- Quitting Smoking Quietly is the latest workplace phenomenon to gain traction on social media.
- Before sharing, workers should ask themselves, “Will posting about Quiet Resignation hurt my career?”
- Answer: Posting about quitting quietly may show potential employers that you are not a problem solver.
When millennial comedian Scott Seth started Tik Tok To explore the viral workplace trend of “quiet exit,” he parodies the description of the movement as people who only do the work they need.
Then, he pushed back: “No, it’s called your job.”
Like many on the internet and in the office, Seiss is commenting on the Quiet Quit debate, which gained traction after Insider published a story on “Coast Culture” in March. As Insider previously reported, some employees define it as laziness, while others define it as creating healthy boundaries.
It can be tempting to join discussions on social media, especially since quiet quitting intersects with important topics such as burn out and Experiences of underrepresented groups in the workforce. But experts warn that posting about taking part in the trend would be a red flag for future employers.
when you see a Positive reactions to Quiet Quit on social media, It lets you publish your own story, says Cindy McGovern, author of “Self-Promotion: How to Create, Live, and Sell a Strong Personal Brand” and CEO of business growth consultancy Orange Leaf Consulting. However, everyone should remember that any online post can be seen by the world – including former and current colleagues, as well as potential new colleagues, McGovern added.
“I think part of the problem is that they’re looking for community to support their decision to do this, and they’re probably finding it, so there’s positive reinforcement,” McGovern said. “But you’re essentially telling potential employers ‘this is how I choose to go out and not go out in a respectful way.'”
Insider spoke with executives, HR managers, and career coaches to find out why posting about quiet quitting hurts career potential.
Quiet quitting shouldn’t be a badge of honor
Even if quitting quietly is about improving work-life balance, posting that you’re a part of this trend can send a negative message to employers.
“I hate to say it, but I think more employers would see it as a negative thing than a positive thing,” says Amanda Augustine, career expert at resume writing and editing firm TopResume. ”
McGovern added that this can be attributed in part to the term’s name. “If it was quiet work, I think it would have a very different connotation,” she said. “But the fact that we call it a quiet resignation does show that you have resigned to some extent.”
Alex Zekoff, CEO and Co-founder thoughtful, an automation software company with 47 employees, agreed that posting about the term was unlikely to help someone find a new job. “During the hiring process, we do a lot of research and homework before offering a full-time job,” he said.
Adam Weber, senior vice president of community at performance management firm 15Five, agrees, noting that posting about doing the bare minimum may be the reason hiring managers choose another candidate.
Paige Scott, a senior partner at executive search firm Kingsley Gate Partners with 25 years of recruiting experience, added that the act shouldn’t be touted as a “badge of honor”. Touting the quiet resignation shows someone “wasted an opportunity to have a meaningful discussion with their manager about the importance of work-life balance,” she said.
If you really must, there are ways to post professionally
For those who think the conversation around quietly quitting smoking is too important to sit on the sidelines, the key is transparency and showing what you’ve learned from the experience, experts interviewed by Insider said.
“If you post about Quiet Quit, I think the story has to be that you tried X, Y and Z,” Augustine said. “You have to show that you took steps, you had a conversation, and you didn’t just passively stop doing something — it was a conscious decision.”
Just like you shouldn’t speak ill of your previous employer in an interview, you shouldn’t do it online, Augustine said. Instead, ask yourself what you learned from the experience, she adds.
“If you do post about Quiet Quit, it’s best to tie it to a major achievement, initiative, or impact you’ve had,” Weber said. “Show that the amount of work you do has an incredible impact on the business without being directly tied to your hours.”
Augustine says having some self-awareness when you post will help impress future employers without making it seem like you’re only focused on yourself. McGovern added that posting about how you can identify your mental health issues and redefine your boundaries is very different from saying you’re compartmentalized for work.
“If someone wants that level of transparency on social media, just know how people are going to interpret it,” McGovern said. “I think it depends on the individual what their boundaries are and what they’re willing to share.”
