BLS Analysis for December 2018

Bob Marshall’s December 2018 BLS Analysis for Recruiters; 1/4/19

 

December BLS Preface

 

TBMG Coaching Updates and News

 

Bob Marshall – Coaching & Speaking Updates:

 

“CyberWeek Event Offer, December 2018”

 

Thanks to those of you who took advantage of the CyberWeek offer of “The Classics” Audio Teleconference Series—the complete 43 session series for $500.  And to those of you who purchased the whole 5 product special package, those have all shipped.

 

If you missed this offer, it’s not too late to let us know.

 

“Goal Setting for 2019—A Six Part Series”; November-December 2018*

 

We have now completed this series.  If you missed any of the parts, please let us know.

 

FYI, here were the six topics and the release dates:

 

Tuesday, November 13 – Part One – The Goal Setting Overview

 

Tuesday, November 20 – Part Two – The Yearly Planning Worksheet

 

Tuesday, November 27 – Part Three – The Quarterly Goal Sheets

 

Tuesday, December 4 – Part Four – The 100 Point Sheet

 

Tuesday, December 11 – Part Five – Advice from the UK

 

Tuesday, December 18 – Part Six – Be a Role Model

 

(*Stay tuned for my next six-part series based on Frank Bettger’s seminal sales book entitled, How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling.  The series starts next Tuesday, January 8th, for those of you on my distribution list.)

 

Top Echelon, Tuesday Recruiter Coaching Series, Webinar, February 12th, 2019

 

My next Top Echelon webinar will be on Tuesday afternoon, February 12th, 2019, at 1pm, Eastern Time.  The title of the presentation is, “The Total Account Executive – How to Find, Hire, Train and Retain Them – a presentation for both those who want to find them and for those who want to become them!

 

“Look for excellence, not perfection.  Everyone has flaws; the key is how they deal with them.”

 

 

WHY A COACH?

 

“Teachers open the door; but you must enter by yourself”—Chinese Proverb

 

In the opinion of ex-Dallas Cowboys football coach Tom Landry who coached from 1960-1988, “A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.”

 

Is now the time to pick a Coach?

 

I realize that taking that first step to engage a Coach to help you reach a higher level of production is not as easy as it sounds.  After all, your training investment – and your time – are important and deserve every consideration.  I share your feelings.  I believe that how you approach your recruitment career matters…that you should get what you pay for, and then some…that you should enjoy your time with your Coach as you are benefiting from it…and that you should never settle for the ordinary.

 

So for those of you who have been toying with the idea of working with a recruitment coach, now may be the time.  Only you can come to that decision point.

 

When considering ‘individual change management’, consider this theosophical proverb: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear!”

 

“Bob Marshall is a speaker’s speaker and a trainer’s trainer.  He has a gift for taking the cornerstones of the business and compelling people and teams to not only hone their skills but to execute. We’ve had Bob engage our teams a number of times over the last few years and our groups always come away more focused on the core and more energized to perform. Come ready to learn because this man knows the business and will make you better!”

 

—David Alexander, President, Adecco & Soliant, January 2017

 

Preface

 

Many of you continue to correspond with me about these monthly BLS analyses and have asked if it is OK to use them in your presentations.  The answer is, of course, yes!  That is why I spend the time to assemble this information.  I would encourage any of you who have that desire to weave any of the information I have printed below into your presentations.  I write these analyses for the benefit of our recruitment industry in general and for the members of my distribution list in particular.  So use this info as you deem appropriate.

 

I also write these monthly BLS analyses to not only counterbalance the negative/incorrect press reporting of our general economic state but, more than that, to remind all of my recruitment readers that, at the level we work, there is no unemployment and so we must recruit to find the candidates our client companies so desperately need!

 

So, to my recruiter colleagues, get out there and do what your name implies…RECRUIT!  When your client companies have unique and difficult positions to fill, they need you.  When they are being picky, they need you.  When they are longing for more production from fewer employees, they need you.  Go fill those needs.  These should be the halcyon days in the recruitment arena!

 

Finally, always remember that we are not in an HR business, but in a ‘circumventing the time factor in the hiring sequence’ business—and adding value to our client companies.

 

 

IT Hiring to Increase in First Half but Staffing Challenges Exist:  Robert Half Technology

Daily News, December 13, 2018

 

Many technology teams will be growing in the first half of 2019, but staffing challenges exist, according to Robert Half Technology’s State of US Tech Hiring research, released today.  63% of IT hiring decision makers polled plan to expand the size of their teams by adding full-time employees; however, 87% of those surveyed said it’s challenging for their company to find skilled IT professionals.

 

According to the survey, 95% of leaders will make project-based hires next year, and 90% are reskilling current staff, with cloud computing the top skill being trained.

 

Respondents cited the following as the top skills immediately needed for their organizations:

 

  1. Cybersecurity
  2. Cloud security
  3. Cloud computing
  4. Cloud architecture
  5. Business intelligence and reporting services
  6. Database management
  7. Virtualization
  8. Web development/design (tie)
  9. Mobile development (tie)

 

More than half of IT decision makers in 28 cities are expanding teams, led by Houston at 80%; Charlotte, NC, at 77%; and Phoenix at 76%.

 

“Along with a strong core team, project professionals are becoming an integral part of organizations’ staffing strategies to get the best and brightest on board quickly for key projects,” Robert Half executive VP John Reed said.  “Digital and security initiatives continue to put pressure on IT departments, adding to the need for talent.”

 

The online survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by a leading independent research firm.  It included responses from more than 2,800 IT decision makers in 28 major US markets.  All IT respondents were screened to have hiring authority for the information systems or information technology department of a company.

 

 

Hiring Stable or Trending Upward in Q1, Express Survey Finds

Daily News, December 12, 2018

 

Businesses are reporting a positive outlook for the job market in the first quarter of 2019, according to a hiring trends survey released today by Express Employment Professionals.

 

The survey found 53% of respondents expect the job market to stay the same in the first quarter, 38% see it trending upward and only 9% see it trending down.  Businesses predicted a similar outlook in a year-ago survey for the first quarter of 2018, with 49% saying the job market would stay the same, 42% saying it would trend up and 9% saying it would trend down.

 

The survey results also queried which professions can expect to see hiring in the first quarter of 2019.  It asked respondents, “Do you plan to hire any positions in the following segment in the first quarter?”  Responses include:

 

*General labor (industrial):  32%

*None:  30%

*Skilled labor (industrial):  27%

*Administrative/office clerical:  19%

*Other:  17%

*Accounting and finance:  10%

*Engineering:  8%

*Information technology:  8%

*Marketing:  8%

*Healthcare:  3%

 

The survey of 445 businesses, which are current and former clients of Express Employment Professionals, was conducted in December 2018 to gauge respondents’ expectations for the first quarter of 2019.

