Long-Term Unemployment Difficult to Change Listen Download Embed Share Share this on Facebook (Opens in a new window) Share this on Twitter (Opens in a new window) Share this via Email Matthew Giarmo of Alexandria, Virginia, who lost his contract job with the Department of Health and Human Services in 2012, holds up a sign seeking a job with a lower salary than he would normally ask ( Alex Wong / Getty ) Produced by Ellen Frankman Produced by PRI and WNYC