I know quite a few people that are unemployed, and quite a few more that are underemployed.
A friend of mine is a CPA and has been working temp jobs on and off, but can't seem to find a full time job. I think it is because she has a chronic illness and no workplace wants to take a risk on her being out.
Another friend is a MBA and can't seem to find a job. He is competent and seems to be trying, but his wife passed away 2 years ago leaving him the single parent of 5 kids, and you can't have a 10 minute conversation with him with out it being obvious that he is deeply depressed. Once again, I just don't think any company wants to hire someone with such obvious problems.
I have another friend that is a programmer that recently got laid off (the company was a startup that is going under) and I'm sure she will get a new job soon, but technically she has been unemployed for a few weeks now as she does the interviewing process.
I know another couple that just has no applicable skills and no work ethic. Neither of them have more than a 9th grade education. They each have been fired from every job that they have ever had because they just can't seem to understand that when working a entry level retail job if you don't go in every day, especially in those first few months, they fire you.