Unemployed Americans Face Challenging Job Search

PRINCETON, NJ -- Six in 10 unemployed Americans say the next job they get is not likely to be one they want; instead, they'll have to settle for one they don't really want. Four in 10 underemployed adults have similar expectations about a full-time job.

These results are based on a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking between Dec. 21, 2010, and Jan. 9, 2011. The USA Today/Gallup survey defines unemployed Americans as adults aged 18 and older who are currently out of work but say they are able to work and are actively looking. The unemployed group also includes out-of-work adults who are not currently looking for a job, but who plan to look in the future. The latter constitute so-called discouraged workers, who are commonly considered out of the workforce and therefore are not included in standard government or Gallup unemployment figures. Underemployed Americans are those working part time, but who would like to work full time.

Unemployed, Underemployed Relate a Discouraging Job Search Process

Despite today's nearly double-digit unemployment rate, 4 in 10 unemployed Americans expect to get a job in the next four weeks and one in three underemployed have the same expectations with respect to obtaining a full-time job.

On average, unemployed workers report that they have spent 27 weeks actively looking for a job. Further, they say they have applied on average for 45 different jobs, while the underemployed, on average, report applying for 19 different full-time jobs.

Unemployed Americans, despite applying for far more jobs than the underemployed, report getting on average a similar number of job interviews. The unemployed have had on average five interviews with a specific employer about a specific job, and the underemployed report an average of four interviews about a specific full-time job.

Most Unemployed, Underemployed Willing to Take Same Pay or Pay Cut

Frequently, people forced to seek a different job lose some of the pay associated with the experience and skills they used in their prior job. The large majorities of the currently unemployed (73%) and underemployed (62%) made less than $60,000 a year before taxes in their previous job. Slightly more are willing to accept less than $60,000 a year in order to get a new job.

Bottom Line

It seems clear that the current unemployment situation does not result from unwillingness on many Americans' part to take a job they don't want. Nor are many Americans unwilling to take a job that provides them with the same or lower income. Instead, significant portions of unemployed and underemployed Americans believe they will have to take any job, even if they don't want it, and majorities are willing to take the same pay or a pay cut in a new job. Although many of the unemployed are discouraged right now and have stopped looking for work, those who are actively looking are making the job search a job in itself. Unfortunately, their relative lack of interview opportunities may partly explain why so many have become discouraged.

Further, data from the same poll find that these Americans face more than financial struggles. Not only are one in four unemployed individuals experiencing financial distress, but similar numbers are experiencing major problems in their relationships, and, separately, have sought professional medical help for stress or other major health problems.

On the other hand, the recent increases in economic confidence and the relative steadiness of the job market provide some hope that the job situation will improve, at least at a modest pace, during the months ahead. Similarly, 4 in 10 unemployed Americans expect their job search efforts to pay off in as little as four weeks, reflecting some added optimism that all unemployed, underemployed, and discouraged workers may want to keep in mind.