 

 

Workplace Trends for 2019 Include Flexibility, Digital Sophistication

Daily News, December 5, 2018

 

Facing historically low unemployment, employers will focus on hiring for potential, offering flexibility and developing digital sophistication, according to an analysis by Randstad US on hiring and workplace trends for the next year.

 

“HR strategies won’t be effective if they don’t evolve,” said Jim Link, chief human resources officer at Randstad North America.  “Ensuring your company attracts the best talent and is poised to innovate in the future means taking a holistic approach to every decision HR makes.  Anticipating digital disruption and developing a meaningful diversity and inclusion strategy will be paramount.”

 

Here are the 8 workplace trends that Randstad US expects for 2019:

 

Constant digital disruption will become the norm.  Keeping up with technology can be daunting, but employees today expect a high level of digital sophistication.  Employers must address this through digital relevancy (having the right tools and technologies), digital orientation (helping employees manage their use of and expectations around always-on technologies) and digital leadership (to help the company adopt and adapt to emerging technologies).

 

A continued shift in how, when, where and why work gets done.  Companies are already offering employees more flexibility.  This will lead to even more work-life fluidity, as it’s becoming more common for employees to perform “life” tasks during work hours and take work home during “off” hours.  Employers are also realizing that employees feel strongly about being invested in their companies’ missions, so companies that can connect the efforts of their employees to bigger-picture goals will have a competitive advantage.

 

Training — anytime and anywhere — will become an expectation.  When companies don’t offer meaningful opportunities for learning and progression, employees move on.  Relevant, timely and on-demand training opportunities will be an important retention strategy for 2019 and beyond.  Dedicated career coaching is also poised to become more popular as employers realize the benefits of employees engaging with a coach to help them advance.

 

Diversity and inclusion will take center stage.   Businesses must focus on diversity and inclusion to entice a broader talent pool.  After all, bringing together wide-ranging perspectives is a key ingredient in innovation and can help drive better business decision-making.  Diversity and inclusion is a prerogative that will require buy-in from everyone, including senior leadership.

 

Artificial intelligence will become an employment category.  While few organizations today consider technology a formal part of their workforce, that’s going to change quickly.  According to Randstad US, agile workers and AI are the fastest-growing workforce segments.  However, far from replacing humans in the workforce, technology is helping them deliver even greater value.

 

Employers will need to hire for potential and reward retention.  When job requisitions stay open too long, employers are forced to spend more time and money on recruitment, while overburdened teams become less effective.  Employers must think differently about what makes for a quality candidate, focusing more on “must-have” than “nice-to-have” attributes.  From there, employers will also have to get creative to improve and incentivize long-term retention.

 

Company culture will influence the quality of job applicants.  A positive workplace culture is a big draw for candidates evaluating different job opportunities, which is why it’s so important for companies to share external messaging that accurately and authentically captures their work environment.  While communicating the positive things that current employees have to say about working for your company can be a huge draw for potential candidates, the key is to do it in a way that feels authentic.

 

Employee performance measurements will evolve.  Internal employee review processes will become more fluid, shifting to models that provide continuous feedback.  This will also affect the promotion process:  We’ll see more gradual advancement structures, in which managers will constantly feed employees with new challenges and corresponding salary raises on an ongoing basis, as opposed to having fewer promotions along more rigidly structured timelines.

 

 

Fewer Employees Plan to Stay in Their Current Positions, Q3 Gartner Report Finds

Daily News, December 5, 2018

 

Fewer employees intend to stay at their current employer, according to the third-quarter Global Talent Monitor released by Gartner Inc.  The report found 53% of workers worldwide have a high or somewhat high intent to stay in their current positions, down from 60% of workers who held that same positive intent in the first quarter’s survey.  This latest data marks the 5th consecutive quarter that intent to stay has declined globally.

 

The third-quarter report also highlighted the continued decline of US employees going above and beyond at work.  Only 16.3% of US workers expressed high levels of discretionary effort — a decrease of nearly 8% year over year, and the largest year-over-year decrease of the 26 global regions surveyed.  Just 7.5% of the global labor force reported both high discretionary effort and a high intent to stay at their current employer.

 

“We are continuing to witness a multi-year decline in employee discretionary effort both in the US and globally, as workers are simply not seeing rewards from their employers for going above and beyond,” said Brian Kropp, group VP of Gartner’s HR practice.  “Ultimately, employees are capitalizing on the realities of the tight labor market — workers don’t see benefits for offering additional effort nor are they worried about getting penalized for doing less.  The surplus of jobs open in the market is bolstering employee confidence as workers believe they can easily find another position.”

 

Another indication of economic conditions influencing employee behavior comes from an increase in workers’ expectations for 2019 salaries and 2018 bonuses.  Base pay expectations jumped nearly a full percentage point from last quarter, with workers expecting a wage increase of 3.9% in 2019 and anticipating bonus and merit payouts 3.8% larger than the previous year.

 

Global Talent Monitor data is drawn from the larger Gartner Global Labor Market Survey that is sourced from more than 22,000 employees in 40 countries.  The survey is conducted quarterly and is reflective of market conditions during the quarter preceding publication.

 

 

The new ADP/Moody’s National Employment Report:  Over 80% of all new job growth in December 2018 came from Small and Medium-size Companies!

January 3, 2019

 

Private sector employment increased by 271,000 jobs from November to December (a 114,000 job increase from November’s downwardly ‘revised’ 157,000*), according to the December ADP National Employment Report®.  *The November total of jobs added was revised down from 179,000 to 157,000.

 

This report is produced by ADP® in collaboration with Moody’s Analytics.  The matched sample used to develop the ADP National Employment Report® was derived from ADP payroll data, which represents 411,000 U.S. clients employing nearly 24,000,000 workers in the U.S.

 

By Company Size

 

Small businesses:            89,000

1-19 employees                25,000

20-49 employees              63,000

 

Medium businesses:      129,000

50-499 employees           129,000

 

Large businesses:           54,000

500-999 employees           48,000

1,000+ employees               6,000

 

By Sector

 

  1. Goods-producing:                               47,000

 

  1. Natural resources/mining               <-2,000>
  2. Construction                                    37,000
  3. Manufacturing                                    12,000

 

  1. Service-providing:     224,000

 

  1. Trade/transportation/utilities             33,000
  2. Information               6,000
  3. Financial activities               7,000
  4. Professional/business services  66,000
  5. Professional/technical services                              30,000
  6. Management of companies/enterprises                     4,000
  7. Administrative/support services                            32,000
  8. Education/health services                           61,000
  9. Health care/social assistance                                  41,000
  10. Education                                                                20,000
  11. Leisure/hospitality                                     39,000
  12. Other services                                             12,000

 

Franchise Employment

 

Franchise Jobs                        29,000

 

“We wrapped up 2018 with another month of significant growth in the labor market,” said Ahu Yildirmaz, vice president and co-head of the ADP Research Institute.  “Although there were increases in most sectors, the busy holiday season greatly impacted both trade and leisure and hospitality.  Small businesses also experienced their strongest month of job growth all year.”

