Jan 9, 20232 min read

Career FOMO

As you ease back into work and catch up with the latest news, watch out for Career FOMO.

Without a doubt, many of us have fallen victim to FOMO – fear of missing out- at some stage in our life.

I have found in my own career and also my work as a career coach, Career FOMO is real thing.

Emma from Talentvis describes Career FOMO as “the worry that you have been missing out on so many things in your career, while everyone else is achieving and enjoying more success than you.”

Career FOMO can pop up after spending time on social media, scrolling through new job promotions and exciting new roles other people are starting on LinkedIn or after catching up with a friend that’s going places.

As much as you are happy for them and celebrate others win with a 👍 or ❤, there’s a part of you that can’t help feeling deflated, doubts yourself and starts questioning your career.

This spiral of Career FOMO can negatively affect your sense of self, decision making, job satisfaction, overall happiness and ultimately triggering your inner critic and/or limiting beliefs.

Aka comparisonitis, perfectionism, hopelessness, people pleasing, overachiever, procrastination and I’m not good enough.

This spiraling can lead to a loss of confidence, burnout or depression, as you continually fail to "keep up with the Joneses".

Let’s stop the cycle here with 3 things you can do;

1. Catch Career FOMO before it spirals- tune into your self-awareness, stop, take a breath and ask yourself. What need of mine is not being met in my own life that is triggered by this news? What am I really missing out on?