BLS Analysis for Recruiters – December 2024

Bob Marshall’s December 2024 BLS Analysis for Recruiters; 1/10/25

December BLS Preface

**“HIRE WIRE” – The Podcast for Recruiters**

Continuing with this BLS report—and again thanks to Kevin Franks, our marketing guru—we will offer the monthly podcast for recruiters, “Hire Wire”, the deep dive that explores my report in a short audio format. So, for those of you who have asked for a shorter summary, we now have that available. Just click on one of the following links and enjoy the audio.

Here is the link:  https://on.soundcloud.com/YT5oHp4ScJ3gkmic8  

TBMG Product & Training Updates:

Coaching Update

MRI/HireQuest Podcast Session

This coming Tuesday, January 14, 2025, I will be recording a Podcast with my longtime friend and colleague, Vince Holt, for the MRI/HireQuest network.

Vince is the CEO of the Talon Group International, Inc. in Pasco, WA and over the last year has completed nearly 50 of these Podcasts.

I am looking forward to this session with Vince and to see what we will discuss. After the recording, I will let you all know when it will be published and how you can access it.

*Top Echelon Expert Recruiter Coaching Series

New Presentation on

Tuesday, May 13th, 2025*

On May 13th at 1pm eastern, I will conduct my next FREE webinar in the Top Echelon Expert Recruiter Coaching Series.  These webinars cover some of the most critical issues currently facing our industry.  And mine especially deal with sharing the classic techniques from the big billers I have known over my now 45 year recruitment career. 

Well, for those of you who come to this edition of the Top Echelon Expert Recruiting Coaching Series (which is free!), I will give a brand-new presentation. More on the content later

So, come join me at this FREE webinar on Tuesday, May 13th, at 1pm EST. Hope to see you there!

Product Update

Books are Available directly from our

Atlanta, GA TBMG Offices

Proven Strategies for Business Leaders and Service Professionals

Here’s a book review from an Ohio Big Biller Office President…

Timeless Classic!

I have been reading and purchasing Bob’s training materials for over 20 years.

I’ve also had him speak with my office.

In the book, Bob reviews his classics. Classics doesn’t mean old, but timeless.

To be great at anything you must have a process for success.

Bob lays out this process with his usual Bob Marshall candor and insight. 

I highly recommend the book to anyone just starting in the business or has been in it for 30+ years like me.”

Discover the strategies that transformed a recruiter’s career and can propel your business to the next level. In The Phone Rang: The Essential Playbook for Business Success, growth expert Bob Marshall reveals the success principles that translate seamlessly across industries, empowering you to achieve exponential growth.

Bob shares his field-tested strategies honed over decades. He’ll show you how to:

*Target Your Ideal Clients

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Whether you’re leading a growing firm, launching a new venture, or building your independent practice, The Phone Rang will provide the practical tools and mindset shifts to elevate your business and achieve lasting success.

All of the edition formats are now available for domestic purchase & shipping

Specify which format you want to purchase (books can be signed or unsigned). For Paperback and Hardcover, add $5 each to cover packaging/shipping. (*Note: Get enough copies for your entire team; FREE packaging/shipping on orders over $50.) The link for the eBook will be emailed directly to you. You can use Venmo or send funds via PayPal (www.paypal.com). Contact us directly for more details. Send edition requests & your shipping address to: bob@themarshallplan.org.

eBook $9.99

Paperback $24.99

Hardcover $34.95

The book is also available on these sites:

Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D673RWGW

Apple  https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-phone-rang/id6504111929

Kobo (Canada) https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-phone-rang-2

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-phone-rang-bob-marshall/1145714027

Books-A-Million http://www.booksamillion.com

New TBMG Mentorship Hour Packs for 2025

  1. 5-Hour Pack ($950, expires in 3 months)
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BLS Analysis for Recruiters

December Business Articles

The top 10 jobs for wage growth

SIA Editorial Staff, December 13, 2024

Payscale, a provider of compensation data, ranked the top 10 jobs for wage growth as the year 2025 approaches. The 10 jobs have recorded pay increases of between 13% and 20% since 2020.

Here are the top jobs, according to Payscale, along with their wage growth:

Customer service team leader, up 20%. 

Demand for customer service roles has surged ever since the pandemic accelerated e-commerce, according to Payscale.

Child care/day care worker, up 18%. 

While the sector gained political attention during the presidential election, childcare workers continue to face demanding workloads and low pay.

Content strategist, up 16%. 

Demand for content strategists is likely high due to the need for skilled professionals, particularly those who understand how to leverage generative AI for content marketing or compete with generative AI in SEO strategies.

Urban planner, up 14%. 

Urban planners are increasingly sought after to address walkability, transportation infrastructure, mixed-use development and public spaces.

Operations team leader, up 14%. Operations team leaders provide a critical function in an economy that has been focused on increased productivity, operational efficiency, and meeting customer expectations amid global supply chain challenges.

Business operations manager, up 14%. These professionals oversee multiple functions such as supply chain, finance and HR. The skills gap contributes to higher salaries.

Insurance sales agent, up 14%. Rapid insurance rate increases due to inflation and escalating severe weather events have made this role more difficult.

