Nearly half of South Africa’s unemployed job seekers have been looking for work for more than a year. Most of them have no other source of income, and yet “hopeful” was the word they chose most often to describe the experience.
South Africa (28 October 2026) – Whether it is a recent university graduate, a youngster trying to gain a bit of independence, or a middle-aged parent trying to provide for their children, for nearly half of South Africa’s unemployed job seekers, the search for work has lasted more than a year.
And yet, despite the prolonged uncertainty and the fact that more than four in ten have no other source of income, hope remains.
Hope in a tough job market
In a survey of 5,087 people for the 2026 Job Seeker Report, The Cost of Trying, “hopeful” was the most frequently chosen word to describe the experience of looking for work.
“Hopeful” was given by 22,3% of respondents. At the same time, 58,4% included at least one negative term in their answer, against 44,7% who included at least one positive one, and nearly one in five (19%) gave both in the same answer.
Hope was far from the only emotion job seekers described. One in five said they felt motivated or determined, while 18,2% reported feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, 17,6% tired, exhausted or drained, and 16,3% sad, depressed or hopeless.
In their own words, many spoke of carrying on while worn out. One respondent said job seeking left them feeling “drained but motivated at the same time”. Another admitted to being tired, but still pushing “because at the end of the day I need a job”.
Lessons learned with each application
Asked why they keep applying, respondents pointed to what they learn along the way and to the responsibility of supporting their families.
“Each application teaches me something, how to write my CV better, what employers are actually looking for, how to answer that interview question,” one said.
“I’m not starting from zero each time; I’m getting sharper. One yes changes everything.” Another said they wanted “to stand up for myself and take care of my family”.
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I Went to Italy to See Ferraris. I Came Home Thinking About My Legacy.Ashleigh Nel, a registered industrial psychologist and head of research and development at JOBJACK, the store-level hiring system that published the report, says the findings reveal the emotional demands of a prolonged job search.
“For many job seekers, the possibility of finding work is what keeps them going, even when the process itself is wearing them down. What is concerning is how long people are having to sustain that effort, often while supporting families and managing considerable financial pressure.”
That pressure is not limited to the unemployed. Of respondents who are working but still looking for a better position, 26,1% took more than a year to find their current job, and 63,5% are the only earner in their household.
Job seeking that builds resilience
The report finds that job seekers adapt to stay in the search for longer. They use zero-rated platforms to keep applying without spending on data, narrow their search to areas close to home to manage transport costs, and support one another through digital peer groups.
Nel believes this persistence points to a workforce looking well past its next payslip.
“Something that gives me hope for the future of South Africa’s workforce is the resilience and future-mindedness of the people who will make up the next generation of leaders.”
That future-mindedness shows in what job seekers prioritise. When deciding whether to accept a job, 82,4% of unemployed and 74,3% of employed respondents selected growth opportunities, well ahead of salary at 37,2% and 39,4% respectively.
Employers take note…
For employers, the findings are a reminder that candidates arrive at interviews with experiences that may not be apparent on their CVs. Understanding those experiences can help employers shape how their brand is perceived from the earliest stages of recruitment.
“By the time someone walks into an interview, they may already have spent more than a year applying, often at considerable personal expense,” Nel adds.
“How a business treats them in that room says a great deal about the workplace they would be joining.”
Sources: Supplied
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