If The Economy is So Strong, Why Can't I Find a Job?

John Krautzel
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Reports of a booming economy and low unemployment rates across the board can be frustrating to job seekers who can't seem to get their slice of that employment pie. As it turns out, however, a strong economy doesn't necessarily translate to better job prospects, especially in a time of changing hiring technology. Here are a few reasons you might be struggling in your job search as well as ideas for overcoming these hurdles.

Statistics Don't Tell the Whole Picture

Sweeping statistical claims about unemployment rates at all-time lows can be deceiving. Take the Seattle metro area, which saw an unemployment rate of 3.8 percent in 2015, according to the Seattle Times. While it is comparatively low, that percentage equates to roughly 64,000 unemployed people. Plus, the unemployment rate doesn't account for those who have stopped searching.

A Strong Economy Spurs Competition

Reports of a strong economy tends to boost confidence among job seekers, leading them to submit more applications. At the same time, unemployed professionals tend to flock to cities with reportedly strong job markets, further increasing competition. In an era of online job postings, job seekers also have to deal with people from other regions competing for the same jobs as them, an issue compounded by the fact that many professionals have begun applying to any opening that may be remotely related to their skill set. As a result, a single opening can receive thousands of applications, making it harder for qualified professionals to get noticed.

Technology and Automation

Increased automation has changed the game for hiring managers seeking talent in a strong economy, but not necessarily in a way that benefits job seekers. Many employers use automated systems that pre-filter applicants and choose potential candidates based on keywords that come up in their resumes. This process often means that professionals with a great work ethic and valuable soft skills simply don't have a chance to shine. On top of this, technical skills are becoming more and more valued, creating a tougher landscape for workers coming from other industries.

Tips for Overcoming Employment Barriers

While the realities that job seekers face even in a strong economy can be disheartening, there are a few ways to beat the odds. First, professionals should customize their resume for each position, adding keywords where relevant and appropriate. While this part of the job search can be time-consuming, it's a solid method for making it past automated filters. Job seekers can also boost their odds by doing what other professionals fear: attending real-life networking events. Building relationships increases your chances of getting a referral, which is much more powerful than a blind application.

Finding lasting employment can be a tough task, even in a strong economy. Luckily, by going the extra mile to make your application stand out, you can be well on your way to landing a job. What are some other ideas for getting noticed in an active job market?


Photo courtesy of Caffe Design at Flickr.com
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  • JANICE J.
    JANICE J. •

    I think it's a matter of futility to constantly change one's resume to suit the various jobs listed on the Internet. The sad thing is that the computer industry has eliminated a lot of jobs over the last 20 years. Basic clerical positions have been absorbed. Filing documents is now done on the computer. No longer need filing cabinets! Plus, many high level professionals are independent and do a lot of the duties that secretaries used to do. It's supposed to be a way of saving money for the company. Networking is fine, as long as you network with people working in similar fields as you do or used to do. As for employment agencies, what they don't tell you is that they are in the pockets of employers, not independent as they used to be. Employers will use employment agencies to help them locate people who have the skill sets they are looking for. The days of the employment agencies going the extra mile for applicants are gone. Additionally, if a person has been away from the workplace for a number of years, due to family issues, they will have a hard time being hired because employers will see them as being a dinosaur and not able to keep up with today's high level technology.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Pamela S thanks for your comment. I couldn't agree more. Every time I see the White House touting lower numbers, I just shake my head because I know they aren't real. So very true that the numbers do not include those who have fallen off the rolls - those who have just given up. Then we hear about all of the companies begging for employees. That's just for TV and ratings and to try to boost our Pres. Probably a more accurate unemployment figure would run about 10%. Truthfully, if the unemployment figures were accurate, we wouldn't be here. There wouldn't be any need for any job sites at all. So close your ears to all of that and keep on searching. Wishing you the best on your job search.

