The Emotional Rollercoaster of Unemployment in Insights: Why It Matters

Unemployment in insights is not just about job loss. It’s about the loss of financial security, professional identity, and belonging. You are on an emotional rollercoaster, navigating an evolving industry in times of automation, job loss, and stress.

Over the last 12 months, the Insights Career Network (ICN) partnered with Andrew Cannon, Co-founder of the Art & Science of Joy, on his latest joy research project. As part of this study, we compared the perspectives of unemployed  Insights professionals with those of the general population who are unemployed. For insights professionals, unemployment can feel like losing part of an identity. In a field built on curiosity, storytelling, and influencing decisions, not having a seat at the table leaves a void — personal and professional. 

The insights show this reality clearly: 72% of unemployed insights professionals said their career is “central to who I am as a person,” compared to only 46% of the general unemployed population. When the job disappears, the sense of self takes a direct hit.

Why? In addition to a deeper connection between their career and their identity compared to the general population, loss of purpose compounds this struggle. 58% of unemployed insights professionals said “losing professional purpose” was a top emotional challenge, far higher than the 36% seen in the general unemployed population. 

This leads to an emotional rollercoaster over time, which consists of many emotions on a spectrum from positive to negative. This is not a linear journey, but one with multiple emotions influenced by external and internal factors that can shift feelings instantly and more deeply than other professions.

 

We also know that over time, the impact of long-term employment can shift to negative emotions, which are common but not permanent. Key milestones occur with specific emotions tied to each. The longer the search stretches, the heavier the toll: 61% of ICN members unemployed for more than 6 months reported feeling isolated from their professional community, versus 39% of the general unemployed.

The First Three Months: Fear Meets Fragile Hope

Fear dominates early unemployment. For insights professionals, it’s not only about paying bills but also about staying relevant in a rapidly evolving industry.

“The uncertainty is the hardest part. I don’t know when I’ll find something, and the bills don’t wait.” — Insights professional

There is still hope. Within the first three months of unemployment, a majority of insights professionals surveyed still describe themselves as at least “somewhat optimistic” about the future. Leaders who extend encouragement, provide introductions, or offer project-based work can help sustain that fragile hope.

Months Three to Six: Frustration and Loss of Identity

Between the third and sixth months, optimism fades. Applications disappear, interviews go nowhere, and professionals begin to feel invisible. The restlessness can be one of the most challenging components of career transitions, and many seek other ways to engage with the world.

“I’ve started gardening again. It’s not work, but it’s something I can grow.” — Insights  professional

Here, identity loss becomes the dominant emotion. 58% of insights professionals surveyed say “loss of professional purpose” is their top emotional challenge, compared to 36% in the general population. For insights professionals, the emotional cost is higher because their careers are often tied more tightly to self-worth.

Beyond Six Months: Hopelessness, Shame, and Isolation

50% of job searchers in the ICN’s mostly-US community have been searching for a role in the insights profession or industry for more than six months; 23% have been searching for longer than a year. 

After 6 months, the weight grows heavier. Hope begins to give way to hopelessness, and shame makes conversations with peers or family harder. Feelings of wanting embarrassment, not wanting to talk about it, and to hide are common. That doesn’t mean they are not talented or un-hireable, just navigating times when their professional identity is important but they are not in a new role yet, but the velocity and volume of rejections can mount on your soul.

“After the sixth month, the rejections start to eat away at you.” — ICN professional 

61% of long-term unemployed ICN members (6+ months) feel isolated from their professional community, compared with 39% of the general unemployed. This isn’t just loneliness. People who lose their jobs lose their professional belonging. There is no team, no brainstorming, no recognition, and no demand for your services. You go swiftly from having a schedule with back to back with meetings, projects, and deadlines to silence and no professional codependence. 

The feelings can compound as the search draws on and, according to a recent ICN member survey,  ¼ of the job searchers in the US professional insights community have been looking for work for more than 1-year. 

Resilience is possible and can be sparked by action or engagement. Many ICN members described reframing their experience through mentoring, consulting, or learning new tools. Leaders who create opportunities for this kind of engagement help professionals rediscover their value.

Finding Optimism Again

Even in the hardest moments, moments of optimism reappear. 

“Every interview is a step closer. I have to believe that.” — Insights professional

Professionals who engaged in mentoring or volunteering were twice as likely to report high optimism compared to those who did not. Coping strategies such as mindfulness, exercise, and hobbies not only reduce stress but also actively shift emotions from despair toward hope. 

For leaders, the message is clear: Talent doesn’t vanish when someone is between jobs. Support — even in small ways — can turn despair into renewed energy for the future.

What Leaders Can Do

• Acknowledge the emotions. Job loss carries fear, frustration, and shame — not just a résumé gap.

• Create bridges. Offer mentorship, contract work, or introductions to keep professionals engaged.

• Champion experience. Push back on ageism and assumptions about “outdated skills.” Experienced professionals bring resilience and perspective.

What Unemployed Insights Professionals Can Do

• Build structure. Routine restores calm in uncertain times. Add time blocks for job searching and networking and personal activities to your calendar to increase your chances of completing activities.

• Stay connected. Networks like ICN and others can counter professional isolation and help with support and a sense of community.

• Give back. Mentoring, volunteering, or consulting restores purpose and joy.

• Invest in yourself. Upskilling and wellness practices strengthen resilience and can open new areas of opportunities and growth.

The Bottom Line

Unemployment in insights is both an emotional journey and an industry challenge. For professionals, knowing that fear, frustration, and shame are common — not personal failings — is critical. For leaders, it’s a call to act: to keep talent engaged, respected, and ready for what’s next.

Behind every job seeker is not just a resumé, but a person who deeply associates their identity with their career, a story, and a wealth of expertise the industry cannot afford to overlook or lose in favor of efficiency.

About Insights Career Network 

The Insights Career Network (ICN) is a soon-to-be non-profit community that helps research and insights workers navigate career transitions and personal challenges by providing accessible community resources that highlight jobs and insights trends that matter to workers in transition; hosting free virtual job seekers and allies meetups that help and heal; highlighting job opportunities available to the community; and prioritizing the perspective of the research and insights community.

To see current job referrals or a list of current job seekers, please visit https://insightscareernetwork.org/

Appendix: Sources 

Insights Career Network Studies, Qualitative & Quantitative,  2025 

Insights Career Network Research, 2025 — Detractors 1

Insights Career Network Research, 2025 — Detractors 2

Insights Career Network Research, 2025 — Unexpected 1

Insights Career Network Research, 2025 — Joy 4

Insights Career Network Research, 2025 — Joy Fear Hope Factors

Insights Career Network Census Study, 2025 (250818 ICN Census Insights.pdf)

General Population Data

Yang, X. et al. (2024). Unemployment and Mental Health: A Global Study.

Hagen, M. et al. (2022). State-level Unemployment and Negative Emotions.

McKee-Ryan, F. et al. (2005). Psychological and Physical Well-Being During Unemployment: A Meta-Analytic Study.