Führungskräfte: Hochqualifiziert, erfolgreich, arbeitssuchend – Vier Betroffene berichten

In Germany, it was long believed that anyone who was diligent, motivated, and qualified could find employment. However, the job market has changed. In the current economic downturn, many companies are not only hiring fewer people but also cutting jobs. According to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), around 15,000 jobs are lost each month in the industry alone.

This is affecting a growing number of job seekers who are finding fewer open positions. What's new is that it's also increasingly impacting highly qualified academics, executives, or managers. In just one year, the number of unemployed executives across all sectors has jumped by 14 percent, as shown by figures from the Federal Statistical Office.

The percentage of academics unemployed for over a year has also increased recently. The Handelsblatt had launched an appeal on the job platform LinkedIn, to which over 100 affected individuals responded. They are qualified, many led teams, and some held C-level positions. Most were dismissed or offered a contract termination. Some even left their employer on their own initiative, believing they would quickly find something new.

Most of them were between 50 and 60 years old. Four of them share here what the long search for employment is doing to them and the challenges they face due to unemployment.