If you know someone among the long-term unemployed — a category that includes workers who have been jobless at least six months, but in many cases much longer — you understand what a frustrating and demoralizing experience it is, especially for midcareer professionals and managers in their 40s and up.

There's a drill. You polish your resume; you work your network; you apply for openings; you wait. All the while, you try to maintain your enthusiasm and self-esteem.

In a society that worships the work ethic and treats jobs as an indicator of social status, being without one is crushing for people who view themselves as responsible and productive workers.