Planning to Rage Apply to Jobs in 2024? Here's a Better Approach

The start of a new year is a good time to tackle different personal finance resolutions. And one of yours may be to escape a job you can't stand in favor of a new one.

A new job could do a lot of good things for you. It could lead to a boost in pay that helps you manage your bills more easily and pay off lingering credit card debt. It could also allow for a better work-life balance.

But if your approach to finding a new job in 2024 is to rage apply, that may not be your best bet. In fact, you could end up in an equally unfavorable situation if you go this route.

What is rage applying?

Rage applying refers to sending out tons of resumes due to being unhappy with your current job. Rage applicants often fire off resumes without really paying attention to the details of the jobs they're applying for. The goal, rather, is to escape a bad work situation as quickly as possible.

Recent data from Betterment at Work found that 24% of workers have considered rage applying to jobs over the past 12 months. So if you opt to rage apply yourself, you won't be alone. But rage applying isn't necessarily your best path toward a better job.

A more ideal approach

The problem with rage applying to jobs is that you may end up getting stuck in a new work situation that's just as lousy as your current one -- only the difference is, you can't jump ship right away because that might look bad from a work history standpoint. That's why rage applying isn't necessarily the approach you want to take when you're unhappy at work.

A better bet? First, try to narrow down why you're unhappy. The reason may be obvious -- an overbearing boss, obnoxious colleagues, or a workload that's just not manageable for one person.

But there may be an underlying reason why you're disgruntled, such as if you feel your contributions aren't valued or you think you're being pigeonholed into a role with no upward mobility. Either way, it's important to pinpoint your main pain points and then aim for a new job where those factors won't be an issue.

Next, figure out your salary requirements. You may be willing to take a pay cut to escape a bad job. But too much of a pay cut could mean you're no longer able to pay your rent or mortgage, so you'll need to strike a balance.

From there, try to figure out what it is you want to do, and then look for jobs that are specific to the tasks you want to be doing professionally. If you want a creative role with upward mobility, applying at advertising agencies or marketing firms could be a good bet.

Don't forget to utilize resources

Sometimes, resources outside of our own knowledge base can be of assistance when in the midst of a serious job search. For example, you may want to talk to a career counselor if you're not sure what sort of job would be best for you. You can also talk to recruiters, explain what you're looking for, and see what ideas they have. Their job is to help you find a job, so they'll likely be motivated to help.

Once you do start getting interviews, use sites like Glassdoor to read company reviews. It's important to get a sense of what it's like to work at a given company so you don't wind up unhappy at a job once again.

If you're somehow able to discreetly talk to current employees directly, even better. You may have that opportunity if, say, a good friend of yours knows someone trustworthy at a company where you have an application pending.

It's easy to see why you may be inclined to rage apply to jobs when you can't wait to bust out of your current work situation. But doing so might lead to an equally bad job, which isn't helpful at all. Instead, think about what you need and want out of a job, and then take steps to try to find the right fit.