Crew leader, up 13%. Due to demanding physical work and burnout, employers are likely raising wages to retain skilled leaders who can effectively manage teams, according to Payscale.

General manager, hotel, up 13%. Ever since the pandemic, many hotels find it difficult to attract and retain workers.

Mental health counselor, up 13%. High wage growth for this position reflects rising caseloads and emotional strain as demand for mental health services surges.

Payscale noted differences between this year’s list and last year’s. In the previous list, the top 10 jobs had seen pay increases of between 18% and 24%. White-collar roles reemerged this year after blue-collar roles dominated last year. Also, technology jobs did not make this year’s list as the industry continues to prioritize efficiency over growth.

More to hire workers in first half of 2025: Robert Half

SIA Editorial Staff, December 12, 2024

More companies plan to hire workers, including contract professionals, in the first half of next year, according to a report by professional staffing firm Robert Half.

Its survey of hiring managers found that 63% of respondents plan to add new permanent positions during the first half of 2025. That’s up from 52% six months ago.

In addition, 34% plan to staff vacated positions in the first half of next year, and 63% will increase the number of contract professionals on their teams.

“Given these results, companies are clearly optimistic about their hiring outlook for 2025,” Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half, said in a press release.

Reasons for the hiring include company growth, cited by 56%; emergence of new projects, cited by 48%; and employee turnover rates, cited by 47%.

Still, employers will need a plan of action when it comes to recruiting, Fay said. Without such a plan, organizations risk delaying critical initiatives and putting strain on existing employees.

Robert Half also cited the impact of not filling roles in a timely manner, including stretched bandwidth and employee burnout, 42%; delayed project timelines, 39%; and decreased employee productivity, 37%.

And when it comes to strategies for securing and retaining top talent, hiring managers reported that along with competitive salaries, the most important are developing or enhancing mentorship programs, 35%; hiring contract professionals for potential full-time roles; 33%; offering paid internships, 32%; and rehiring retired employees as consultants, 22%.

“Retaining top talent will be just as critical as attracting it in 2025,” Fay added. “The most successful organizations are routinely evaluating compensation, providing career development opportunities and offering perks to keep employees engaged and productive.”

The survey took place in November and includes responses from more than 1,680 hiring managers in finance/accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources at firms with 10 or more employees in the US.

ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Employment Increased by 122,000 Jobs in December; Over 12% of the New Job Creation (14,000) came from Small & Medium Establishments; Annual Pay was Up 4.6%

ROSELAND, N.J. – January 8, 2025

Private sector employment increased by 122,000 jobs in December and annual pay was up 4.6% year-over-year, according to the December ADP® National Employment ReportTM produced by ADP Research in collaboration with the Stanford Digital Economy Lab (“Stanford Lab”).

The ADP National Employment Report is an independent measure and high-frequency view of the private-sector labor market based on actual, anonymized payroll data of more than 25,000,000 U.S. employees.

The jobs report and pay insights use ADP’s fine-grained anonymized and aggregated payroll data to provide a representative picture of the private-sector labor market. The report details the current month’s total private employment change, and weekly job data from the previous month. Because the underlying ADP payroll databases are continuously updated, the report provides a high frequency, near real-time measure of U.S. employment. This measure reflects the number of employees on ADP client payrolls (Payroll Employment) to provide a richer understanding of the labor market. ADP’s pay measure uniquely captures the earnings of a cohort of almost 10,000,000 employees over a 12-month period.

* Sum of components may not equal total due to rounding. The November total number of jobs added remained unchanged at 146,000.

“The labor market downshifted to a more modest pace of growth in the final month of 2024, with a slowdown in both hiring and pay gains,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. “Health care stood out in the second half of the year, creating more jobs than any other sector.”

JOBS REPORT

Private employers added 122,000 jobs in December. Hiring slowed in several industries. Employment in manufacturing shrank for the third straight month.

Change in U.S. Private Employment: 122,000

Change by Industry Sector

Goods-producing: 10,000

Natural resources/mining <-6,000>

Construction 27,000

Manufacturing <-11,000>

Service-providing: 112,000

Trade/transportation/utilities 8,000

Information 5,000

Financial activities 12,000

Professional/business services <-5,000>

Education/health services 57,000

Leisure/hospitality 22,000

Other services 13,000

Change by U.S. Regions

Northeast: 19,000

New England 6,000

Middle Atlantic 13,000

Midwest: 7,000

East North Central <-2,000>

West North Central 9,000

South: 19,000

South Atlantic <-1,000>

East South Central 4,000

West South Central 16,000

West: 82,000

Mountain 26,000

Pacific 56,000

Change by Establishment Size

Small establishments: 5,000

1-19 employees <-1,000>

20-49 employees 6,000

Medium establishments: 9,000

50-249 employees <-2,000>

250-499 employees 11,000

Large establishments: 97,000

500+ employees 97,000

PAY INSIGHTS

Pay gains accelerated in December

Year-over-year pay growth for job-stayers slowed to 4.6%, the slowest pace of gains since July 2021.

Pay growth for job-changers was 7.1%, a slight decline from November.