 

Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, said, “Businesses continue to add aggressively to their payrolls despite the stock market slump and the trade war.  Favorable December weather also helped lift the job market.  At the current pace of job growth, low unemployment will get even lower.”

 

(The January 2019 ADP National Employment Report will be released at 8:15 a.m. ET on January 30, 2019.)

 

Due to the important contribution that small businesses make to economic growth, employment data that is specific to businesses with 49 or fewer employees is reported each month in the ADP Small Business Report®, a subset of the ADP National Employment Report.

 

December 2018 Small Business Report Highlights

 

Total Small Business Employment:             89,000 (a 43,000 increase)

 

●By Size  
►1-19 employees 25,000
►20-49 employees 63,000
●By Sector for 1-49 Employees  
►Goods Producing 21,000
►Service Producing 68,000
●By Sector for 1-19 Employees  
►Goods Producing 7,000
►Service Producing 19,000
●By Sector for 20-49 Employees  
►Goods Producing 14,000
►Service Producing 49,000

 

Bottom-line:  To my audience of recruiters, always remember this:  Our ‘bread and butter’, especially on the contingency side of the house, has historically been, and continues to be, small and medium-sized client companies.  Along with the large companies, these companies need to be in included in your niche!

 

 

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey – October 2018

December 10, 2018

 

The number of job openings decreased to 7,100,000 on the last business day of October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.  Over the month, hires edged up to 5,900,000 and separations were little changed at 5,600,000.  Within separations, the quits rate was little changed at 2.3% and the layoffs and discharges rate was unchanged at 1.1%.  This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the nonfarm sector by industry and by 4 geographic regions. Job Openings On the last business day of October, the job openings level was little changed at 7,100,000.  The job openings rate was 4.5% in October.  The number of job openings was little changed for total private and for government.  Job openings increased in information (+45,000), real estate and rental and leasing (+38,000), educational services (+20,000), and state and local government education (+17,000).  The number of job openings decreased in state and local government, excluding education (-38,000) and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-33,000).  Job openings were little changed in all four regions. Hires The number of hires edged up to 5,900,000 (+196,000) in October, nearly matching its series high in August.  The hires rate was 3.9% in October.  The number of hires was little changed for total private and for government.  Hires increased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+90,000) and durable goods manufacturing (+43,000) but decreased in mining and logging (-11,000).  The number of hires was little changed in all four regions. Separations Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations.  Total separations is referred to as turnover.  Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee.  Therefore, the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs.  Layoffs and discharges are involuntary separations initiated by the employer.  Other separations includes separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm. The number of total separations was little changed at 5,600,000 in October.  The total separations rate was 3.7%.  The number of total separations was little changed for total private and for government.  Total separations increased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+37,000).  The number of total separations was little changed in all 4 regions. The number of quits was little changed in October at 3,500,000.  The quits rate was 2.3%.  The number of quits was little changed for total private and unchanged for government.  Quits increased in health care and social assistance (+33,000), transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+30,000), and educational services (+12,000).  The number of quits decreased in other services (-39,000).  Quits decreased in the Northeast region. The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed in October at 1,700,000.  The layoffs and discharges rate was 1.1%.  The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed for total private and for government.  The number of layoffs and discharges was little changed in all industries and regions. The number of other separations was little changed in October at 351,000.  The other separations level was little changed for total private and for government.  Other separations increased in construction (+18,000).  The number of other separations decreased in a number of industries, with the largest decreases in health care and social assistance (-17,000) and arts, entertainment, and recreation  (-6,000).  The number of other separations was little changed in all 4 regions. Net Change in Employment Large numbers of hires and separations occur every month throughout the business cycle. Net employment change results from the relationship between hires and separations.  When the number of hires exceeds the number of separations, employment rises, even if the hires level is steady or declining.  Conversely, when the number of hires is less than the number of separations, employment declines, even if the hires level is steady or rising.  Over the 12 months ending in October, hires totaled 67,800,000 and separations totaled 65,300,000, yielding a net employment gain of 2,500,000.  These totals include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year.___________          The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey results for November 2018 are scheduled to be released on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. (EST).

 

 

As we recruiters know, that 7,100,000 number only represents 20% of the jobs currently available in the marketplace.  The other 80% of job openings are unpublished and are filled through networking or word of mouth or by using a RECRUITER.  So, those 7,100,000 published job openings now become a total of 35,500,000 published AND hidden job orders.

 

In December there were 6,294,000 unemployed workers.  What was the main reason why those workers were unemployed?  Two Words:  Structural Unemployment.  If we can’t figure out how to educate and/or reeducate those 6,294,000 unemployed, then they will keep reappearing each month as a BLS unemployment statistic—as they have.  In the meantime, our recruitment marketplace flourishes!

 

 

Online Labor Demand Declined in November

December 5, 2018

 

*Online demand in mining grew by 22% over the past year, faster than all other industries

 

*Among occupation groups, computer and legal related ads experienced the fastest growth in the past 12 months

 

*The Northeast region saw the fastest job ads growth in the past year

 

The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine (HWOL) Index declined in November. The Index now stands at 97.1 (July 2018=100), down from 99.8 in October.

 

Beginning with the December 2018 release, The Conference Board launched the Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Index and the revised Help Wanted OnLine® Data Series.  The HWOL Index measures changes over time in advertised online job vacancies, improving upon the prior Data Series’ ability to assess local labor market trends.  The index does not measure differences in the number of ads among geographies, occupations, or industries.  It measures the change in ads relative to the base period (July 2018=100).  An increase in the index is associated with an increase in job openings and hiring activity in the US economy.  The revised HWOL Data Series reflects a new methodology and universe of online job ads.  Both the revised HWOL Data Series and the HWOL Index begin in January 2012.

