Poll: Nearly Two-Thirds of Job Seekers Laid Off or Have Less Work Due to Pandemic

Job-Applications.com announced the results today of a detailed, nine-question poll that reveals job-seekers’ thoughts on how they view the coronavirus’ effect on the economy, and the effectiveness of business and public health officials to implement safety protocols.

There are now roughly 2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, which have resulted in more than 112,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 40 million jobs have been lost during the pandemic, heavily impacting the restaurant, travel, and hospitality sectors of the economy.

Job-Applications.com’s online poll collected the insights of job-seekers, who are mostly seeking entry-level service sector jobs, to see how they view the economic and health ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Takeaways of the Poll

More than 1 of 5 respondents (22 percent) said they personally, or someone they know, have seen their health adversely affected by the virus.

With respect to the economic impact of COVID-19:

• 63 percent of respondents said they have been laid-off or have less work as a result of the pandemic;
• When asked, “How long do you think it will take the economy to recover from COVID-19?” More than four of 10 job-seekers (43 percent) said they thought it would take until Spring of 2021 — or longer — for the economy to recover. Just 10 percent thought the economy will recover by this fall.

With respect to public health safety: 

• 78 percent said they thought their company followed the proper guidelines to stop the spread of COVID-19;
• 76 percent said they thought businesses that are open are doing a good job at keeping employees safe;
• 80 percent said they thought businesses that are open are doing a good job at keeping customers safe;
• The poll found widespread agreement with quarantine and social distancing recommendations from public health officials:
• Two-thirds of respondents (66 percent) said they “agree with the quarantine recommendations” for their area; 22 percent said they should be “more strict”; and just 12 percent said are “too strict”;
• An overwhelming 92 percent said they practice “proper social distancing (6 feet away from others).”

With respect to government response:

• When asked, “Who do you think has responded best to the coronavirus crisis?” The top answer was: “I don’t think anyone has responded effectively” (39 percent); 23 percent said “the president”; 17 percent said “state government.”

“Our poll results show the widespread ramifications COVID-19 has had on job-seekers and provides an interesting snapshot into how Americans are viewing safety guidelines and public health protocols. The level of support for quarantines and social distancing is a clear indication that people are very much aware of the public health dangers of the pandemic,” said Job-Applications.com President Doug Crawford.

Job-Applications.com, based in Canton, Ohio, is one of the leading online job application resources available in the United States and conducts regular online polls to gain insights from entry-level job-seekers across the United States.

In all, 420 job-seekers took the online poll, which ended June 8.

To learn more about the poll, click here