The Wall Street Journal’s headline (8/10/25), “Inside the $10,000 Job Search: Career Coaching, LinkedIn Fees, Resume Help,” did what it was supposed to do – – it snagged my attention! 🙂 The article opened with, “It takes a lot of money to make money, especially when it comes to looking for a job these days.”
“Hmmm, I wonder what someone is doing paying somebody $10,000 for transition support?” (aka, maybe Crossroads Career should be charging more for support than….FREE!!!) :))
- Why Job Searching Costs Are Rising in 2025
- Challenges Job Seekers Face in Today’s Job Market
- Best Job Search Strategies the Actually Work
- Coping With the Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual Stress of Job Searching
- Biblical Wisdom for Finding Work and Career Purpose
- Get Free Job Search Help That’s Worth More than $10,000
Why Job Search Costs are Rising in 2025
The article went on to provide this context:
“Two converging forces are driving up the cost of finding a job for many Americans. One is the exploding cottage industry of networking and job-search subscriptions, career-coaching services and artificial-intelligence tools – all capitalizing on job seekers’ frustrations in a stalled hiring market.
The other is the growing length of the average job search as companies slow recruiting and leave positions unfilled.
How Long Does the Average Job Search Take Today?
It now takes the average worker 24 weeks to find a job after losing one, nearly a month longer than a year ago….”
Later in the article, a story is shared about Andrew, who took out a $22,000 loan for a master’s degree in HR, and another $225 for SHRM certification. “What ultimately worked? He mentioned to a man he met at the gym that he was job hunting, and his new workout buddy gave him a referral to his company (See last week’s blog HERE).” He got hired!
Wow, ok, that seems really depressing. Let’s check another source. CNBC had an article (8/21/25) titled, “Job seekers ‘can’t rely’ on the usual tactics, HR expert says: ‘We’re in a market we’ve never been in before.'” The article went on to emphasize networking, not holding out for the dream job (See our BLOG here about your Dream job), and ensuring you pay attention to your well-being.
Coping with the Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual Stress of Job Searching
The Emotional Load of a Long Job Search
A quote that caught my eye said, “There’s an emotional load, there’s a physical load, and there’s a mental load, so you’re going to have to figure out how to take care of yourself.” We’ve written quite a bit about the emotional load (See blog link HERE), and I would also add a spiritual load to the other loads that weigh down job seekers or purpose seekers.
One more article, because I was curious just what the “market” looks like that is proving to be difficult for job seekers to navigate. An article shared with me from CNN on 9/3/25 titled, “Confirmed: America Is In A Serious Jobs Slump.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Job openings are now not only at their lowest level in 10 months, but they’re also below the number of unemployed workers (at 7.2 million) for the first time since April 2021.” Unemployment has ticked up this month to 4.3% from 4.2%.
Challenges Job Seekers Face in Today’s Job Market
Why Online Applications and AI Tools Often Fail Job Seekers
The job market IS worse than it’s been in a VERY long time, but not because of weak hiring, but rather because the application processes have gotten so mucked up. Employers are posting fewer openings because they are frustrated with the flood of unqualified applications. At the same time, the systems that are supposed to help, such as online applications, new platforms, and AI tools, often make things worse instead of better.
The result? Job seekers struggle to get noticed, employers struggle to find the right people, and everyone feels stuck in a process that doesn’t work the way it should. Crossroads Guide Harry Urschel is seeing this now first-hand.
And when things are tough… more people and tools spring up to take advantage of people’s fears. It happened in 2008, and it’s happening now, but more with technology now than with people alone.
Best Job Search Strategies that Actually Work
Why Networking is the #1 Way to Get Hired
Networking, as it’s always been, is the answer. Last Saturday morning, Harry went to a very large job networking group (120 people). 8 people stood up to say they landed a new job. EVERY one of them had a story of networking to land it. Some were 5 or 6 levels of referrals before they got the person that knew of the opportunity. Not ONE of them landed because of a job posting and getting a call.
People think we’re in a depressed job market. We’re not. We’re in an environment with VERY challenging processes to landing the job.
Biblical Wisdom for Finding Work and Career Purpose
There is Nothing New Under the Sun
As I read through these three articles, several others, and consider what we are seeing in the job search process, the thought that kept coming to my mind was from the book of Ecclesiastes, where we’re told over and over again, “there is nothing new under the sun.” While I don’t dispute anything said in these articles, I would simply suggest we’ve seen much worse in the United States economy, and definitely nothing so bad where I would suggest spending significant sums for job search support.
Work as a Gift From God
Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Later, in chapter 3, where we’re given the famous iterations on “there is a time for everything,” we’re also told in verses 12-13 and 22, “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil – this is a gift from God. So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?”
Trusting God’s Plan for Your Job Search
Work is a gift from God, and while we now toil by the sweat of our brow, given the curse of sin, we still have the opportunity to “be happy and to do good” and to enjoy our work. So despite whatever market conditions are, and whatever tools and services are being sold to allegedly help you achieve employment, we can take comfort in God’s plan for work and in knowing that He prepared work long ago that you could do (Ephesians 2:10).
Get Free Job Search Help That is Worth More Than $10,000
What You Get With a Crossroads Career Guide Call
I’d encourage you not to be despondent about the market and the myriad of solutions being offered, but to tap into the wisdom of one of Crossroads Guides…for FREE! They have experience rivaling or better than any outplacement service in the market, and best of all, they’re grounded in the ultimate wisdom the Scriptures have to offer. They are also endowed with an incredible level of compassion to WANT to hear your story and then practically assist you to land a job that maximizes your potential.
Set Up Your Free Job Search Consultation
Don’t let fear get in the way of your faith! Set up a free Guide call NOW, and get WAAAAAY more than a $10,000 job search! 🙂 Blessings!
Dave Sparkman currently serves as the volunteer Crossroads Career board chair and local ministry leader. He is also the founder and managing director of Spark Your Culture, a corporate culture consulting firm. Prior to that he worked at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune #5 public company, serving in the role of Chief Culture Officer. His unemployment experience came from the implosion of Arthur Andersen, where he served as the West Region Managing Partner, People.
Harry Urschel has over 30 years experience as a Recruiter and currently is an independent Retained Executive Search consultant and Executive Outplacement Coach. He also leads the Minnesota Crossroads ministry out of Grace Church in Eden Prairie.
Connect with a Crossroads Guide
We would love to help you by setting up a time to talk to someone who can provide personalized career assistance.
