What endlessly searching for a job can do to your mind
“Ghost job” postings, AI interviewers, and a lack of in-person connection can add to the stress and take a toll on your mental health.
A prolonged job search doesn’t just sap job seekers of time, money and energy — for many, the hunt takes a devastating toll on their mental health.
Although unemployment rates in the United States have been historically low, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that more than a quarter of jobless people qualify as “long-term unemployed,” meaning they have been hunting for 27 weeks or more.
And unfortunately for many out-of-work Americans, that probably isn’t changing any time soon. For every open role in 2026 there are twice as many applicants as there would be for similar roles in 2022, according to a recent study from LinkedIn Research. All of this is contributing to an overwhelming sense of discouragement among job seekers — and many of them are struggling to hold on to hope.
Contemplating the ‘black hole’
Mythili Sampathkumar, a 44-year-old writing and communications professional, has spent months polishing her résumé, filling out forms, and preparing cover letters. But she said she hasn’t been landing the sort of interviews that might lead to a full-time job.
“You’re just talking to a black hole,” she said. “You feel like you’re floating in space, untethered from the spacecraft.”
In the current job market, the problem often doesn’t have anything to do with the merits of a particular applicant, said Washington-based career counselor Amanda Langer. But still, every rejection or nonanswer can be taken as a personal referendum on your skills and worth, she said.
“A prolonged job search isn’t simply a logistical challenge,” she said. “It erodes a person’s confidence over time and their sense of agency, along with their financial security, obviously.”
Studies show unemployment is linked to the development of mental disorders, including anxiety and depression. Long-term job seekers describe heightened stress and exhaustion, which can make the everyday work of a job hunt feel even more burdensome, said Mindy Shoss, professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of Central Florida.
“Ghost job” postings, AI interviewers, and a lack of in-person connection do little to help. So much of a person’s sense of self comes from their profession, their work, and how they spend their days, Shoss said. Watching résumés and cover letters disappear into a hiring portal does little to replenish that same well.
Getting off the screen
Because long-term joblessness can exacerbate underlying mental health conditions and even lead to some people developing serious problems, support from mental health professionals is key, and sometimes required.
A peer group of other jobseekers can also help normalize the difficulty of a long-term job hunt and restore some optimism, Langer said. “Sometimes having that feedback from others helps people realize and have those ‘aha!’ moments of ‘OK, I look at this person and this person is super great, really skilled and really qualified, but they’re having a hard time too.’”
Sampathkumar started working with a career coach, which she said has been hugely helpful. She also launched a personal newsletter and has been limiting the time she spends on LinkedIn and other social media.
“There is no one to actually be angry at, right?” she said. “It’s a weird frustration. Whatever is happening is happening.”
