CNBC tries to make excuses for a trend government has permitted employers to create.After six months of scouring job listings and sending off resumes, Dan Coda’s job search came to an end. He didn’t find the technical program or project management job he wanted; he just stopped looking altogether.Starting around December 2025, when he was laid off from his previous role, Coda says he spent more than 300 hours job hunting, submitting dozens of applications, hearing back about 15 potential roles and going through multiple rounds of interviews to no avail. By June, Coda says he was done with the grueling effort of looking for work.