New Poll From West Palm Beach Staffing Agency Shows Unemployed Workers Are More Hopeful About Finding Work

33% Have Given Up on Looking for Work, Down from 47% in 2014

New High: 92% Say They’re “Hopeful”

In 4th Year of Polling, Fewer Blame the Economy, More Blame Themselves

A Majority Has Not Had an Interview in the Past Month; 34% Report Being Unemployed for More than Two Years

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West Palm Beach, Fla. – Express Employment Professionals, a top staffing agency in West Palm Beach, FL, released results from a new poll of unemployed Americans showing a greater sense of optimism about the future among the unemployed.

The national survey of 1,500 jobless Americans age 18 and older between March 14 and April 6, 2017 was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Express and offers a detailed, in-depth look at the background and attitudes of the unemployed.

According to the survey, 33 percent agree with the statement, “I’ve completely given up on looking for a job.” While still a startling number, it is a notable improvement compared to previous years, with 43 percent saying they had “given up” in 2016, 40 percent in 2015 and 47 percent in 2014 reporting the same.

In addition, more of the unemployed expressed hopefulness than in years past. Ninety-two percent agree with the statement, “I’m hopeful that I will find a job I really want in the next six months,” compared to 87 percent in 2016, 88 percent in 2015, and 91 percent in 2014.

Unemployment remains a chronic condition for many, though the average duration of unemployment (23.5 months) is lower than in 2016 (26.3 months) and 2015 (26.8 months) and slightly higher than in 2014 (23.2 months). Thirty percent of unemployed Americans have been out of work for three months or less, 13 percent for four to six months, 13 percent for 7-12 months, 10 percent for 13-24 months and 34 percent for more than two years.

When asked why they are unemployed, 22 percent say they quit and 22 percent say they were laid off. This is a new low of people reporting they were laid off, compared to 2016 (23 percent), 2015 (28 percent), and 2014 (36 percent)—an encouraging trend for the economy.

When asked who’s “responsible” for their unemployment, 50 percent blame themselves and 26 percent blame the economy. This represents a continued decline in the number blaming the economy, compared to 2016 (34 percent), 2015 (37 percent), and 2014 (45 percent). This is also an increase in those blaming themselves; just 36 percent blamed themselves in 2014.

About Express Employment Professionals
Express Employment Professionals is a great employment agency in West Palm Beach, FL, that puts people to work. It generated $3.02 billion in sales and employed a record 500,002 people in 2015. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually.

The West Palm Beach Express office is located at 2540 Metrocentre Blvd #3, West Palm Beach, FL 33407 and serves the Tequesta, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, and Lake Worth areas. Local businesses and applicants are encouraged to stop by, visit https://www.expresspros.com/WPalmBeachFL, or call (561) 475-1004.