Does unemployment even exist really?

[Anonymous]

I think everyone chooses jobs and want good jobs only. No one is unemployed really when there are too many listings and wanted workers.

[BobbieBoy666]

The premise that unemployment is not a real phenomenon is incorrect; it is a well-documented and consistent feature of economies. However, the notion that some level of joblessness is an inevitable part of a functioning economy is often debated. It is also a complex issue with multiple types and causes beyond the simplistic idea of a person just "not having a job".
What defines unemployment
To be counted as unemployed, a person generally must be:
Jobless and without paid work during a reference period.
Actively seeking work during that period.
Available to take a job.
This definition excludes individuals who are not in the labor force, such as retirees, full-time students, or those who have stopped looking for work and are considered "discouraged workers".
Different types of unemployment
Unemployment is not a single, monolithic issue. Economists distinguish several types, each with a different cause:
Frictional unemployment: This is short-term unemployment that occurs naturally as people transition between jobs. It includes recent college graduates, parents re-entering the workforce, or people who have voluntarily quit to search for a better opportunity.
Structural unemployment: This results from a mismatch between the skills of the available workforce and the skills required for the jobs available. It is often caused by technological changes, like automation replacing factory workers, or the decline of certain industries.
Cyclical unemployment: This type is tied to the business cycle and occurs during economic downturns, such as recessions. When consumer demand drops, businesses lay off workers to cut costs. This is the most familiar type of unemployment and is generally temporary.
Institutional unemployment: This is caused by long-term institutional factors, such as high minimum wages, generous social benefits, or restrictive hiring laws.
The real-world evidence for unemployment
The reality of unemployment is supported by decades of data collection and the visible economic effects it has on society.
Economic indicator: Governments and international organizations like the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) consistently collect data and publish monthly reports on unemployment rates. This is a key measure used to gauge the health of an economy.
Economic consequences: High unemployment rates lead to reduced consumer spending, which in turn can lead to a cycle of further reduced production and additional layoffs. It also reduces a country's total economic output and tax revenue.
Social and psychological effects: High unemployment has severe human costs that are well-documented by research. It is linked to financial distress, increased anxiety, depression, and higher suicide rates.
Is full employment possible?
The idea of a zero-unemployment economy is unrealistic and not considered healthy.
Natural rate of unemployment: A healthy economy will always have some level of frictional and structural unemployment as workers move between jobs and industries change.
Sign of an unhealthy economy: An unemployment rate of 0% would indicate a severely overheated economy with intense inflationary pressures. Employers would be so desperate to hire that they would drive wages up rapidly, leading to price increases across the board.

[genericname85]

yup. there's a bunch of people who aren't qualified for the vacant jobs that exists. that's one of the reason unemployment is a thing. like if you have to offer 1 job as a psychotherapist, it doesn't matter if there are 1000 plumbers applying. you can't have them work as a psychotherapist.

[Anonymous]

In my country there are about 600,000 unemployed people and about 150,000 job listings. Even if every single one of those positions were filled there would be 450,000 people without a job. Then we also need to take into consideration that many of the jobs are temporary jobs, part time jobs that you can’t live off of, jobs that require certain education and/or experience like for example doctor jobs, dentist, nurse, teacher, engineering jobs and so on that disqualifies a majority of people looking for jobs. The jobs are all over the country, which means many unemployed people can’t take the jobs even if qualified if it’s not within a commuting distance. Getting an apartment is very difficult in many cities, often times it takes years to get a contract, so people can’t just move wherever there’s a job. And if they have a house/own an apartment they’d have to sell it first and the market is slow. For many it takes a long time to sell their property right now because can’t afford to buy. If they have kids and aren’t together with the other parent they legally can’t move and take the kids. So moving would mean leaving the children behind. If they are together with the other parent then maybe their partner has a job, so if they were to move for a job the partner would have to quit their job and one of them would still be unemployed. A single parent without an other parent in the picture can’t move away from their family/friends because that would mean they’d be alone with their kids far from any support and what if they end up innthe hospital or need help watching the kids for something important they need to do. All in all, most jobs aren’t a realistic option for most unemployed people and even if every single available jobposition was filled a majority of now eunemployed people would remain unemployed.

