"Job hugging is when you cling to a position not out of loyalty or love for your work, but because you're too afraid to move up or move on. According to Sam DeMasse, a career expert at ZipRecruiter, someone who is "job hugging" might feel underpaid, undervalued, or unhappy in their role, and yet they stay anyway because the thought of job hunting sounds awful and unpredictable."
""It's similar to the phenomenon of staying in a subpar relationship because you are afraid of getting back into a dating pool that's really intimidating," DeMasse tells Bustle. Of course, the current job market makes it enticing to stay, too. "The job search is lengthy right now," she says. "It's taking six-plus months to land something, and that intimidates a lot of people and makes them want to lean into the hugging, the cozy, the stability.""
"Job hugging means staying in a stable, predictable position. It may lower your stress levels, give you more energy for side projects, and it allows you to prioritize other areas of life, like your hobbies, friends, and family."
Job hugging describes clinging to a position out of fear of moving up or moving on rather than loyalty or passion. Someone who is job hugging might feel underpaid, undervalued, or unhappy yet remain because job hunting feels awful and unpredictable. A 2025 ZipRecruiter Employer Report shows turnover rates dropped 72% since 2023, making retention more common amid market friction. The job search can take six-plus months, which increases the appeal of stability. Staying put can lower stress, free energy for side projects, and allow prioritization of hobbies, friends, and family, while limiting advancement opportunities.
Read at Bustle
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