News Recruitment
Skills deterioration and resume gaps complicate many Canadians’ return to the labour force

In a rapidly changing job market, the consequences of prolonged unemployment are taking a significant toll on job seekers, as well as employers, according to an Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.

The primary reasons for unemployment include needing to quit or voluntarily quitting (33 per cent) and being laid off (17 per cent). Over one-quarter of unemployed job seekers (27 per cent) have been out of work for more than two years. While this is lower than the 38 per cent reported in the spring and fall of 2023, the proportion is still relatively high and the impacts can be severe.

Impacts of extended unemployment

Extended periods of unemployment have both practical and mental impacts on job seekers. The most common effects include:

• Gaps in work experience: 44 per cent cite gaps on their resumes as a significant issue.
• Deterioration of skills: 42 per cent of job seekers report a decline in hard or soft skills.
• Decreased confidence: 40 per cent experience a loss of confidence.
• Reduced networking opportunities: 30 per cent find it harder to network.
• Decreased awareness of industry trends: 29 per cent feel out of touch with current practices.

The concerns of unemployed Canadians align with the issues Canadian companies face in finding candidates. One in three Canadian companies (32 per cent) report having open positions they cannot fill, which they attribute mainly to a lack of applicants with relevant experience (45 per cent), a lack of applicants with hard skills (44 per cent) and a lack of applicants with soft skills (32 per cent).

Two-thirds of companies (66 per cent) say that deterioration of both hard and soft skills is a main impact of being unemployed for an extended period of time, especially for young adults (ages 18-26).

The Job Insights survey was conducted online within Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals between Nov. 11 – 26, 2024, among 505 Canadian hiring decision-makers

The Job Seeker Report was conducted online within Canada by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals from Nov. 21 to Dec. 6, 2024, among 505 adults ages 18 and older.