Job Seeker Suicide: What HR Can Do

Have you ever taken a dive into your conscience, so deep that everything important in your life was impacted by your soul searching? If you ever suddenly lost your job, you almost certainly know what I am talking about.

As a current job seeker, I meet job seekers everyday—at career fairs, at trade association events, and right here on LinkedIn. I have met every color collar. Many of them find themselves out of work due to layoffs. One nice educated lady lost her job due to a robot and another confided in me that he was fired. One man told me that after continuous months of unsuccessful job searching, he simply couldn't take it any more. To protect his anonymity, I will call him Wayne.

Based on recent conversations with Wayne and other former employees, it seems that each of them is more scared than they are angry or hurt. Surprisingly, for many, the issue of money is secondary to that of personal identity associated with their previous job. Even among those whose courage runs high, there are among those between jobs some whose uncertain future has caused clinical depression and hopelessness. Things have been particularly difficult for those who have obligations such as putting food on the table or saving for their child's education. Wayne was in this situation, and he also happened to be the sole breadwinner for his family, which only intensified the pressure he was under.

According to a study in the journal Lancet Psychiatry, 1 out of 5 suicide deaths worldwide are directly linked to unemployment. That's about 45,000 deaths every year. Funded by the University of Zurich, this study was extensive and was measured over an 11-year period (2001 to 2011), and it included an analysis of 63 countries. In addition, in their book, The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills, researchers David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu state that "people looking for work are about twice as likely to end their lives as those who have jobs."

I have learned in a very short time the power of positive thinking when it comes to a job search. I emphasize to my fellow job seekers, to guys like Wayne, that losing hope is the worst thing a person can do. I also emphasize just how important it is not to give up but instead to keep moving forward!

As an HR Professional, I wish to comment on the recruiting side of the business for organizations: We can do better! The candidate-to-employee experience needs some major revamping. We talk a lot about making the employee experience better, but organizations and their HR teams forget that the candidate experience is of equal importance. Below are some suggestions to enhance the well-being of candidates:

1) Stay in communication with candidates: No one likes being ignored. Job seekers want fairly frequent updates and honest communication about where they are at in the application process. They spend valuable time in applying, so HR can certainly reciprocate by taking time to communicate with candidates—regardless of whether or not they move forward in the hiring process!

2) Clearly communicate the next steps: Establish a realistic time frame for future communication and clearly explain to the candidate what the next steps in the application process are going to be—even if the candidate doesn't ask about them.

3) Show compassion regarding their job search: Have genuine conversations with candidates. Ask them how their search is going and show a sincere interest in their application to the organization. I have been touched by recruiters who have shown genuine interest in my job search. The gesture makes people feel good that others care about them and their search.

If we want the suicide rates to go down for job seekers, the candidate experience needs to change. In HR, we talk a lot about the employee experience, but the candidate experience is of equal importance. Let's start to focus on improving that.

To my fellow job seekers, if you're struggling out there in any way, ask for help. As someone who is in transition to my next job, I am so appreciative of the people who have reached out to me and who have kindly responded when I have reached out to them. I leave you, the reader, with these closing words, which apply to all of us:

"Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness." -Michele L. Sullivan (TED Speaker)

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Content is property of Brandon T. Burnette, and can be distributed, but may not be excerpted or modified without the permission of the author. Copyright © 2017. All rights reserved.

Photograph has a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. The ribbon logo is property of The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, funded by SAMHSA.