[_Maya_]

Well that's simply not true. You have never met someone that consciously doesn't want to work and instead game the system and live off of others or the government? If you don't know anyone that has done that then you live a very very sheltered life. What about the drug abuser or gang member that doesn't work? You dont know about them? To think that someone believes that everyone willing and able to work wants to is a crazy notion to me. You must come from a fairytale country that I have yet to hear about where every person is motivated and there are only the best jobs available. Unfortunately I come from a land of over 300 million people and I can assure you that a good portion of them dont want to work and would rather get free assistance instead.

[AI Opinion]

Unemployment does exist, even with job listings available. Various factors contribute to unemployment, such as skills mismatch, location, economic conditions, and personal circumstances. Not all individuals have the qualifications for available jobs, and some may face barriers like limited access to information, transportation, or childcare. Personal choices also play a role, as individuals often seek roles that align with their career goals and values, rather than just any available job. Understanding these complexities helps in addressing unemployment effectively.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

Spoken like the son of a well-connected white man lol

[Nikki1989]

Unemployment exists, but there are also many people who choose not to work, especially in this country. I have met people who receive almost as much money sitting on the couch smoking bongs all day as some people do who are working full time for crap wages.

[AngryCarl2]

Are you open to immigrants? Possibly from the UK?

[jennifer_bloom]

I think less than 1% of those who can work, have time to work and are allowed to work choose not to work, because if you do not work, your life becomings boring and your social life becomes dull. I would prefer a boring and stressful minimum wage job to not working for a living.

[FreyaRed]

Some jobs find just no applicants because they don't pay enough for the effort a job demands.
If a person who collects cucumbers would earn 5 times the money of a office worker I'm sure lot of people would prefer to collect cucumbers.
Until then we will hear never ending complains of employers who pay sh... for really demanding jobs. My recommendation they should do their jobs by themselves or to fu.. themselves.

[exitseven]

There are plenty of jobs but they are all fast food and retail jobs that do not pay well. The good jobs were all shipped overseas. President Trump is trying to reverse this trend by using tariffs to encourage more manufacturing in the USA and bring these jobs back.

[purplepoppy]

The truth is many places that struggle to recruit barely pay enough to cover the bus fare to work. Many demand a ridiculous amount of experience or qualifications to do jobs a trained chimp can do.

[AngryCarl2]

@purplepoppy Chimps are highly intelligent but also aggressive and unpredictable. I wouldn't want to have one as a work colleague.

[purplepoppy]

True, and the same applies to many humans. It's one thing the government telling them to get a job, it's another to convince employers to take them on.

[Twalli]

Places with high turnover generally have help wanted ads or always give out applications, because eventually they will need someone. I'm not qualified for some minimum wage jobs, while I am qualified for higher wage jobs, so I can't even look at those jobs. If you live in area with low population density, it's easier to find a job, but if you live in a place with a higher population density, it's harder to find a job.

[Anonymous]

Most fake listings, an panel analysis worked out one company had 2 positions but had placed 400 adverts for them

Overdigitalisation and Ai will finish of the bulk of the jobs market
The elites who don't want to pay for keeping people around will pay to cull most of earth's population

[AngryCarl2]

You may have a point. Even when I was unemployed there were jobs I wouldn't apply for. For reference, I think there's a video on youtube called "worst jobs in history" or something like that.

[beenherebefore]

Unemployment is a real thing but it's a person's option to stay unemployed.

[beefcakebradybatson]

Then why is there a "gig economy?"

[Anonymous]

Of course it exists, there are many unemployed people, myself included.

[BarryLiverstone]

Yes, lots of people are out there looking for jobs