It Takes A Concerning Amount Of Time To Find A New Job These Days, According To Sad Statistics
Photoroyalty | ShutterstockA new report from CNBC Make It proved that the job market really is as bad as people say, and that it’s absolutely not a personal failing if you are stuck in a period of long-term unemployment.
It wasn’t all that long ago when you could walk away from a job you didn’t like pretty confidently, knowing that you would find another opportunity soon. Unfortunately, those days are gone. Some data about the economy may look good on paper, but there are actually over a million people running out of unemployment benefits and desperately trying to land a new role.
A significant portion of job seekers have been unemployed for more than six months now.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that of the 7.6 million Americans who are unemployed, 6 million want to find a job. Those numbers are pretty disappointing on their own, but some new statistics make it even worse. The BLS also found that 1.8 million people, or one in four of those currently looking for work, fit their definition of long-term unemployment, meaning they’ve been out of work for 27 weeks or more.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
27 weeks is a little over six and a half months, meaning those people have spent the better part of a year without a job. Also, most states offer a maximum of 26 weeks of unemployment benefits to those who need them, and if you’re out of work longer, you’re simply on your own.
Sadly, unemployment is no longer just a short phase people find themselves in. Nicole Bachaud, a labor economist at ZipRecruiter, said, “Unemployment is becoming more of a status quo versus a temporary position for workers who find themselves out of their job.”
These extended periods of unemployment are really taking a toll on people.
Dragana Gordic | Shutterstock
A 2024 study concluded that unemployment worsens mental disorders, including anxiety and depression. It also tends to exacerbate any physical health issues someone may have. Theorizing why this may be, researchers noted, “Unemployment is a significant source of stress, causing concerns about one’s financial situation, future opportunities, and social status.”
This is something that job seekers who talked to CNBC emphasized. For example, Andrew Bohan was laid off from his job as a paralegal in August 2024 and is still looking for a new one. He said, “I like to tell people being unemployed isn’t the problem; it’s keeping your head screwed on that’s the real problem.”
Bohan added that he worries about what his family and friends think because he doesn’t want them to equate his lack of success in finding a job with a lack of effort on his part. Another job seeker, Myriam Samake, called the current job market “a mental war.”
It’s probably not very comforting, but at least people know they aren’t alone if they’re unemployed.
Knowing you’re one of almost 2 million people in the same situation could serve as a reminder that you’re not the only one facing this, even if you don’t personally know anyone else who is. Of course, you could also look at those 2 million people as the competition you have to beat to get one of a limited number of jobs.
Career coach Giovanna Ventola suggested that people focus on this aspect, especially if they feel “isolated” or “alone.” She added, “My take is that long-term unemployment is being treated as a personal shortcoming, when it’s actually a structural issue.”
There can’t be many circumstances as discouraging and demoralizing as looking for a job and not being able to find one. The American dream tells us that we’ll succeed if we work hard, but that’s obviously not true in every scenario.
A lot of people are unemployed, and maybe they can find some sort of comfort in not being alone. Still, it’s hard to feel better about things when your savings are running out, and bills still demand to be paid.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