 

“Despite the declines in October and November, the HWOL Index still remains at a level consistent with strong hiring activity,” said Gad Levanon, Chief Economist, North America, at The Conference Board.  “We expect employment growth to remain strong and labor turnover rates to increase as the labor market gets tighter.  Recruiters will be as busy as ever finding qualified workers for new jobs and replacing workers who have moved on to other jobs.  With the slack in the labor market shrinking, the average time to fill job openings is likely to keep breaking records.  In such an environment, we expect employers to continue raising wages faster, accelerating wage growth by about 0.5% by the end of 2019.”

 

(The December 2018 Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Data Series

will be released at 10:00 AM ET on Wednesday, January 9, 2019)

 

 

U-6 Update

 

In December 2018 the regular unemployment rate rose .2% to 3.9% and the broader U-6 measure remained at 7.6%.

 

The above 7.6% is referred to as the U-6 unemployment rate (found in the monthly BLS Employment Situation Summary, Table A-15; Table A-12 in 2008 and before).  It counts not only people without work seeking full-time employment (the more familiar U-3 rate), but also counts “marginally attached workers and those working part-time for economic reasons.”  Note that some of these part-time workers counted as employed by U-3 could be working as little as an hour a week.  And the “marginally attached workers” include those who have gotten discouraged and stopped looking, but still want to work.  The age considered for this calculation is 16 years and over.

 

Here is a look at the December U-6 numbers for the past 16 years:

 

December 2017                       8.1%

December 2016                       9.1%

December 2015                       9.9%

December 2014                       11.2%

December 2013                       13.1%

December 2012                       14.4%

December 2011                       15,2%

December 2010                       16.6%

December 2009                       17.2%

December 2008                       13.7%

December 2007                       8.7%

December 2006                       7.9%

December 2005                       8.6%

December 2004                       9.3%

December 2003                       9.9%

December 2002                       9.9%

 

 

The December 2018 BLS Analysis*

 

*Special Note:  Starting with this report, the seasonally adjusted household survey data have been revised using updated seasonal adjustment factors, a procedure done at the end of each calendar year.  Seasonally adjusted estimates back to January 2014 were subject to revision.

 

According to the December 2018 Employment Situation Summary, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of the US Department of Labor, the total nonfarm

payroll employment increased by 312,000 in December – a increase of 136,000 from last month’s ‘revised’ 176,000—up from the originally reported 155,000.

 

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for November was revised up from +155,000 to +176,000, and the change for October was revised up from +237,000 to +274,000.  With these revisions, employment gains in October and November combined were 58,000 more than previously reported.  (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)  After revisions, job gains have averaged 254,000 per month over the last 3 months.

 

The unemployment rate is also published by the BLS.  That rate is found by dividing the number of unemployed by the total civilian labor force.  On January 4th, 2019, the BLS published the most recent unemployment rate for December 2018 of 3.9% (actually, it is 3.856%, up by .185% from 3.671% in November 2018—this also takes into account this month’s newly revised data).

 

The unemployment rate was determined by dividing the unemployed of 6,294,000 (–up from the month before by 276,000—since December 2017 this number has decreased by 278,000) by the total civilian labor force of 163,240,000 (up by 419,000 from November 2018).  Since December 2017, our total civilian labor force has increased by 2,604,000 workers.

 

(The continuing ‘Strange BLS Math’ saga—after a detour in December 2016 when the BLS {for the first time in years} DECREASED the total Civilian Noninstitutional Population—this month the BLS again increased this total to 258,888,000.  This is an increase of 180,000 from last month’s increase of 194,000.  In one year’s time, this population has increased by 2,779,000. For the last 3 years the Civilian Noninstitutional Population has increased each month—except in December 2016—by…)

 

Up from November 2018 by 180,000
Up from October 2018 by 194,000
Up from September 2018 by 224,000
Up from August 2018 by 224,000
Up from July 2018 by 223,000
Up from June 2018 by 201,000
Up from May 2018 by 188,000
Up from April 2018 by 182,000
Up from March 2018 by 175,000
Up from February 2018 by 163,000
Up from January 2018 by 154,000
Up from December 2017 by 671,000
Up from November 2017 by 160,000
Up from October 2017 by 183,000
Up from September 2017 by 204,000
Up from August 2017 by 205,000
Up from July 2017 by 206,000
Up from June 2017 by 194,000
Up from May 2017 by 173,000
Up from April 2017 by 179,000
Up from March 2017 by 174,000
Up from February 2017 by 168,000
Up from January 2017 by 164,000
Down from December 2016 by 660,000
Up from November 2016 by 202,000
Up from October 2016 by 219,000
Up from September 2016 by 230,000
Up from August 2016 by 237,000
Up from July 2016 by 234,000
Up from June 2016 by 223,000
Up from May 2016 by 223,000
Up from April 2016 by 205,000
Up from March 2016 by 201,000
Up from February 2016 by 191,000
Up from January 2016 by 180,000

 

This month the BLS has increased the Civilian Labor Force to 163,240 ,000 (up from November by 419,000).

 

Subtract the second number (‘civilian labor force’) from the first number (‘civilian noninstitutional population’) and you get 95,649,000 ‘Not in Labor Force’—down by 237,000 from last month’s 95,886,000.  In one year’s time, this NILF population has increased by 176,000.  The government tells us that most of these NILFs got discouraged and just gave up looking for a job.  My monthly recurring question is: “If that is the case, how do they survive when they don’t earn any money because they don’t have a job?  Are they ALL relying on the government to support them??”

 

This month, our Employment Participation Rate—the population 16 years and older working or seeking work—rose to 63.1%.  This is .7% above the historically low rate of 62.4% recorded in September 2015—and, before that, the rate recorded in October 1977—9 months into Jimmy Carter’s presidency—almost 40 years ago!

 

Final take on these numbers:  Fewer people looking for work will always bring down the unemployment rate.

 

Anyway, back to the point I am trying to make.  On the surface, these new unemployment rates are scary, but let’s look a little deeper and consider some other numbers.

 

The unemployment rate includes all types of workers—construction workers, government workers, etc.  We recruiters, on the other hand, mainly place management, professional and related types of workers.  That unemployment rate in December was 2.1% (this rate was the same as last month’s 2.1%).  Or, you can look at it another way.  We usually place people who have college degrees.  That unemployment rate in December was 2.1% (this rate was .1% lower than last month’s 2.2%).

 

Now stay with me a little longer.  This gets better.  It’s important to understand (and none of the pundits mention this) that the unemployment rate, for many reasons, will never be 0%, no matter how good the economy is.  Without boring you any more than I have already, let me add here that Milton Friedman (the renowned Nobel Prize-winning economist), is famous for the theory of the “natural rate of unemployment” (or the term he preferred, NAIRU, which is the acronym for Non-Accelerating Inflation Rate of Unemployment).  Basically, this theory states that full employment presupposes an ‘unavoidable and acceptable’ unemployment rate of somewhere between 4-6% with it.  Economists often settle on 5%, although the “New Normal Unemployment Rate” has been suggested to fall at 6.7%.