Median Change in Annual Pay (ADP matched person sample)

Job-Stayers 4.6%

Job-Changers 7.1%

Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Industry Sector

Goods-producing:

Natural resources/mining 3.8%

Construction 5.1%

Manufacturing 4.5%

Service-providing:

Trade/transportation/utilities 4.4%

Information 4.4%

Financial activities 4.9%

Professional/business services 4.5%

Education/health services 4.9%

Leisure/hospitality 4.6%

Other services 4.7%

Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Firm Size

Small firms:

1-19 employees 3.9%

20-49 employees 4.6%

Medium firms:

50-249 employees 4.8%

250-499 employees 4.8%

Large firms:

500+ employees 4.6%

The January 2025 ADP National Employment Report will be released at 8:15 a.m. ET on February 5, 2025.

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 included in your niche!

Job Openings and Labor Turnover – November 2024

January 7, 2025        

The number of job openings was little changed at 8,100,000 on the last business day of November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires and total separations were little changed at 5,300,000 and 5,100,000, respectively. Within separations, quits (3,100,000) decreased, but layoffs and discharges (1,800,000) changed little. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job openings, hires, and separations for the total nonfarm sector, by industry, and by establishment size class.

Job Openings

The number of job openings was little changed at 8,100,000 on the last business day of November but was down by 833,000 over the year. The job openings rate, at 4.8%, changed little over the month. The number of job openings increased in professional and business services (+273,000), finance and insurance (+105,000), and private educational services (+38,000) but decreased in information (-89,000).

Hires

In November, the number of hires changed little at 5,300,000 but was down by 300,000 over the year. The hires rate was little changed at 3.3%.

Separations

Total separations include quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations. 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 include separations due to retirement, death, disability, and transfers to other locations of the same firm.

The number of total separations in November was little changed at 5,100,000 but was down by 287,000 over the year. The total separations rate changed little at 3.2%.

In November, the number of quits decreased to 3,100,000 (-218,000) and declined by 451,000 over the year. Over the month, the quits rate decreased to 1.9%. Quits decreased in accommodation and food services (-85,000) and in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-22,000).

In November, the number of layoffs and discharges changed little at 1,800,000 but was up by 219,000 over the year. The rate remained unchanged at 1.1%. Layoffs and discharges increased in accommodation and food services (+102,000).

The number of other separations changed little at 296,000 in November.

Establishment Size Class

The layoffs and discharges rate for establishments with 1 to 9 employees decreased in November, while the job openings, hires, total separations, and quits rates showed little change. For establishments with 5,000 or more employees, the job openings, hires, quits, layoffs and discharges, and total separations rates showed little or no change.

October 2024 Revisions

The number of job openings for October was revised up by 95,000 to 7,800,000, the number of hires was revised up by 81,000 to 5,400,000, and the number of total separations was revised up by 45,000 to 5,300,000. Within separations, the number of quits was revised down by 43,000 to 3,300,000, and the number of layoffs and discharges was revised up by 115,000 to 1,700,000. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.)

____________

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey estimates for December 2024 are scheduled to be released on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

As we recruiters know, that 8,100,000 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 8,100,000 published job openings now become a total of 40,500,000 published and hidden job orders.

Online Labor Demand Decreases in November

December 11, 2024


The Conference Board−Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Index decreased in November 2024 to 118.0 (July 2018=100), down from an upwardly revised 118.3 in October. The -0.3% decrease between November and October followed a 5.0% increase between October and September. Overall, the Index is down 13.5% from one year ago.

The HWOL Index measures the change in advertised online job vacancies over time, reflecting monthly trends in employment opportunities across the US. The Help Wanted OnLine® Index is produced in collaboration with Lightcast, the global leader in real-time labor market data and analysis. This collaboration enhances the Help Wanted OnLine® program by providing additional insights into important labor market trends.

PROGRAM NOTES


Prior to 2020, The Conference Board constructed the HWOL Index based solely on online job ads over time. Using a methodology designed to reduce non-economic volatility contributed by online job sources, the HWOL Index served an effective measure of changes in labor demand over time.


Beginning January 2020, the HWOL Index was refined as an estimate of change in job openings (based on BLS JOLTS), using a series of econometric models which incorporate job ads with other macroeconomic indicators such as employment and aggregate hours worked. By adopting a modeled approach which combines other data sources with data on online job ads, the HWOL Index more accurately tracks important movements in the labor market.


HWOL Annual Revision. 

With the May 2024 press release, the HWOL program has incorporated its annual revision, which helps ensure the accuracy and consistency of the HWOL Data Series. This year’s annual revision includes updates to the Occupational coding, the Industry coding, and the Geography coding for the HWOL Data Series from January 2015-forward. The HWOL Index has also been updated from January 2020-forward.


In August 2024, Lightcast and The Conference Board identified a technical coding error in the HWOL Data Series. The HWOL Data Series was historically revised from March 2024-present with the release of the July 2024 data.

The Conference Board-Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Index measures changes over time in advertised online job vacancies, reflecting monthly trends in employment opportunities across the US.

The HWOL Data Series aggregates the total number of ads available by month from the HWOL universe of online job ads. Ads in the HWOL universe are collected in real-time from over 50,000 online job domains including traditional job boards, corporate boards, social media sites, and smaller job sites that serve niche markets and smaller geographic areas.


