Governments often try to motivate unemployed citizens to land jobs or educate themselves. The present study compared two hypothetical strategies using self-determination theory (SDT) and self-efficacy (SE) with the present strategy; the job stimulus (JS). The JS aims to alleviate citizens with unemployment benefits from financial ironic effects (i.e., working means less money). The study comprised a within-subjects experimental vignette design with strategy (SDT v. SE v. JS) as independent variable, with credibility and general motivation as dependent variables. The results showed that the actually used strategy was rated as less credible and less motivating than the two hypothetical strategies. Thus, study provides empirical evidence of a massive failure of the JS, and that strategies based from motivational psychology are more promising.