Imagine pouring your heart and soul into job hunting, only to face relentless rejection. This is the harsh reality for a growing number of Americans, staring down the barrel of long-term unemployment, and it's a crisis that demands our attention.
According to a CBS News report from October 15, 2025, by Jerod Dabney, the struggle to find work is becoming increasingly dire. Take Emily Groveman, a 41-year-old New Yorker, as a prime example. When she's not volunteering at an animal shelter, she's tirelessly searching for employment from her one-bedroom apartment. "It's been impossibly difficult," she confessed to CBS News, marking nearly two years of fruitless searching.
For almost a decade, Groveman thrived in the hospitality sector, working with the NBA. "All the swag tickets to parties, back of house tours, meet-and-greets with the players, that would all flow through me," she reminisced, highlighting the exciting perks of her previous role. Later, she led a team at a digital marketing firm for approximately six years. However, after leaving in 2023, she's been unable to secure another position, despite her best efforts. She's tapped into her network, enlisted the help of recruiters, and even created resume reels on LinkedIn – all to no avail.
"The job market has been brutal for quite some time," Groveman lamented. She recounted one particularly grueling experience where she endured 13 interviews with 11 different people for a single position. "They were stuck between me and the other candidate," she explained. "And ultimately, they went with the other person, and I was like, 'I can't keep doing this.'" The endless rejections have taken a significant toll, both emotionally and financially.
As the rejections mounted, so did Groveman's financial worries. "Since March, I've been living off of my 401(k)," she revealed. "...I've been dipping into it every month now." This highlights the desperate measures people are forced to take when faced with prolonged unemployment.
And this is the part most people miss: the data backs up Groveman's experience. According to the Labor Department, nearly 2 million people in the U.S. were classified as long-term unemployed in August 2025, meaning they had been out of work for at least 27 weeks. This is the highest figure since the peak of the pandemic in 2022.
But here's where it gets controversial... Labor economist Teresa Ghilarducci points a finger at economic uncertainty stemming from the White House as the primary driver of this rise in long-term unemployment. She suggests that governmental policies are contributing to the problem.
Adding fuel to the fire are factors like the government shutdown and the Trump administration's ongoing implementation of tariffs on goods from various countries. These policies are creating instability and reluctance among businesses to hire new employees. In early September 2025, the number of U.S. workers filing for unemployment benefits reached approximately 263,000, the highest level since October 2021. This surge in unemployment claims further underscores the challenges facing American workers.
Ghilarducci doesn't foresee a quick turnaround. "If someone is looking for work now, it's going to be tougher, more people looking for the job that you want," she warned. "And more and more businesses being reluctant to hire. It doesn't mean you should stop, but the market will not ease up, for any time soon." This bleak outlook emphasizes the urgent need for solutions to address the growing crisis of long-term unemployment.
Faced with such a discouraging job market, Groveman has made a life-altering decision. In December, she plans to relocate to a Buddhist temple in upstate New York, where she will receive free housing in exchange for working at a retreat center. This represents a significant departure from her previous career and a testament to the desperation many feel in the face of prolonged unemployment.
"If you have the ability to work, you should be able to," Groveman asserted. "And that's how the American dream happens. You pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and put in the work, and you'll be rewarded. But that's not happening anymore." Her words capture the frustration and disillusionment experienced by many Americans who feel that the traditional path to success is no longer accessible.
Groveman's story, and the statistics surrounding long-term unemployment, raise critical questions. Is the American dream truly attainable for everyone today? Are governmental policies contributing to the problem? What steps can be taken to address the growing crisis of long-term unemployment and ensure that everyone who wants to work has the opportunity to do so? What responsibility do companies have to retrain or upskill employees displaced by automation or economic shifts? And perhaps most importantly, how do we redefine success in a world where traditional career paths are becoming increasingly precarious? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Do you agree with Ghilarducci's assessment of the White House's role, or do you believe other factors are more significant? Let's discuss!