Like The Conference Board’s long-running Help Wanted Advertising Index of print ads (which was published for over 55 years and discontinued in July 2008), Help Wanted OnLine® measures help wanted advertising—i.e. labor demand.

The HWOL Data Series began in May 2005 and was revised in December 2018. With the December 2018 revision, The Conference Board released the HWOL Index, improving upon the HWOL Data Series’ ability to assess local labor market trends by reducing volatility and non-economic noise and improving correlation with local labor market conditions.


In 2019, Lightcast (formerly Emsi Burning Glass) joined the Help Wanted OnLine® program as the new sole provider of online job ad data for HWOL. With this partnership, the HWOL Data Series has been revised historically to reflect a new universe and methodology of online job advertisements and therefore cannot be used in conjunction with the pre-revised HWOL Data Series. The HWOL Data Series begins in January 2015 and the HWOL Index begins in December 2005. HWOL Index values prior to 2020 are based on job ads collected by CEB, Inc.


Those using this data are urged to review the information on the database and methodology available on The Conference Board website and contact us with questions and comments.


About The Conference Board


The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What’s Ahead™. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States.

About Lightcast


As the global leader in labor market analytics, Lightcast illuminates the future of work with data-driven talent strategies. Formerly Emsi Burning Glass, Lightcast finds purpose in sharing the insights that build communities, educators, and companies, and takes pride in knowing our work helps others find fulfillment, too. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and Moscow, Idaho, Lightcast is active in more than 30 countries and has offices in the United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand, and India. Lightcast is backed by global private equity leader KKR.  

The next release for December 2024 is Wednesday, January 15, 2025

U-6 Update

In December 2024, the regular unemployment rate fell to 4.1% and the broader U-6 measure fell to 7.5%.

The above 7.5% 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 previous 22 years:

December                   2023                7.1%

December                   2022                6.5%

December                   2021                7.3%

December                   2020                11.7%

December                   2019                6.8%

December                   2018                7.6%

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 2024 BLS Analysis

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 256,000 in December, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.1%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.  Employment trended up in health care, government, and social assistance. Retail trade added jobs in December, following a job loss in November.
 
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for October was revised up by 7,000, from +36,000 to +43,000, and the change for November was revised down by 15,000, from +227,000 to +212,000.  With these revisions, employment in October and November combined is 8,000 lower 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.)

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 10th, 2025, the BLS published the most recent unemployment rate for December 2024 of 4.1% (actually, it is 4.086% down .160% from 4.246% in November).

The unemployment rate was determined by dividing the unemployed of 6,886,000

(–down from the month before by 235,000—since December 2023, this number has increased by 571,000) by the total civilian labor force of 168,547,000 (up by 243,000 from November 2024).  Since December 2023, our total civilian labor force has increased by 1,108,000 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 increased this total to 269,638,000.  This is an increase of 175,000 from last month’s increase of 174,000.  In one year, this population has increased by 1,647,000.  For the last several years the Civilian Noninstitutional Population has increased each month—except in December 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2023—by…)

Up from November 2024by175,000
Up from October 2024by174,000
Up from September 2024by209,000
Up from August 2024by224,000
Up from July 2024by212,000
Up from June 2024by206,000
Up from May 2024by190,000
Up from April 2024by182,000
Up from March 2024by182,000
Up from February 2024by173,000
Up from January 2024by171,000
Down from December 2023by451,000
Up from November 2023by169,000
Up from October 2023by180,000
Up from September 2023by214,000
Up from August 2023by215,000
Up from July 2023by211,000
Up from June 2023by152,000
Up from May 2023by183,000
Up from April 2023by175,000
Up from March 2023by171,000
Up from February 2023by160,000
Up from January 2023by150,000
Up from December 2022by1,118,000
Up from November 2022by136,000
Up from October 2022by173,000
Up from September 2022by179,000
Up from August 2022by172,000
Up from July 2022by172,000
Up from June 2022by177,000
Up from May 2022by156,000
Up from April 2022by120,000
Up from March 2022by115,000
Up from February 2022by120,000
Up from January 2022by122,000
Up from December 2021by1,066,000
Up from November 2021by107,000

Subtract the ‘civilian labor force’ from the ‘civilian noninstitutional population’) and you get 101,091,000 ‘Not in Labor Force’—down by 68,000 from last month’s 101,159,000.  In one year, this NILF population has increased by 539,000.  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—remained at 62.5%.  This rate is only .1% higher than 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 .1% lower than last month’s 2.2%).  Or you can look at it another way.  We usually place people who have college degrees.  That unemployment rate in December was 2.4% (this rate was .1% lower than last month’s 2.5%).

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 19th, the real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 3.1% in the third quarter of 2024, according to the “third” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the second quarter of 2023, real GDP increased 3.0%.

The GDP estimate released today 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 2.8%. The update primarily reflected upward revisions to exports and consumer spending that were partly offset by a downward revision to private inventory investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, were revised up.

The increase in real GDP primarily reflected increases in consumer spending, exports, nonresidential fixed investment, and federal government spending. Imports increased.