 

Nevertheless (if you will allow me to apply a ‘macro’ concept to a ‘micro’ issue), if this rate is applied to our main category of Management, Professional and Related types of potential recruits, and/or our other main category of College-Degreed potential recruits, we are well below the 4-6% threshold for full employment…we find no unemployment!  None!  Zilch!  A Big Goose Egg!

 

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF GDP

 

“The economic goal of any nation, as of any individual, is to get the greatest results with the least effort.  The whole economic progress of mankind has consisted in getting more production with the same labor…Translated into national terms, this first principle means that our real objective is to maximize production.  In doing this, full employment—that is, the absence of involuntary idleness—becomes a necessary by-product.  But production is the end, employment merely the means.  We cannot continuously have the fullest production without full employment.  But we can very easily have full employment without full production.”

 

Economics in One Lesson, by Henry Hazlitt, Chapter X, “The Fetish of Full Employment”

On December 21st, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) announced the real gross domestic product (GDP) — the value of the goods and services produced by the nation’s economy less the value of the goods and services used up in production, adjusted for price changes — increased at an annual rate of 3.4% in the third quarter of 2018, according to the “third” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  In the second quarter of 2018, real GDP increased 4.2%.

The GDP estimate released on December 21st is based on more complete source data than were available for the “second” estimate issued last month.  In the second estimate, the increase in real GDP was 3.5%.  With this third estimate for the third quarter, personal consumption expenditures (PCE) and exports were revised down, and private inventory investment was revised up; the general picture of economic growth remains the same

 

The increase in real GDP in the third quarter reflected positive contributions from PCE, private inventory investment, nonresidential fixed investment, federal government spending, and state and local government spending that were partly offset by negative contributions from exports and residential fixed investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.

 

The deceleration in real GDP growth in the third quarter primarily reflected a downturn in exports and decelerations in nonresidential fixed investment and in PCE. Imports increased in the third quarter after decreasing in the second. These movements were partly offset by an upturn in private inventory investment.

 

Updates to GDP

 

The third-quarter percent change in real GDP was revised down 0.1% from the second estimate, reflecting downward revisions to PCE and exports that were partly offset by an upward revision to private inventory investment.

 

Three Update Releases to GDP BEA releases 3 vintages of the current quarterly estimate for GDP:  “Advance” estimates are released near the end of the first month following the end of the quarter and are based on source data that are incomplete or subject to further revision by the source agency; “second” and “third” estimates are released near the end of the second and third months, respectively, and are based on more detailed and more comprehensive data as they become available. (Fourth Quarter and Annual 2018 “Advance Estimate” will be released on January 30, 2019)

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT EVER TO BE ZERO

 

‘Unemployment’ is an emotional ‘trigger’ word…a ‘third rail’, if you will.  It conjures up negative thoughts.  But it is important to realize that, while we want everyone who wants a job to have the opportunity to work, unemployment can never be zero and, in fact, can be disruptive to an economy if it gets too close to zero.  Very low unemployment can actually hurt the economy by creating an upward pressure on wages which invariably leads to higher production costs and prices.  This can lead to inflation.  The lowest the unemployment rate has been in the US was 2.5%.  That was in May and June 1953 when the economy overheated due to the Korean War.  When this bubble burst, it kicked off the Recession of 1953.  A healthy economy will always include some percentage of unemployment.

 

There are five main sources of unemployment:

 

  1. Cyclical (or demand-deficient) unemployment – This type of unemployment fluctuates with the business cycle. It rises during a recession and falls during the subsequent recovery.  Workers who are most affected by this type of unemployment are laid off during a recession when production volumes fall, and companies use lay-offs as the easiest way to reduce costs.  These workers are usually rehired, some months later, when the economy improves.

 

  1. Frictional unemployment – This comes from the normal turnover in the labor force. This is where new workers are entering the workforce and older workers are retiring and leaving vacancies to be filled by the new workers or those re-entering the workforce.  This category includes workers who are between jobs.

 

  1. Structural unemployment – This happens when the skills possessed by the unemployed worker don’t match the requirements of the opening—whether those be in characteristics and skills or in location. This can come from new technology or foreign competition (e.g., foreign outsourcing).  This type of unemployment usually lasts longer than frictional unemployment because retraining, and sometimes relocation, is involved.  Occasionally jobs in this category can just disappear overseas.

 

  1. Seasonal unemployment – This happens when the workforce is affected by the climate or time of year. Construction workers and agricultural workers aren’t needed as much during the winter season because of the inclement weather.  On the other hand, retail workers experience an increase in hiring shortly before, and during, the holiday season, but can be laid off shortly thereafter.

 

  1. Surplus unemployment – This is caused by minimum wage laws and unions. When wages are set at a higher level, unemployment can often result.  Why?  To keep within the same payroll budget, the company must let go of some workers to pay the remaining workers a higher salary.

 

Other factors influencing the unemployment rate:

 

  1. Length of unemployment – Some studies indicate that an important factor influencing a worker’s decision to accept a new job is directly related to the length of the unemployment benefit they are receiving. Currently, in 2018, workers in most states are eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits from the regular state-funded unemployment compensation program.  Studies suggest that additional weeks of benefits reduce the incentive of the unemployed to seek and accept less desirable jobs.

 

  1. Changes in GDP – Since hiring workers takes time, the improvement in the unemployment rate usually lags the improvement in the GDP.

 

WHERE RECRUITERS PLACE

 

Now back to the issue at hand, namely the recruiting, and placing, of professionals and those with college degrees.

 

If you look at the past few years of unemployment in the December “management, professional and related” types of worker category, you will find the following rates:

 

December 2017                       2.0%

December 2016                       2.2%

December 2015                       2.0%

December 2014                       2.7%

December 2013                       2.9%

December 2012                       3.9%

December 2011                       4.2%

December 2010                       4.6%

December 2009                       4.6%

December 2008                       3.3%

December 2007                       2.0%

December 2006                       1.7%

December 2005                       2.0%

December 2004                       2.5%

December 2003                       2.8%

December 2002                       2.8%

December 2001                       2.9%

December 2000                       1.7%

 

Here are the rates, during those same time periods, for “college-degreed” workers:

 

December 2017                       2.1%

December 2016                       2.5%

December 2015                       2.5%

December 2014                       2.8%

December 2013                       3.4%

December 2012                       4.0%

December 2011                       4.0%

December 2010                       4.8%

December 2009                       4.9%

December 2008                       3.7%

December 2007                       2.1%

December 2006                       1.9%

December 2005                       2.2%

December 2004                       2.5%

December 2003                       3.0%

December 2002                       2.9%

December 2001                       3.1%

December 2000                       1.5%

 

The December 2018 rates for these two categories, 2.1% and 2.1%, respectively, are very low again this month and are at, or close to, the halcyon numbers we attained in the 2005-2007 & 2000 time frames.  But regardless, these unemployment numbers usually include a good number of job hoppers, job shoppers and rejects.  We, on the other hand, are engaged by our client companies to find those candidates who are happy, well-appreciated, making good money and currently working and we entice them to move for even better opportunities—especially where new technologies are expanding.  This will never change.  And that is why, no matter the overall unemployment rate, we still need to MARKET to find the best possible job orders to work and we still need to RECRUIT to find the best possible candidates for those Job Orders.

