A Pew survey found only about half of unemployed Americans are optimistic about finding a job soon. The pandemic and economic slowdown have also been hard on Americans' mental health, per the survey. A new survey from Pew Research Center finds only 51% of unemployed Americans are optimistic about finding a job soon. Even though a recent global survey from Monster found 82% of employers plan to hire in 2021, some Americans are not feeling too hopeful about their job prospects in a slowly recovering job market and with some employers reducing hiring. Pew asked 715 US adults who were unemployed about their mental health, how they are feeling about finding work, and whether they have looked for different work. Unemployed workers in this survey conducted between January 19 and January 24 included adults who were furloughed, temporarily laid off, or unemployed and looking for work.