It Is “The Toughest Time In Years” To Be Looking For A Job In The U.S. – One 64-Year-Old Man Has Been Waking Up At 3 AM To Search For Work And Can’t Find Anything

Michael Snyder is the publisher of , The American Dream Blog and The Truth

Are we defined by what we do?  For so many of us, our identities are tied to our occupations.  For example, when I worked in the legal field many years ago so many of my colleagues took great pride in being able to say “I’m a lawyer” when they were asked about their lives.  Unfortunately, we live in a society where our personal worth is largely determined by what kind of jobs we have or how much money we make.  I wish that our society did not look at people this way, but that is the reality of the world that we live in now.  Unfortunately, large numbers of Americans are now losing the jobs that they value so much, and competition for any good jobs that do happen to be available has become extremely fierce.  In fact, I am going to share a story with you in this article that is so extreme that you may not believe it, but it is actually true.

When someone is unemployed for an extended period of time, it can be absolutely soul crushing.

If you have been there, you know exactly what I am talking about.

You don’t want anyone to ask you what you do, because it can make you feel worthless.

Without a job, your status in society is greatly diminished, and many will look on you with pity.

And with each passing day, the bills just keep on piling up.

A few years ago, it was relatively easy to find work, but now conditions have changed dramatically.  The following comes from a Washington Post article entitled “Why it’s the toughest time to be searching for work in America in years”…

It’s the toughest time in years to be searching for work in America.

New data last week showed a fourth month of tepid job growth and propelled joblessness to its highest level since late 2021, when the economy was still recovering from the effects of the covid-19 pandemic. Now, as companies wrestle with inflation, economic uncertainty and trade policy whiplash, many are shredding payrolls and shifting tasks to artificial intelligence while pulling in higher profits. And some executives are pointedly broadcasting sizable layoffs as wins, a sign they’re making workforces leaner and more efficient.

There are so many people out there that are searching for work right now.

At the same time, postings for available jobs are rapidly drying up…

Meanwhile, job postings fell across nearly every sector compared with a year ago, with the steepest declines recorded in child care, community and social service, scientific research, retail, and hospitality, according to the employment website Indeed. Administrative roles such as human resources and accounting also posted double-digit declines.

If you find yourself unemployed at this moment, I feel so badly for you.

The job market is so rough, but you can’t give up, because the market is only going to get even tighter as the weeks roll along.

Earlier today, I came across a story about a 64-year-old unemployed man that is absolutely heartbreaking.

He has a very hard time sleeping because he doesn’t have a job, and so he often gets up around 3 AM to search for work…

I often wake up around 3 a.m. with my mind racing — thinking about which roles to apply to or what job search strategy to try next.

Instead of trying to fall back asleep, I usually get up and start working on my job search, which includes sending out applications or post-interview thank you letters. Around 6 a.m., I typically might make breakfast, shower, and then start planning out what I want to accomplish that day. It’s become a sort of routine.

His name is Matthew English and he has decades of experience in accounting.

But even though he has applied for hundreds of jobs, he has been out of work since last October…

I’ve been looking for a full-time job since October 2024, after a decadeslong career in accounting.

Submitting hundreds of applications and spending countless hours on my job search have led to several interviews, but I haven’t been able to secure an offer.

I’ve applied for jobs related to my accounting background, but I’ve also expanded my search to any part-time or full-time job I feel I could perform — including entry-level, non-skilled positions. I even applied to be the Chick-fil-A cow mascot at a Birmingham location.

That last sentence really hit me hard.

He is so desperate to find something that he is even willing to put on a cow costume and be a mascot at a Chick-fil-A location.

But he was not hired for that either.

Meanwhile, large employers continue to conduct mass layoffs all over the nation…

In the past eight months, Kroger — the nation’s largest supermarket chain — has overseen three rounds of layoffs. The latest, announced last month, included 1,000 corporate staff and mainly affected its technology and digital team, according to LinkedIn posts from former employees.

Nike, which has reported softening sales and an estimated $1 billion a year hit from tariffs, said this week it would lay off nearly 1 percent of its corporate staff while the sporting gear maker undergoes a “realignment.” Estée Lauder, which expects a $100 million tariff bill this fiscal year, cut 7,000 jobs in February, about 11 percent of its staff.

I have been warning for months that this was going to happen.

Now we are here.

According to economist Mark Zandi, quite a few U.S. states are already experiencing recessionary conditions…

Leading economist Mark Zandi has warned that a third of the US is already in or at high risk of going into a recession.

Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, revealed that states making up nearly a third of America’s GDP – including Virginia, Connecticut and Delaware – are in dangerous territory.

‘States experiencing recessions are spread across the country, but the broader DC area stands out due to government job cuts,’ Zandi wrote on X.

Of course many would argue that it feels like the entire country has already plunged into a recession.

I think that it would be very difficult to refute that.

But what we are experiencing now is not even worth comparing to what is coming.

Individually, we can’t change the circumstances in which we currently find ourselves.

But we can change how we respond to them.

Don’t you dare give up.

Your past does not have to define your future.

No matter what your circumstances may be at this moment, the best chapters of your life can still be ahead of you.

Do not allow yourself to be defined by your employment status of by how much money you have.

We were all put here for a reason, and times of transition can be a perfect opportunity to explore your reason for being here.

Life is about so much more than jobs and money.

Once you discover that, everything changes.

Michael’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

About the Author: Michael Snyder’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.  He has also written nine other books that are available on Amazon.com including “Chaos”, “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”.  When you purchase any of Michael’s books you help to support the work that he is doing.  You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter.  Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

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