Compared to the second quarter, the acceleration in real GDP in the third quarter primarily reflected accelerations in exports, consumer spending, and federal government spending. These movements were partly offset by a downturn in private inventory investment and a larger decrease in residential fixed investment. Imports have accelerated.

Updates to GDP

With the third estimate, upward revisions to exports and consumer spending were partly offset by a downward revision to private inventory investment. Imports were revised up.

Real GDP by Industry

Today’s release includes estimates of GDP by industry, or value added—a measure of an industry’s contribution to GDP. Private goods-producing industries increased 1.5%, private services-producing industries increased 3.6%, and government increased 2.1%. Overall, 16 of 22 industry groups contributed to the third-quarter increase in real GDP.

Gross Output by Industry

Real gross output, principally a measure of an industry’s sales or receipts, which includes sales to final users in the economy (GDP) and sales to other industries (intermediate inputs) increased 3.2% in the third quarter. Private goods-producing industries increased 0.6%, private services-producing industries increased 4.0%, and government increased 3.5%. Overall, 17 out of 22 industry groups contributed to the increase in real gross output.

*          *          *

Next release, January 30, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EST
Gross Domestic Product, Fourth Quarter 2024 and Year 2024 (Advance Estimate)

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.

2.  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.

3.  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.

4.  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.

5.  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, workers in most states are eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits from the regular state-funded unemployment compensation program.

Extended Benefits are available to workers who have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment. The basic Extended Benefits program provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits when a State is experiencing high unemployment. Some States have also enacted a voluntary program to pay up to 7 additional weeks (20 weeks maximum) of Extended Benefits during periods of extremely high unemployment.

Studies suggest that additional weeks of benefits reduce the incentive of the unemployed to seek and accept less-desirable jobs.

2.  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 24 years of unemployment in the December “management, professional and related” types of worker category, you will find the following rates:

December                             2023                   1.8%

December                             2022                   1.7%

December                             2021                   1.7%

December                             2020                   3.4%

December                             2019                   1.8%

December                             2018                   2.1%

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                             2023                   2.1%

December                             2022                   1.9%

December                             2021                   2.1%

December                             2020                   3.8%

December                             2019                   1.9%

December                             2018                   2.2%

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 2024 rates for these two categories, 2.1% and 2.4%, respectively, are pretty low.  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

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
7.7%7.4%8.2%7.9%8.4%8.9%8.6%9.7%9.8%10.4%10.6%10.9%
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
12.0%12.6%13.3%14.8%15.5%15.5%15.4%15.6%15.0%15.5%15.0%15.3%
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
15.2%15.6%14.5%14.7%15.0%14.1%13.8%14.0%15.4%15.3%15.7%15.3%
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
14.2%13.9%13.7%14.6%14.7%14.3%15.0%14.3%14.0%13.8%13.2%13.8%
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
13.1%12.9%12.6%12.5%13.0%12.6%12.7%12.0%11.3%12.2%12.2%11.7%
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
12.0%11.2%11.1%11.6%11.1%10.7%11.0%11.3%10.3%10.9%10.8%9.8%
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
9.6%9.8%9.6%8.9%9.1%9.1%9.6%9.1%8.4%7.9%8.5%8.8%
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
8.5%8.4%8.6%8.6%8.6%8.2%8.3%7.7%7.7%7.3%6.8%6.7%
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
7.4%7.3%7.4%7.5%7.1%7.5%6.3%7.2%8.5%7.3%7.9%7.9%
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
7.3%7.9%6.8%6.5%6.1%6.4%6.9%6.0%6.5%5.7%5.2%6.3%
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
5.4%5.7%5.5%5.9%5.4%5.5%5.1%5.7%5.5%6.0%5.6%5.8%
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
5.7%5.3%5.9%5.4%5.4%5.3%5.1%5.4%4.8%5.6%5.3%5.2%
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
5.5%5.7%6.8%21.2%19.9%16.6%15.4%12.6%10.7%9.9%9.2%9.8%
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
9.1%10.1%8.2%9.3%9.1%10.2%9.5%7.8%7.9%7.4%5.7%5.2%
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
6.3%4.3%5.2%5.4%5.2%5.8%5.9%6.2%5.6%6.3%4.4%5.0%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
4.5%5.8%4.8%5.4%5.7%6.0%5.2%5.4%5.5%5.8%6.3%6.0%
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
6.0%6.1%4.9%6.0%5.9%5.9%6.7%7.1%6.8%6.6%6.0%5.6%

