What is Doomjobbing? The New Phenomenon Entrapping Job Seekers in the AI Era
Jakarta, VIVA – The term doomjobbing is now gaining traction as a new phenomenon in the world of work in 2026. If doomscrolling is known as the habit of continuously scrolling through social media while absorbing bad news, then doomjobbing is its career counterpart. What does it mean?
This phenomenon is commonly experienced by job seekers who are unemployed or workers wanting to leave their current positions because they feel mismatched. They keep applying for jobs, monitoring vacancy sites, updating their CVs, yet still feel they are not truly moving forward.
In the increasingly competitive job market of 2026, driven by AI disruptions, stricter recruitment processes, and escalating competition, doomjobbing has become a silent epidemic that drains energy.
Instead of bringing progress, such activities merely create an illusion of productivity.
What is Doomjobbing?
According to Forbes on Tuesday, 28 April 2026, doomjobbing does not always appear passive. In fact, it often seems very busy, such as:
Sending dozens of job applications without a clear strategy
Sticking with jobs expected to stagnate or disappear
Continuously checking vacancy sites without improving the approach
Feeling busy, but not truly developing
“Doomjobbing is a very apt way to describe what happens when anxiety takes over the job search process. After being laid off, it is natural for someone to feel an urgent need to find a job quickly. However, when that urgency turns into non-stop activity, it often only creates an illusion of progress without truly improving outcomes,” stated Dan Kejsefman, Director of Talent at Avature, as quoted by Forbes.
Joe Patterson, Vice President of Workforce and Community Education at National University, described the current job market conditions as the main trigger for this phenomenon. “Job seekers today are in a difficult situation. Opportunities are becoming scarcer and competition is intensifying, making the job search process feel far more daunting.”
Currently, even entry-level positions often require years of experience or specialised skills that are hard to acquire from internships alone. At the same time, recruitment processes are becoming increasingly automated.