Decoding the Job Search Struggle: Common Reasons for Employment Challenges

Struggling in today's job market? These could be some of the reasons why.

Whether you're currently unemployed or you have a job but want a better one, you may be deep in the throes of a job search. And that may prove to be a challenging experience.

A good 48% of job seekers say they're frustrated with their job search, according to a recent FlexJobs survey. If you feel similarly, these could be the reasons why.

1. Companies aren't getting back to you

There is perhaps nothing more aggravating than spending time filling out a job application and crafting a cover letter, only to be completely ghosted by the company you've applied to. In the aforementioned survey, 42% of job searchers say they're frustrated because employers have been unresponsive.

If that's been your experience, you may want to try a different tactic. Rather than keep submitting resumes, try finding actual people who are employed by the companies you want to work for and see if they can put your resume in front of the right people.

To pull this off, you may need to do some LinkedIn stalking. But if you're feeling bold, reach out to people who work for your dream company and ask if they're willing to connect. If you can convince those people to advocate on your behalf, your chances of success will increase.

Of course, if you happen to already know someone at the company you want to work for, even better. But if that's not the case, don't be shy about forging your own connections.

2. There aren't enough openings in your field

For 41% of job searchers, a lack of available positions in their industries has been keeping them from finding work. If you want to improve your odds of getting hired, you might consider stepping outside your industry and seeing what's out there.

Of course, a career change can be intimidating. But it can also open the door to a higher salary -- one that helps you lead a more comfortable lifestyle and gives you an opportunity to build savings.

If you're not sure what industry to move to, talk to the people you know about what they do. Ask friends what it's like in their line of work and see if anything clicks.

3. There haven't been any recent opportunities

According to FlexJobs, 15% of job seekers say there were no roles worth pursuing in the past month. Right now, the job market is funny. On the one hand, there are lots of companies looking to hire. On the other hand, the economy is still down millions of jobs compared to the number available before the pandemic began.

If you haven't seen many suitable openings recently, don't give up. Rather, give things time.

But also, if you're currently unemployed or underemployed and desperate for more money, look at stringing together a series of side hustles to tide yourself over. That way, you can keep up with your bills while you keep looking.

If you're having difficulty finding a job, you're in good company. Do your best to maintain a positive attitude as you keep up your search.