 

 

Below are the numbers for the over 25-year old’s:

 

 

Less than H.S. diploma – Unemployment Rate

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
7.7% 7.4% 8.2% 7.9% 8.4% 8.9% 8.6% 9.7% 9.8% 10.4% 10.6% 10.9%

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
12.0% 12.6% 13.3% 14.8% 15.5% 15.5% 15.4% 15.6% 15.0% 15.5% 15.0% 15.3%

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
15.2% 15.6% 14.5% 14.7% 15.0% 14.1% 13.8% 14.0% 15.4% 15.3% 15.7% 15.3%

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
14.2% 13.9% 13.7% 14.6% 14.7% 14.3% 15.0% 14.3% 14.0% 13.8% 13.2% 13.8%

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
13.1% 12.9% 12.6% 12.5% 13.0% 12.6% 12.7% 12.0% 11.3% 12.2% 12.2% 11.7%

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
12.0% 11.2% 11.1% 11.6% 11.1% 10.7% 11.0% 11.3% 10.3% 10.9% 10.8% 9.8%

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
9.6% 9.8% 9.6% 8.9% 9.1% 9.1% 9.6% 9.1% 8.4% 7.9% 8.5% 8.8%

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
8.5% 8.4% 8.6% 8.6% 8.6% 8.2% 8.3% 7.7% 7.7% 7.3% 6.8% 6.7%

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
7.4% 7.3% 7.4% 7.5% 7.1% 7.5% 6.3% 7.2% 8.5% 7.3% 7.9% 7.9%

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
7.3% 7.9% 6.8% 6.5% 6.1% 6.4% 6.9% 6.0% 6.5% 5.7% 5.2% 6.3%

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
5.4% 5.7% 5.5% 5.9% 5.4% 5.5% 5.1% 5.7% 5.5% 6.0% 5.6% 5.8%

 

 

H.S. Grad; no college – Unemployment Rate

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
4.6% 4.7% 5.1% 5.0% 5.2% 5.2% 5.3% 5.8% 6.3% 6.5% 6.9% 7.7%

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
8.1% 8.3% 9.0% 9.3% 10.0% 9.8% 9.4% 9.7% 10.8% 11.2% 10.4% 10.5%

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
10.1% 10.5% 10.8% 10.6% 10.9% 10.8% 10.1% 10.3% 10.0% 10.1% 10.0% 9.8%

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
9.4% 9.5% 9.5% 9.7% 9.5% 10.0% 9.3% 9.6% 9.7% 9.6% 8.8% 8.7%

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
8.4% 8.3% 8.0% 7.9% 8.1% 8.4% 8.7% 8.8% 8.7% 8.4% 8.1% 8.0%

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
8.1% 7.9% 7.6% 7.4% 7.4% 7.6% 7.6% 7.6% 7.6% 7.3% 7.3% 7.1%

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
6.5% 6.4% 6.3% 6.3% 6.5% 5.8% 6.1% 6.2% 5.3% 5.7% 5.6% 5.3%

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
5.4% 5.4% 5.3% 5.4% 5.8% 5.4% 5.5% 5.5% 5.3% 5.3% 5.4% 5.6%

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
5.3% 5.3% 5.4% 5.4% 5.1% 5.0% 5.0% 5.1% 5.2% 5.5% 4.9% 5.1%

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
5.2% 5.0% 4.9% 4.6% 4.7% 4.6% 4.5% 5.1% 4.3% 4.3% 4.3% 4.2%

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
4.5% 4.4% 4.3% 4.3% 3.9% 4.2% 4.0% 3.9% 3.7% 4.0% 3.5% 3.8%

 

 

Some College; or AA/AS – Unemployment Rate

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
3.7% 3.8% 3.9% 4.0% 4.3% 4.4% 4.6% 5.0% 5.1% 5.3% 5.5% 5.6%

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
6.2% 7.0% 7.2% 7.4% 7.7% 8.0% 7.9% 8.2% 8.5% 9.0% 9.0% 9.0%

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
8.5% 8.0% 8.2% 8.3% 8.3% 8.2% 8.3% 8.7% 9.1% 8.5% 8.7% 8.1%

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
8.0% 7.8% 7.4% 7.5% 8.0% 8.4% 8.3% 8.2% 8.4% 8.3% 7.6% 7.7%

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
7.2% 7.3% 7.5% 7.6% 7.9% 7.5% 7.1% 6.6% 6.5% 6.9% 6.6% 6.9%

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
7.0% 6.7% 6.4% 6.4% 6.5% 6.4% 6.0% 6.1% 6.0% 6.3% 6.4% 6.1%

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
6.0% 6.2% 6.1% 5.7% 5.5% 5.0% 5.3% 5.4% 5.4% 4.8% 4.9% 5.0%

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
5.2% 5.1% 4.8% 4.7% 4.4% 4.2% 4.4% 4.4% 4.3% 4.3% 4.4% 4.1%

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
4.2% 4.2% 4.1% 4.1% 3.9% 4.2% 4.3% 4.3% 4.2% 4.2% 3.9% 3.8%

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
3.8% 4.0% 3.7% 3.7% 4.0% 3.8% 3.7% 3.8% 3.6% 3.7% 3.6% 3.6%

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
3.4% 3.5% 3.6% 3.5% 3.2% 3.3% 3.2% 3.5% 3.2% 3.0% 3.1% 3.3%

 

 

BS/BS + – Unemployment Rate

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
2.1% 2.1% 2.1% 2.1% 2.3% 2.4% 2.5% 2.7% 2.6% 3.1% 3.2% 3.7%

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
3.9% 4.1% 4.3% 4.4% 4.8% 4.7% 4.7% 4.7% 4.9% 4.7% 4.9% 5.0%

