With many employers breaking trust lately – as seen through so many mass layoffs – job seekers have turned to applying to jobs without the need for attachment (or any specific outcome). This isn't being done as a defensive stance, though, but more so as a protective stance. And it's not only for people who have been laid off, but also for those who are still working.

Jennifer Dulski, CEO and founder of Rising Team, discusses this new term and how to understand and avoid this trend.

What is NATO applying? Where did this term come from?

The concept of "NATO applying" was born from the Gen Z/TikTok term NATO dating. With NATO dating, Gen Z singles are prioritizing the experiences they gather from dating, rather than the relationship that may come as a result of dating, hence the term "not attached to outcome," or "NATO." In the job world, people are adopting this mentality as well, focusing on what they can learn from applying to and starting new roles, rather than whether that job will be a good long-term fit for them.

Why do you think this trend is starting?

I believe the trend of NATO applying has started because employees have lost trust in companies–-both those they work for now, and those that they have considered for employment. We've all seen companies who had promised flexible work arrangements rolling those back in favor of in-office mandates. Many public companies have reported strong quarterly earnings and then announced layoffs to save money and cut costs mere days later. These behaviors are eroding workers' trust, and therefore, the promise of a long-term employment relationship has lost credibility.