Unemployment in the modern world presents a serious problem because it affects not only the individual but also the economy and society as a whole and is therefore increasingly in the focus of recent research and social policy. Learned helplessness is a state of passive acceptance of unpleasant situations that have developed as a result of a person’s belief that attempts to change are useless after multiple previous failures to take control. These experiences result in a lack of motivation and pessimism that generalize to a situations in which objectively a person could have an impact. When learned helplessness develops in the unemployed after a series of job search failures, it further affects their chances of employment and quality of life. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate the risk factors associated with learned helplessness in the unemployed in the Republic of Croatia. Data were collected by a survey questionnaire on a sample of 186 unemployed people. The positive connection between the duration of unemployment and the external locus of control at work with the level of learned helplessness and the difference in it's level between persons without previous work experience and those who have it was proven. Based on the above results, the paper offers suggestions for further action, since the concept of learned helplessness could be of great importance in understanding unemployment and establishing new programs and measures in working with the unemployed