Finding a good job can take hard work.

As seen in The Oakland Press

August 16th, 2026

Finding a good job can

take hard work.

by Ken Morris

Thank goodness the primary elections are over. Hopefully we’ll have a few months reprieve before the November elections. From a financial perspective, I found it a bit disappointing that so many political ads demonized financial success. Most hardworking people that I work with may have sizeable nest eggs, but they’re far from being considered billionaires. Naturally, their financial data is confidential, but I think most would be shocked at how much they pay in various taxes. Even more important, the wealthy I know are very generous, with their money and their time.

Regardless of political leanings, I think having a solid job with the potential for growth is something that makes everyone feel better about themselves. Sadly, far too many people are either in a dead-end job or out of work and looking for employment. Recently, a small business owner complained to me that it’s extremely difficult to be a business owner. He trains people and pays above market wages. All well and good. But it’s challenging for him to find dependable, reliable people that show up every day.

Historically, our nation’s unemployment rate is relatively low. But I’m concerned about our labor participation rate. The rate measures the percentage of working age people who are employed or actively seeking work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, June saw the largest one-month drop in the labor force of workers aged 25 to 54 since June 1976. That number excludes the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you examine the data closely, you’d find the vast majority were actually between 25 and 34. And according to the St. Louis Fed, 720,000 people stopped working or looking for work between May and June. What that’s telling us is that for every 100 people who are of prime workforce age, only 66 are either working or seeking work.

The participation rate is different from the unemployment rate because people who stop seeking employment are eventually not considered unemployed. If you’re not looking for work, you’re simply a non-participant in the labor market. You’re not unemployed.

Before jumping to any conclusions, understand that many economists have described our economy as a low hire, low fire environment. Several articles have been written about those who have lost jobs and searched relentlessly for months looking for a new job or career. At the other extreme are those who don’t work and have no intention of working. How they survive is beyond me.

Hopefully, those seeking a job will be able to land one, and those unmotivated to work will see the light, reenter the workforce and become productive.

Dependability is first and foremost with any job. If your day starts at 9am, be on time. If it’s 5 days a week, be there 5 days a week. Once you’re deemed dependable, seek growth opportunities.  One way is do more than the minimum expected.

Sadly, we’re in an environment where entire departments lose their jobs at once. If this happens to you, don’t retreat from the workforce. Applying for job after job can be mentally draining, but I encourage you to continue trying. Don’t give up. I’m confident if you develop good work habits and are productive that, even if you hit an employment hurdle, you can eventually bounce back and land on your feet.