H.S. Grad; no college – Unemployment Rate

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
4.6%4.7%5.1%5.0%5.2%5.2%5.3%5.8%6.3%6.5%6.9%7.7%
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
8.1%8.3%9.0%9.3%10.0%9.8%9.4%9.7%10.8%11.2%10.4%10.5%
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
10.1%10.5%10.8%10.6%10.9%10.8%10.1%10.3%10.0%10.1%10.0%9.8%
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
9.4%9.5%9.5%9.7%9.5%10.0%9.3%9.6%9.7%9.6%8.8%8.7%
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
8.4%8.3%8.0%7.9%8.1%8.4%8.7%8.8%8.7%8.4%8.1%8.0%
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
8.1%7.9%7.6%7.4%7.4%7.6%7.6%7.6%7.6%7.3%7.3%7.1%
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
6.5%6.4%6.3%6.3%6.5%5.8%6.1%6.2%5.3%5.7%5.6%5.3%
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
5.4%5.4%5.3%5.4%5.8%5.4%5.5%5.5%5.3%5.3%5.4%5.6%
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
5.3%5.3%5.4%5.4%5.1%5.0%5.0%5.1%5.2%5.5%4.9%5.1%
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
5.2%5.0%4.9%4.6%4.7%4.6%4.5%5.1%4.3%4.3%4.3%4.2%
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
4.5%4.4%4.3%4.3%3.9%4.2%4.0%3.9%3.7%4.0%3.5%3.8%
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
3.8%3.8%3.7%3.5%3.5%3.9%3.6%3.6%3.6%3.7%3.7%3.7%
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
3.8%3.6%4.4%17.3%15.3%12.1%10.8%9.8%9.0%8.1%7.8%7.8%
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
7.1%7.2%6.7%6.9%6.8%7.0%6.3%6.0%5.8%5.4%5.2%4.6%
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
4.6%4.5%4.0%3.8%3.8%3.6%3.6%4.2%3.7%3.9%3.9%3.6%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
3.7%3.6%4.0%3.9%3.9%3.9%3.4%3.8%4.1%4.0%4.1%4.2%
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
4.3%4.2%4.1%4.0%4.3%4.2%4.6%4.0%4.0%4.0%4.6%4.3%

Some College; or AA/AS – Unemployment Rate

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
3.7%3.8%3.9%4.0%4.3%4.4%4.6%5.0%5.1%5.3%5.5%5.6%
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
6.2%7.0%7.2%7.4%7.7%8.0%7.9%8.2%8.5%9.0%9.0%9.0%
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
8.5%8.0%8.2%8.3%8.3%8.2%8.3%8.7%9.1%8.5%8.7%8.1%
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
8.0%7.8%7.4%7.5%8.0%8.4%8.3%8.2%8.4%8.3%7.6%7.7%
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
7.2%7.3%7.5%7.6%7.9%7.5%7.1%6.6%6.5%6.9%6.6%6.9%
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
7.0%6.7%6.4%6.4%6.5%6.4%6.0%6.1%6.0%6.3%6.4%6.1%
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
6.0%6.2%6.1%5.7%5.5%5.0%5.3%5.4%5.4%4.8%4.9%5.0%
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
5.2%5.1%4.8%4.7%4.4%4.2%4.4%4.4%4.3%4.3%4.4%4.1%
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
4.2%4.2%4.1%4.1%3.9%4.2%4.3%4.3%4.2%4.2%3.9%3.8%
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
3.8%4.0%3.7%3.7%4.0%3.8%3.7%3.8%3.6%3.7%3.6%3.6%
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
3.4%3.5%3.6%3.5%3.2%3.3%3.2%3.5%3.2%3.0%3.1%3.3%
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
3.4%3.2%3.4%3.1%2.8%3.0%3.2%3.1%2.9%2.9%2.9%2.7%
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
2.8%3.0%3.7%15.0%13.3%10.9%10.0%8.0%8.1%6.6%6.3%6.3%
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
6.2%5.9%5.9%5.8%5.9%5.8%5.0%5.1%4.5%4.4%3,7%3.6%
1/222/223/234/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
3.6%3.8%3.0%3.1%3.4%3.1%2.8%2.9%2.9%3.0%3.2%2.9%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
2.9%3.2%3.0%2.9%3.2%3.1%3.1%3.0%3.0%3.1%2.8%3.1%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
2.9%3.2%3.0%2.9%3.2%3.1%3.1%3.0%3.0%3.1%2.8%3.1%
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
3.3%3.1%3.4%3.3%3.1%3.4%3.5%3.4%3.4%3.4%3.6%3.5%

BS/BS + – Unemployment Rate

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
2.1%2.1%2.1%2.1%2.3%2.4%2.5%2.7%2.6%3.1%3.2%3.7%
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
3.9%4.1%4.3%4.4%4.8%4.7%4.7%4.7%4.9%4.7%4.9%5.0%
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
4.8%5.0%4.9%4.9%4.7%4.4%4.5%4.6%4.4%4.7%5.1%4.8%
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
4.2%4.3%4.4%4.5%4.5%4.4%4.3%4.3%4.2%4.4%4.4%4.1%
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
4.2%4.2%4.2%4.0%3.9%4.1%4.1%4.1%4.1%3.8%3.8%3.9%
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
3.8%3.8%3.8%3.9%3.8%3.9%3.8%3.5%3.7%3.8%3.4%3.3%
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
3.3%3.4%3.4%3.3%3.2%3.3%3.1%3.2%2.9%3.1%3.2%2.8%
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
2.8%2.7%2.5%2.7%2.7%2.5%2.6%2.5%2.5%2.5%2.5%2.5%
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
2.5%2.5%2.6%2.4%2.4%2.5%2.5%2.7%2.5%2.6%2.3%2.5%
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
2.5%2.4%2.5%2.4%2.3%2.4%2.4%2.4%2.3%2.0%2.1%2.1%
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
2.1%2.3%2.2%2.1%2.0%2.3%2.2%2.1%2.0%2.0%2.2%2.1%
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
2.4%2.2%2.0%2.1%2.1%2.1%2.2%2.1%2.0%2.1%2.0%1.9%
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
2.0%1.9%2.5%8.4%7.4%6.9%6.7%5.3%4.7%4.2%4.2%3.8%
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
4.0%3.8%3.7%3.5%3.2%3.5%3.1%2.8%2.5%2.4%2.3%2.1%
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
2.3%2.2%2.0%2.0%2.0%2.1%2.0%1.9%1.8%1.9%2.0%1.9%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
2.0%2.0%2.0%1.9%2.1%2.0%2.0%2.2%2.1%2.1%2.1%2.1%
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
2.1%2.2%2.1%2.2%2.1%2.4%2.3%2.5%2.3%2.5%2.5%2.4

