Survey of the Unemployed in the U.S. Shows 47% Have “Completely Given Up” Looking for a Job

Low Growth Economy is Leaving Unemployed Further and Further Behind

Express Employment Professionals, the nation’s largest franchised staffing company, recently released the results of a major, in-depth poll, the “The State of the Unemployed,” a survey revealing that 47% of the unemployed agree that they have completely given up looking for work.

The survey also shows that 82% of those receiving unemployment compensation said that if those benefits were to run out prior to their finding a job, they would “search harder and wider for a job,” while 18% said that they would “be in such despair that I will give up looking for work all together.”

The exhaustive survey was fielded online by Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from April 9 through April 21, 2014 among 1,500 unemployed adult Americans.

“The study offers several surprising and sometimes troubling insights into how unemployed Americans are faring and what they’re doing, and not doing, to get jobs,” said Bob Funk, CEO of Express and a former Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. “It also demonstrates why the labor force participation rate is so low – many people have given up looking for a job.”

The survey shows that the unemployed are more male than female (57% vs. 43%). They are younger – more than one-half are under the age of 40 and more than one-third are under the age of 30.

People Are Giving Up Looking, But they Haven’t Given Up Hoping:  The economy is giving the unemployed reasons to quit looking for work.

  • 47% agree with the statement, “I’ve completely given up on looking for a job.” (7% said they “agree completely,” 7% “agree a lot,” 15% “agree somewhat,” and 18% “agree a little.”)
  • 60% say looking for work has been harder than expected. 10% say it’s been easier than expected.
  • Nevertheless, 91% agree with the statement, “I’m hopeful that I will find a job I really want in the next six months.”

“After searching for four years and being unsuccessful, I am tired of trying,” said one respondent.

People Say There Just Are No Jobs:  People want to find work, but increasingly many people say there is little they can do to find it.  When asked what is holding them back from finding a job, 46% say there are no available jobs.

  • 46% report not having gone on any job interviews in the prior month. Among those unemployed for more than two years, 71%  report not having gone on any interviews in the prior month.
  • 23% say their last interview was in 2012 or before.
  • 36% say they spent 5 or fewer hours looking for work in the last week. 9% spent more than 31 hours looking.

For Many, Moving to Another State or Getting More Education Are Not Answers: 

  • 44% are “not at all willing” to relocate to a new city/town for a job. 60% are “not at all willing” to move to another state to find work.
  • 64% have no plans to go back to school to make them more marketable. 7% are currently enrolled in classes, and 6% have already attended classes or earned a new degree.

Unemployment Compensation is a Helping Hand – and a Holding Pattern: The survey shows many of the unemployed who are not receiving unemployment compensation aren’t receiving it because they are either not eligible (32%), were denied (10%), never applied (30%), or their benefits have already run out (27%).  Only 20 percent say they currently receive unemployment compensation.

  • 96% of those receiving benefits agree it helps them to pay at least some of their bills. 80% agree that it “is giving me time to find the right position.”
  • However, in a response that raises issues about whether unemployment compensation should be extended or allowed to run out, 82% of those receiving benefits said if their unemployment compensation were to run out prior to their finding a job, they would “search harder and wider for a job.” Only 18% say they would “be in such despair that I will give up looking for work altogether.”
  • 48% agree that they “haven’t had to look for work as hard” thanks to unemployment compensation.
  • 72% agree that compensation has been a “cushion” and 62% agree with the statement, “It has allowed me to take time for myself.”
  • 26% say they receive income from various odd jobs for cash.

The Unemployed Blame the Economy: 

  • 45% say the economy is most responsible for their being out of work.
  • 36% say they themselves are most responsible.
  • 19% say their last boss is most responsible.
  • 18% cite the government as most responsible.

(Note: Multiple choices add up to more than 100%)

Read the full report

“When I see that 47% of unemployed Americans agree that they have given up on looking for work, I’m shocked because that suggests the economy is much worse than many people realize,” said Funk. “Our economy isn’t recovering fast enough if our fellow Americans have lost confidence in the job market. They’re giving up because they think this economy is giving up on them.

“This survey shows that millions of Americans are at risk of falling into the trap of prolonged unemployment, and it should give policymakers a greater sense of urgency to focus on the singular goal of creating jobs. We can take heart that in these difficult times the American spirit of confident hopefulness endures, but we can’t accept this status quo—not for our country, not for our unemployed neighbors.”

The survey is part of Express Employment Professionals “America Employed” campaign, a series of releases that explores the state of employment and focuses on who gets hired and why.

 

 

 

 

 

Survey Methodology: This study was conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals and included 1,500 U.S. adults aged 18 or older who are unemployed but capable of working (whether or not they receive unemployment compensation benefits) who participated in an online survey between April 9 and April 21, 2014. Results were weighted as needed for age by gender, education, race/ethnicity, region and household income. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. Totals may not equal the sum of their individual components due to rounding.  No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available.

Refresh Leadership is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

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