In 2025, the best word to describe the job market is “hellish.” No wait, “kenopsia,” meaning the haunting emptiness of a place once filled with life but now eerily quiet. Does that description feel familiar??
(I got that word from @vocabulary.daily.words on Threads.)
If you are searching for a job or you know someone who is, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you don’t, hug your job tightly.
This isn’t the first time the workplace has gone through a shake-up. Just a few years ago, we witnessed “The Great Resignation.”
The Big Quit
The Great Resignation, otherwise described as the Big Quit, sparked in 2021 in the midst of the pandemic. Primarily an American movement, it was noticed in economic trends and plastered across social media platforms. Several people voluntarily resigned from their jobs and took to many platforms to express the whys and hows. In response, many employers and news outlets painted this wave of candidates and those that followed as unreliable, unprofessional, and at times unrealistic about what work should look like. It is thought that the worldwide spread of the pandemic caused many to think of their lives as being defined by more than their jobs. This resulted in a search for greater meaning or purpose in life, almost like a second period of enlightenment…but with TikToks.
And although Gen Z often gets voted “The Most Likely to Quit,” they are not the only ones who took inspiration and refuge from The Great Resignation. However, I must give them credit for being among the generations that have drawn a line in the sand for what they will or won’t accept. I’m not saying I agree with all their reasons or methods for quitting, but it does take some gumption to say, “I will not stand for this. Even though I don’t have a plan B or C, plan A will not suffice,” and that’s putting it nicely.
Some of the reasons openly shared on social media include:
1. Prioritizing mental health
2. Unsafe or unhealthy work environments
3. The need for better work-life balance
4. Desire for meaningful or impactful work
5. Competitive pay to meet the rising cost of living
6. Limited career advancement opportunities
7. THEY JUST DON’T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE
Their methods of quitting have materialized in some taking to social media to out their employers, job abandonment, and quitting on the second day because they didn’t know the job was going to be that hard. Just to name a few.
What is Job-Hopping?
Following the Big Quit, job-hopping became a more frequent trend of the younger generation for many of the same reasons why they were quitting. Now we’re not going to act like this is a new phenomenon because job-hopping already existed. For those of you who don’t know, “job-hopping” can be described as the practice of changing jobs or positions in a short space of time, either with a strategic goal in mind to fast-track their careers or due to being unsatisfied with their work environment. The rise of job-hopping forced companies to rethink how they approach retention and employee loyalty. Hence, the job descriptions state that “We at … are a family,” an increase in company recognition programs, and outings.
Personally speaking, I am not a job-hopper, but I can see why others may do it. I prefer being in a space long enough to not only develop but also to see the impact of my presence and decision-making. But this isn’t about me.
Job Hugging in 2025
While job-hopping was a more common trend, given the rise in the cost of living, the growing unemployment rates, and the uncertainty of their job security, the job market of 2024/25 has signaled a shift in the tide.
Candidates are going from “I don’t need this job” to “Let me hold on to this job for 2 seconds longer because the unemployment line is getting long and LinkedIn ain’t linking like it used to.” [Read more]
With the upsurge in job ghosting, entry-level jobs requiring 10,000 years of experience, issues with pay transparency, and misleading job descriptions, more people are simply opting to keep their jobs. Based on surveys completed by Paychex, 80% of Gen Z regret leaving their jobs during the Big Quit, and 25% of those who switched industries have come to regret the change.
As a result, the new term that has been coined is “job-hugging.” This is the phase where you may not like or love your job, but given the economy and the fragility of the job market, your pros and cons chart, your crystal ball, and the universe are shouting, “KEEP YOUR JOB!” because you might not find another before the rent is due.
Some think job-hugging is a result of a change in candidates. I think it’s purely a survival tactic that speaks to a shaky economy and the fear of being out of house and home. At its core, job-hugging highlights how survival instincts now outweigh ambition and idealism in a fragile economy.
Quiet Quitting Explained
While job-hugging reflects holding onto a job for security, quiet quitting shows workers redefining what commitment looks like. In recent months, younger employees especially have described a shift in how they approach work.
Quiet quitting is not actually what it says; it is doing the bare minimum required in the job description. No longer are they going above and beyond; they are following their job descriptions to the T. With no extra involvement or emotional attachment to their co-workers or tasks, they clock in, deliver, and clock out.
It signals their dissatisfaction with the job, but they are still doing enough to pay the rent. Job dissatisfaction, burnout, and poor working conditions seem to figure into some of the many reasons for exercising quiet quitting. Quiet quitting, more than anything, reflects cultural burnout and a growing insistence on boundaries at work.
Now, whether you decide to resign, job hop, job hug, or quiet quit, just remember that the job market has a mind of its own. Choose what works best for you, and good luck out there!