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
4.8% 5.0% 4.9% 4.9% 4.7% 4.4% 4.5% 4.6% 4.4% 4.7% 5.1% 4.8%

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
4.2% 4.3% 4.4% 4.5% 4.5% 4.4% 4.3% 4.3% 4.2% 4.4% 4.4% 4.1%

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
4.2% 4.2% 4.2% 4.0% 3.9% 4.1% 4.1% 4.1% 4.1% 3.8% 3.8% 3.9%

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
3.8% 3.8% 3.8% 3.9% 3.8% 3.9% 3.8% 3.5% 3.7% 3.8% 3.4% 3.3%

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
3.3% 3.4% 3.4% 3.3% 3.2% 3.3% 3.1% 3.2% 2.9% 3.1% 3.2% 2.8%

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
2.8% 2.7% 2.5% 2.7% 2.7% 2.5% 2.6% 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 2.5%

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
2.5% 2.5% 2.6% 2.4% 2.4% 2.5% 2.5% 2.7% 2.5% 2.6% 2.3% 2.5%

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
2.5% 2.4% 2.5% 2.4% 2.3% 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 2.3% 2.0% 2.1% 2.1%

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
2.1% 2.3% 2.2% 2.1% 2.0% 2.3% 2.2% 2.1% 2.0% 2.0% 2.2% 2.1%

 

 

Management, Professional & Related – Unemployment Rate

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
2.2% 2.2% 2.1% 2.0% 2.6% 2.7% 2.9% 3.3% 2.8% 3.0% 3.2% 3.3%

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
4.1% 3.9% 4.2% 4.0% 4.6% 5.0% 5.5% 5.4% 5.2% 4.7% 4.6% 4.6%

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
5.0% 4.8% 4.7% 4.5% 4.5% 4.9% 5.0% 5.1% 4.4% 4.5% 4.7% 4.6%

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
4.7% 4.4% 4.3% 4.0% 4.4% 4.7% 5.0% 4.9% 4.4% 4.4% 4.2% 4.2%

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
4.3% 4.2% 4.2% 3.7% 4.0% 4.4% 4.8% 4.5% 3.9% 3.8% 3.6% 3.9%

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
3.9% 3.8% 3.6% 3.5% 3.5% 4.2% 4.1% 3.8% 3.5% 3.4% 3.1% 2.9%

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
3.1% 3.2% 3.3% 2.9% 3.1% 3.5% 3.5% 3.4% 2.8% 2.7% 2.8% 2.7%

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
2.9% 2.7% 2.4% 2.4% 2.4% 2.9% 3.1% 2.9% 2.4% 2.2% 2.1% 2.0%

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
2.3% 2.4% 2.4% 2.1% 2.1% 2.8% 3.0% 3.1% 2.7% 2.5% 2.3% 2.2%

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
2.3% 2.1% 2.0% 2.0% 1.9% 2.3% 2.7% 2.8% 2.3% 2.1% 2.0% 2.0%

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
2.2% 2.0% 2.0% 1.8% 1.7% 2.5% 2.4% 2.5% 2.0% 1.9% 2.1% 2.1%

 

 

Or employed…(,000)

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
52,165 52,498 52,681 52,819 52,544 52,735 52,655 52,626 53,104 53,485 53,274 52,548

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
52,358 52,196 52,345 52,597 52,256 51,776 51,810 51,724 52,186 52,981 52,263 52,131

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
52,159 52,324 52,163 52,355 51,839 51,414 50,974 50,879 51,757 51,818 52,263 51,704

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
51,866 52,557 53,243 53,216 52,778 52,120 51,662 51,997 52,665 52,864 52,787 52,808

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
53,152 53,208 53,771 54,055 54,156 53,846 53,165 53,696 54,655 55,223 54,951 54,635

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
54,214 54,563 54,721 54,767 54,740 54,323 54,064 54,515 55,013 55,155 55,583 54,880

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
55,096 55,501 56,036 55,896 56,202 55,714 55,381 55,646 56,365 56,759 57,110 56,888

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
57,367 57,596 57,805 57,953 58,155 57,710 57,392 57,288 58,105 58,456 58,667 59,030

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
59,014 59,583 60,080 59,690 59,613 59,181 58,434 58,526 59,599 59,766 59,707 60,069

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
59,921 61,064 61,156 61,317 61,174 60,705 59,923 59,559 60,990 61,062 61,818 62,121

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
62,123 62,908 63,067 62,561 62,360 61,349 61,433 61,593 62,181 62,929 63,084 63,642

 

 

And unemployed…(,000)

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
1,164 1,159 1,121 1,088 1,407 1,478 1,585 1,779 1,539 1,647 1,786 1,802

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
2,238 2,137 2,292 2,164 2,373 2,720 3,034 2,925 2,859 2,593 2,530 2,509

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
2,762 2,637 2,600 2,464 2,450 2,644 2,687 2,762 2,381 2,417 2,525 2,468

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
2,557 2,435 2,381 2,196 2,419 2,598 2,742 2,671 2,450 2,410 2,336 2,303

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
2,410 2,336 2,330 2,062 2,275 2,472 2,666 2,556 2,245 2,170 2,077 2,221

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
2,211 2,164 2,020 1,980 1,990 2,358 2,286 2,130 1,978 1,930 1,749 1,637

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
1,784 1,845 1,890 1,642 1,795 2,001 2,011 1,930 1,617 1,582 1,656 1,568

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
1,741 1,601 1,398 1,435 1,460 1,714 1,807 1,686 1,414 1,312 1,276 1,208

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
1,404 1,456 1,477 1,251 1,305 1,712 1,782 1,869 1,652 1,506 1,382 1,361

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
1,425 1,313 1,265 1,254 1,208 1,440 1,656 1,731 1,463 1,285 1,266 1,290

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
1,374 1,301 1,310 1,134 1,083 1,575 1,539 1,591 1,299 1,246 1,330 1,368

 

 

For a total Management, Professional & Related workforce of…(,000)

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
53,329 53,657 53,802 53,907 53,951 54,213 54,240 54,405 54,643 55,132 55,060 54,350

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
54,596 54,333 54,637 54,761 54,629 54,496 54,844 54,649 55,045 55,574 54,793 54,640

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
54,921 54,961 54,763 54,819 54,289 54,058 53,661 53,641 54,138 54,235 54,788 54,172

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
54,423 54,992 55,624 55,412 55,197 54,718 54,404 54,668 55,115 55,274 55,123 55,111

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
55,562 55,544 56,101 56,117 56,431 56,318 55,831 56,252 56,900 57,393 57,028 56,856

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
56,425 56,727 56,741 56,747 56,730 56,681 56,350 56,645 56,991 57,085 57,332 56,517