Management, Professional & Related – Unemployment Rate

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
2.2%2.2%2.1%2.0%2.6%2.7%2.9%3.3%2.8%3.0%3.2%3.3%
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
4.1%3.9%4.2%4.0%4.6%5.0%5.5%5.4%5.2%4.7%4.6%4.6%
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
5.0%4.8%4.7%4.5%4.5%4.9%5.0%5.1%4.4%4.5%4.7%4.6%
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
4.7%4.4%4.3%4.0%4.4%4.7%5.0%4.9%4.4%4.4%4.2%4.2%
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
4.3%4.2%4.2%3.7%4.0%4.4%4.8%4.5%3.9%3.8%3.6%3.9%
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
3.9%3.8%3.6%3.5%3.5%4.2%4.1%3.8%3.5%3.4%3.1%2.9%
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
3.1%3.2%3.3%2.9%3.1%3.5%3.5%3.4%2.8%2.7%2.8%2.7%
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
2.9%2.7%2.4%2.4%2.4%2.9%3.1%2.9%2.4%2.2%2.1%2.0%
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
2.3%2.4%2.4%2.1%2.1%2.8%3.0%3.1%2.7%2.5%2.3%2.2%
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
2.3%2.1%2.0%2.0%1.9%2.3%2.7%2.8%2.3%2.1%2.0%2.0%
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
2.2%2.0%2.0%1.8%1.7%2.5%2.4%2.5%2.0%1.9%2.1%2.1%
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
2.5%2.0%2.0%1.6%1.7%2.4%2.4%2.3%1.9%1.8%1.8%1.8%
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
2.2%1.8%2.5%7.7%6.6%6.5%6.6%5.5%4.5%3.7%3.7%3.4%
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
3.7%3.2%3.1%3.0%2.8%3.5%3.3%3.2%2.4%2.2%1.9%1.7%
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
2.3%2.2%1.5%1.6%1.6%2.2%2.4%2.4%1.8%2.0%1.8%1.7%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
2.1%2.0%1.9%1.6%1.8%2.2%2.4%2.4%2.0%1.9%1.8%1.8%
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
2.1%2.2%2.2%1.9%2.0%2.6%2.9%2.9%2.3%2.3%2.2%2.1%

Or employed… (,000)

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
52,16552,49852,68152,81952,54452,73552,65552,62653,10453,48553,27452,548
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
52,35852,19652,34552,59752,25651,77651,81051,72452,18652,98152,26352,131
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
52,15952,32452,16352,35551,83951,41450,97450,87951,75751,81852,26351,704
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
51,86652,55753,24353,21652,77852,12051,66251,99752,66552,86452,78752,808
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
53,15253,20853,77154,05554,15653,84653,16553,69654,65555,22354,95154,635
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
54,21454,56354,72154,76754,74054,32354,06454,51555,01355,15555,58354,880
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
55,09655,50156,03655,89656,20255,71455,38155,64656,36556,75957,11056,888
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
57,36757,59657,80557,95358,15557,71057,39257,28858,10558,45658,66759,030
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
59,01459,58360,08059,69059,61359,18158,43458,52659,59959,76659,70760,069
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
59,92161,06461,15661,31761,17460,70559,92359,55960,99061,06261,81862,121
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
62,12362,90863,06762,56162,36061,34961,43361,59362,18162,92963,08463,642
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
63,81864,28164,29963,56063,59463,41863,39463,67964,34364,99765,54865,682
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
65,53366,09165,88161,15262,33063,29062,45163,09562,75963,27763,38764,007
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
63,88664,47164,50364,26464,26864,31664,17964,12265,16365,33566,06066,366
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
66,74067,75467,82367,31967,65267,22467,87468,37769,05668,91869.15669,297
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
69,24969,98670,65170,40370,38869,95669,66269,28070,41771,38771,35070,572
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
70,65070,21770,78670,54870.89771,00270,16769,89270,91671,55371,25871,042

And unemployed… (,000)