  • Pamela S.
    Pamela S. •

    I have a real issue with the "unemployment figures" since they do not take into account the people who have fallen off the radar when they are no longer eligible for unemployment. A lot of these people are still looking for work but no one cares to identify these forgotten individuals. For this reason I do not believe the claims of low unemployment or strong economy because they are not the realistic picture.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Angela M thanks for your comments. So sorry that you are going through this. It is truly unfortunate that companies practice this - won't hire unless you are currently working! Very frustrating for sure. Have you exhausted all option? What about agencies? Sometimes it's easier to get a position through an agency or recruiter. Have you maybe tried out all of your local options by going to these places in person? What about reaching out to friends and former coworkers through social media? I know what you are saying about those released from prison as well as those who came to our country due to natural disasters. Companies have guidelines that they have to follow which is hiring so many minorities, former inmates and so on. Back in the days when affirmative action was first passed, companies had no choice but to hire minorities as well as the disabled. We see this all of the time. Think about all of the veterans who are living on the streets because they can't find jobs. The jobs are there. The White House touts this every day - how many job openings there are. So we know they are there. It's just a matter of finding one. Maybe you will have to just put your certification aside for the time being and find a position outside of the medical field. Even something like working in retail if you can find a position like that. Once you are working, then you can start applying to medical positions again. So, again - try to reach out to some agencies. Sometimes it's the best way to get your foot in the door. We wish you all the best. The jobs are there. Keep looking!

  • Angela M.
    Angela M. •

    P.S. now I know why people are forced to steal, rob, prositute and sell drugs. Cause only in America do we help people from other countries, before taking care of our own. Even my friend in class just moved from Cuba got a job before me, and Im pretty sure she was getting public assistance cause neither her husband or her were working had 2 kids and only made $30 a week in cuba. So dont tell they moved to Orlando and could afford a place to live without jobs. because me and my husband that was working 70 hrs a week could barely afford our home.

  • Angela M.
    Angela M. •

    I am 56 going on 57, retired to early and want to return to work. So I ended up taking a 4 mths course in lab assisting/Phlebotomy even though I had 8 yrs experience doing it as an LPN. When I graduated and got certified last year, 50 Phlebotomist were laid off at Florida Hospitals leaving all these recent working, up to date experienced people to get any jobs that were open. This was last year, I actually left Orlando because of this and the fact that noone wants anyone that hasnt been recently working and did not want any new grads. Though I wouldnt consider me as a new grad only, with all my medical experience I still cant get hired in the position I want. Also I was competing with 20-30 other applicants for the same position. So we moved to a smaller poplulated area, and it seems I am in the same boat as I was in Orlando. I'm ready to just take any job and flush my hard work and certificate down the toilet cause its not getting me anywhere. I know people that were in prison that get help getting jobs and yet I cant because Im old and havent been working recently. Who's going to help me??? My husbands new job doesnt cover me so now I need a job to get medical benefits. Yet we keep helping foreignors that come to this country. We just took in all those people from puerto rico and helped them get housing and jobs and yes I was already living here and noone helped me get a job.

  • Anita Hurley
    Anita Hurley •

    I agree! Being new to the job search, I am finding that the competition is fierce and pay rates are low for the level of experience required by hiring companies.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Michael D thanks for your comment. Certainly can understand how you feel. It is true that they might be cutting out some of the best and brightest by using ATS. That just means that the best and brightest need to take the time to tailor their resume to fit the position so that they make it through ATS and get at least an initial screening call. It's not laziness on the part of these companies who use ATS - it's survival. Even today, with the low unemployment rate, companies are still inundated with thousands of resumes for each position. It's not possible for an HR department to go through thousands of resumes by hand which is why the ATS has become so important. And it's not going anywhere soon. The downfall is when the applicant creates one resume and expects it to work for every position to which they apply. Not happening. The laziness, in many cases, is on the part of the job seeker. Then they wonder why they never hear anything back from a company. So this is a two-way street. The job applicant needs to ensure that they send the best possible resume for the position and the HR needs to be prepared to manually sift through the resumes that made it through the ATS. A brave new world out there when it comes to finding a job.

  • Michael D.
    Michael D. •

    ATS is the downfall of the recruiting industry. Laziness breeds mediocrity. If people aren't interested in finding the best options to fill their position vacancies they will continue to make the process of putting the best talent in the right spots a long painful mistake-filled one.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Xiao C thanks for your comment. This is the way the process happens at most companies today. When you apply for a position, your resume is sent through the company's ATS (applicant tracking software). The system is set up to filter for what the hiring manager thinks is important - such as 10 yrs experience. That is only one criteria. The hiring manager along with HR sets up the filters. At the end of the process, your resume is scored. If it passes through the ATS, more than likely it will get into the hands of a hiring manager. If not, it is either sent to a resume bank for future job openings or it is discarded. That is the reality in today's job market.

  • Xiao C.
    Xiao C. •

    Why didn't the personnel's related working experiences be concerned as big values on teh hiring processing? Any machine reading assistant resume could not make final decision for hiring manager which is human being; the exception is the hiring manager has no experiences to select the qualified professional expertise.

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