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
56,880 57,346 57,926 57,538 57,997 57,715 57,392 57,576 57,982 58,341 58,766 58,456

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
59,108 59,197 59,203 59,388 59,615 59,424 59,199 58,974 59,519 59,768 59,943 60,238

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
60,418 61,039 61,557 60,941 60,918 60,893 60,216 60,395 61,251 61,272 61,089 61,430

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
61,346 62,377 62,421 62,571 62,382 62,145 61,579 61,290 62,453 62,347 63,084 63,411

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
63,497 64,209 64,377 63,695 63,443 62,924 62,972 63,184 63,480 64,175 64,414 65,010

 

 

Management, Business and Financial Operations – Unemployment Rate

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
2.3% 2.3% 2.2% 2.1% 2.7% 2.5% 2.6% 2.8% 2.8% 3.0% 3.6% 3.9%

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
4.6% 4.5% 4.5% 4.4% 4.6% 4.8% 4.9% 5.0% 5.2% 5.4% 5.4% 5.2%

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
5.2% 5.1% 5.4% 5.1% 4.9% 4.8% 4.7% 4.9% 4.3% 5.0% 5.5% 5.7%

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
5.3% 4.9% 4.8% 4.6% 4.9% 4.6% 4.6% 4.6% 4.6% 4.7% 4.6% 4.4%

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
4.5% 4.4% 4.4% 4.0% 4.1% 3.8% 3.8% 3.7% 3.5% 3.6% 3.8% 4.1%

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
4.0% 3.9% 3.5% 3.5% 3.8% 3.5% 3.1% 3.4% 3.3% 3.7% 3.2% 3.1%

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
3.4% 3.6% 3.5% 3.2% 3.3% 2.8% 2.7% 2.6% 2.4% 2.7% 2.7% 2.5%

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
3.0% 2.8% 2.6% 2.6% 2.9% 2.4% 2.3% 2.2% 2.4% 2.2% 2.1% 1.9%

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
2.3% 2.6% 2.5% 2.4% 2.4% 2.5% 2.4% 2.5% 2.8% 2.5% 2.3% 2.4%

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
2.5% 2.4% 2.4% 2.2% 1.8% 1.9% 1.9% 2.4% 2.5% 1.9% 1.9% 2.0%

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 1.8% 1.7% 2.1% 1.9% 2.0% 2.1% 2.0% 2.1% 2.2%

 

 

Professional & Related – Unemployment Rate

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
2.1% 2.1% 2.0% 2.0% 2.5% 2.9% 3.2% 3.6% 2.8% 3.0% 3.0% 2.9%

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
4.9% 4.6% 4.3% 4.1% 4.3% 5.0% 5.2% 5.3% 4.4% 4.1% 4.1% 3.8%

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
4.3% 4.1% 3.9% 3.5% 4.0% 4.9% 5.3% 5.1% 4.4% 4.1% 4.0% 4.0%

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
4.2% 4.1% 4.0% 3.5% 4.0% 4.8% 5.5% 5.2% 4.3% 3.9% 3.5% 3.8%

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
3.8% 3.8% 3.6% 3.4% 3.3% 4.6% 4.7% 4.0% 3.6% 3.1% 2.9% 2.7%

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
2.9% 3.0% 3.1% 2.6% 2.9% 4.0% 4.1% 3.9% 3.1% 2.7% 2.9% 2.8%

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
2.9% 2.7% 2.2% 2.3% 2.1% 3.2% 3.6% 3.3% 2.4% 2.2% 2.2% 2.1%

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
2.4% 2.2% 2.3% 1.8% 2.0% 3.1% 3.4% 3.5% 2.6% 2.4% 2.2% 2.1%

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
2.2% 1.9% 1.8% 1.8% 2.0% 2.6% 3.3% 3.1% 2.3% 2.2% 2.0% 2.1%

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
2.3% 2.0% 2.1% 1.8% 1.7% 2.8% 2.8% 2.9% 2.0% 1.9% 2.1% 2.1%

 

 

Sales & Related – Unemployment Rate

 

1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
5.2% 5.2% 4.8% 4.3% 5.1% 5.6% 6.2% 6.3% 5.7% 6.1% 6.5% 7.0%

 

1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
7.7% 8.4% 8.9% 8.6% 8.9% 9.1% 8.3% 8.7% 8.9% 9.5% 9.1% 8.9%

 

1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10
10.1% 10.2% 9.7% 9.2% 9.6% 9.4% 10.1% 9.0% 9.4% 9.1% 8.8% 8.3%

 

1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
9.3% 9.0% 8.5% 8.5% 9.4% 9.7% 9.4% 8.6% 9.4% 8.2% 7.8% 7.7%

 

1/12 2/12 3/12 4/12 5/12 6/12 7/12 8/12 9/12 10/12 11/12 12/12
8.2% 7.9% 8.1% 7.6% 7.9% 8.4% 8.3% 8.6% 7.9% 7.0% 7.3% 7.0%

 

1/13 2/13 3/13 4/13 5/13 6/13 7/13 8/13 9/13 10/13 11/13 12/13
8.5% 8.2% 7.7% 6.9% 7.1% 6.7% 6.9% 7.2% 7.5% 7.3% 7.0% 6.3%

 

1/14 2/14 3/14 4/14 5/14 6/14 7/14 8/14 9/14 10/14 11/14 12/14
7.1% 7.7% 6.8% 5.8% 6.8% 6.1% 6.2% 5.6% 5.4% 5.2% 5.3% 5.0%

 

1/15 2/15 3/15 4/15 5/15 6/15 7/15 8/15 9/15 10/15 11/15 12/15
5.8% 5.2% 5.8% 5.5% 5.8% 5.6% 5.8% 5.4% 5.6% 5.3% 5.1% 4.3%

 

1/16 2/16 3/16 4/16 5/16 6/16 7/16 8/16 9/16 10/16 11/16 12/16
5.0% 4.4% 4.4% 5.2% 5.1% 4.9% 4.9% 4.8% 5.2% 4.4% 4.6% 4.6%

 

1/17 2/17 3/17 4/17 5/17 6/17 7/17 8/17 9/17 10/17 11/17 12/17
5.2% 4.3% 3.9% 4.2% 4.5% 4.8% 4.2% 4.2% 3.7% 4.0% 4.1% 3.8%

 

1/18 2/18 3/18 4/18 5/18 6/18 7/18 8/18 9/18 10/18 11/18 12/18
4.6% 4.5% 4.5% 4.1% 4.2% 4.4% 4.0% 3.5% 4.0% 3.6% 3.7% 3.6%