the usual rejection rate when it comes to applying for jobs, rage applying would naturally increase one's chances.
While some might favour rage applying as casting a wide net, Mr Richard Bradshaw, Asia chief executive of Ethos BeathChapman, an executive search firm, said: “Applying in a state of frustration can lead to hastily prepared applications lacking essential customisation and attention to detail.
“It is recommended to approach job applications with a calm and focused mindset, allocating time to comprehend the job requirements and align one’s qualifications accordingly.”
Agreeing, Mr Kenji Naito, the chief executive officer of recruitment agency Reeracoen Singapore, emphasised that while proactive job-seeking is encouraged, he advises candidates to maintain professionalism in their approach.
He said that applying for jobs this way can lead to potential burnout, diminished focus on tailored applications, and a negative impact on the candidate’s reputation if applications are not well thought out.
“Rage applying can backfire — receiving rejection emails can erode your self assurance, and most may discontinue this mode of applying if this happens a lot,” said Mr Bradshaw.
MOONLIGHTING AS A CUSHION FOR UNCERTAIN TIMES
As the survey from Indeed.com forecasts, the moonlighting trend will not slow down in 2024. In 2023, moonlighting was recorded as the second-highest work trend, with 13 per cent of respondents having “participated in it extensively”.
Mr Louis Wong, 29, is one such individual. He works in client management at a logistics firm, but moonlights as a real estate agent, a partner in a tuition centre and as the owner of a bird’s nest business.
He said that his main job in client management offers him a lot of flexibility, and having cleared it with his supervisors, he felt emboldened to take on more jobs to earn more money.
His passion for “teaching the next generation” led him to open a tuition centre, and he saw an opportunity to secure business from both his clients at his logistics firm and tuition centre as a real estate agent.
“It sure helps you learn how to juggle things and tell yourself everything is possible even though sometimes it’s not,” said Mr Wong. “My goal is to buy three condos, retire in my early 40s and continue to travel the world even when I’m working.”
Ultimately, the goal of moonlighting for Mr Wong is “stability”. “Nothing is certain. Businesses fail and people get retrenched,” he said.
“If one job doesn’t work out, the other hopefully will.”
The same goes for business analyst Vivian, 26, who wanted to be known only by her first name.
She moonlights in social media and design work, seeing these as a “backup plan” if she decides to switch her career midway.
“If I ever want to switch out of my current field in consulting back into a marketing job, then at least I have some recent portfolio to show that I am still in touch with what is happening in the marketing sector,” said Vivian.
She said that while her supervisor does not fully encourage her moonlighting, she understands it is “rather common”.
While she and Mr Wong had no unpleasant run-ins with their supervisors, Mr Bradshaw said that companies must be clear about an employee’s agreed-upon output when creating policies about moonlighting.
“Deviation from this indicates whether the second job is having a negative effect,” said Mr Bradshaw.
“If a company wishes to regulate it, it helps to ensure employees feel open to sharing about ‘out-of-work’ pursuits, secondary jobs and even personal situations that may lead to them feeling the need to have one.”
QUIET QUITTING AS A WAY TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT YOURSELF
While quiet quitting has a bad rap for being passive-aggressive, those who spoke to TODAY said it helped them establish even better boundaries around work.
Wendy (not her real name), 28, was feeling burned out in a fast-paced media company and decided to quiet quit till she received her bonus at the beginning of 2024.
She did just enough to keep her job, and she found it “freeing” and liberated.
“It was as if something heavy had lifted off my shoulder. I was also a lot happier and got to spend more time with family and friends,” said Wendy.
The same went for Natasha (not her real name), 26, who quiet quit when her previous workplace glorified overworking and supervisors displayed favouritism.
“Quiet quitting can help you see the job for what it actually is and evaluate whether you’re staying and pushing through because you’re too comfortable in that company,” said the digital content creative producer.
“It made me understand what I want or don’t want in a company.”
When Natasha goes for job interviews now, she pays close attention to welfare and benefits.
“Quiet quitting can be more prevalent in industries with high stress levels or limited growth opportunities,” said Mr Naito of recruitment firm Reeracoen Singapore.
Mr Bradshaw of Ethos BeathChapman added: “Quiet quitting tends to take place in organisations where employees observe more ‘red tape,’ bureaucracy, or steps surrounding their exit procedure (and ultimately, leaving).”
Mr Naito said that employee engagement is “paramount” in preventing quiet quitting.
“HR should encourage transparent dialogue, conduct regular town hall meetings and provide platforms for anonymous feedback.
“This helps employees express concerns and fosters a sense of belonging.”
