Window shopping can often lead us to make heat-of-the-moment purchases that seem like a good idea at the time, but in the light of day we see the red crocodile leather shoes for what they truly are: a bad decision.
The window shopping effect doesn’t just apply to consumer goods and clothing—this phenomenon also exists in the job market. TikToker Jordyn Lucas (@jordynlucas_) mocked the headspace job seekers can easily fall into while searching for positions on Indeed in a viral clip.
Her video has garnered over 778,000 views as of Sunday, with throngs of commenters sharing that they too, can relate to falling into the “apply to everything” job trap.
“Y’all, Indeed will literally have you submit an application for anything,” she starts. “Tell me why I was about to be a Sheriff? Now who the f*ck am I gonna bring down?”
While she expressed how ludicrous and out-of-left-field her applying to work as a sheriff would be, she added in a caption for her post that she may consider donning a badge and vow to protect and serve her community. “Should i still do it??” she asked.
Lucas’ post highlights the oftentimes off-the-beaten-path, or simply off-the-wall, job application choices some of us make on employment-seeking websites. Judging by many of the comments, it seems many are also familiar with the mental gymnastics of encountering a listing they never once considered pursuing.
One person commented that they nearly secured a job for a position despite not possessing the one skill absolutely necessary to complete that job.
“I was bout to be a truck driver (I can’t drive),” they wrote.
Another user shared how sometimes the qualifications we think are sufficient enough for us to land a gig are glaringly laughable in hindsight.
“I got called for a professional cleaning job and i told them i CLEANED MY HOUSE N ROOM mostly. they said ‘we’ll call you back.’ they never did,” a user shared.
Someone else wrote, “I just filled out for a jail guard . IM SCED.”
@jordynlucas_ should i still do it??
♬ original sound – Jordyn Lucas 🎥✨
Another penned that they decided to try their hand at enforcing U.S. federal law on what sounds like a complete whim, writing, “I applied to be an FBI agent.”
For another user, they only need one stipulation when it comes to throwing their name into a hat for a job. “If it has the quick apply I’m sending it !!!” they said.
Many responses to Lucas’ sudden decision to entertain becoming a Sheriff stem from a complaint Indeed users have with the website’s job recommendations: they’re just too random.
Job seekers have expressed that it doesn’t feel like there’s any rhyme or reason to what Indeed sends to their inbox. One day, the site will forward you an employment posting for a NASA Chief Project Manager role that pays $189,000 a year then, a week later, the site will ask if you’d like to be a night porter at a Longhorn Steakhouse for $11.19 an hr.
While Lucas acknowledges that her consideration in seriously attempting to become a sheriff isn’t a passion of hers, many find themselves in the same boat once the metaphorical guillotine of unemployment hangs over their heads.
The year 2023 saw massive layoffs for much of the United States workforce: Forbes reported after the year’s third business quarter, firings were up 200% from the previous year. Tech Crunch also published a piece in mid-January that tallied up all of the layoffs companies enacted throughout 2023: a whopping 224,053 Americans were left scrambling to find new positions in that time.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Indeed via email and Luca via Instagram direct message for further comment.