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
1,1641,1591,1211,0881,4071,4781,5851,7791,5391,6471,7861,802
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
2,2382,1372,2922,1642,3732,7203,0342,9252,8592,5932,5302,509
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
2,7622,6372,6002,4642,4502,6442,6872,7622,3812,4172,5252,468
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
2,5572,4352,3812,1962,4192,5982,7422,6712,4502,4102,3362,303
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
2,4102,3362,3302,0622,2752,4722,6662,5562,2452,1702,0772,221
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
2,2112,1642,0201,9801,9902,3582,2862,1301,9781,9301,7491,637
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
1,7841,8451,8901,6421,7952,0012,0111,9301,6171,5821,6561,568
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
1,7411,6011,3981,4351,4601,7141,8071,6861,4141,3121,2761,208
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
1,4041,4561,4771,2511,3051,7121,7821,8691,6521,5061,3821,361
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
1,4251,3131,2651,2541,2081,4401,6561,7311,4631,2851,2661,290
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
1,3741,3011,3101,1341,0831,5751,5391,5911,2991,2461,3301,368
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
1,6071,3171,2891,0401,0861,5401,5911,4761,2351,1611,2081,171
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
1,4541,2071,6635,0794,4324,3904,4003,6802,9462,4482,4152,235
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
2,4332,1582,0632,0141,8792,3032,2032,1231,5801,4531,3081,146
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
1,5831,4901,0531,0881,0981,5201,6501,6471,2911,3981,2471,198
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
1,4601,4061,3681,1531,2811,6091,7011,7121,4661,4151,3011,314
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
1,5271,5801,5801,3991,4231,8872,0952,0561,6471,6891,5811,490

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

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
53,32953,65753,80253,90753,95154,21354,24054,40554,64355,13255,06054,350
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
54,59654,33354,63754,76154,62954,49654,84454,64955,04555,57454,79354,640
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
54,92154,96154,76354,81954,28954,05853,66153,64154,13854,23554,78854,172
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
54,42354,99255,62455,41255,19754,71854,40454,66855,11555,27455,12355,111
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
55,56255,54456,10156,11756,43156,31855,83156,25256,90057,39357,02856,856
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
56,42556,72756,74156,74756,73056,68156,35056,64556,99157,08557,33256,517
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
56,88057,34657,92657,53857,99757,71557,39257,57657,98258,34158,76658,456
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
59,10859,19759,20359,38859,61559,42459,19958,97459,51959,76859,94360,238
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
60,41861,03961,55760,94160,91860,89360,21660,39561,25161,27261,08961,430
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
61,34662,37762,42162,57162,38262,14561,57961,29062,45362,34763,08463,411
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
63,49764,20964,37763,69563,44362,92462,97263,18463,48064,17564,41465,010
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
65,42565,59865,58864,60064,68064,95864,98565,15565,57866,15866,75666,853
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
66,98767,29867,54466,23166,76267,68066,85166,77565,70565,67565,80266,242
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
66,31966,62966,56666,27866,14766,61966,38266,24566,74366,78867,36867,512
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
68,32369,24468,87668,40768,75068,74469,52470,02470,34770,31670.40370,495
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
70,70971,39272,01971,55671,66971,56571,36370,99271,88372,80272,65171,886
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
72,17771,79772,36671,94772,32072,88972,26271,94872,56373,24272,83972,532

Management, Business and Financial Operations – Unemployment Rate

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
2.3%2.3%2.2%2.1%2.7%2.5%2.6%2.8%2.8%3.0%3.6%3.9%
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
4.6%4.5%4.5%4.4%4.6%4.8%4.9%5.0%5.2%5.4%5.4%5.2%
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
5.2%5.1%5.4%5.1%4.9%4.8%4.7%4.9%4.3%5.0%5.5%5.7%
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
5.3%4.9%4.8%4.6%4.9%4.6%4.6%4.6%4.6%4.7%4.6%4.4%
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
4.5%4.4%4.4%4.0%4.1%3.8%3.8%3.7%3.5%3.6%3.8%4.1%
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
4.0%3.9%3.5%3.5%3.8%3.5%3.1%3.4%3.3%3.7%3.2%3.1%
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
3.4%3.6%3.5%3.2%3.3%2.8%2.7%2.6%2.4%2.7%2.7%2.5%
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
3.0%2.8%2.6%2.6%2.9%2.4%2.3%2.2%2.4%2.2%2.1%1.9%
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
2.3%2.6%2.5%2.4%2.4%2.5%2.4%2.5%2.8%2.5%2.3%2.4%
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
2.5%2.4%2.4%2.2%1.8%1.9%1.9%2.4%2.5%1.9%1.9%2.0%
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
2.0%2.0%2.0%1.8%1.7%2.1%1.9%2.0%2.1%2.0%2.1%2.2%
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
2.5%2.1%2.0%1.4%1.5%1.9%1.8%1.9%1.6%1.7%1.6%1.9%
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
2.3%1.8%2.2%6.2%5.1%4.8%5.1%4.7%4.8%4.3%3.9%3.6%
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
3.8%3.5%3.4%3.1%2.9%3.0%2.6%2.9%2.3%2.3%2.2%1.8%
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
2.1%2.1%1.5%1.6%1.4%1.6%1.5%1.7%1.8%2.1%1.9%1.8%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
2.0%2.1%2.1%1.8%2.0%1.9%1.9%2.1%2.1%1.8%1.7%2.0%
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
2.1%2.4%2.3%2.4%2.0%2.2%2.3%2.4%2.2%2.3%2.2%2.0%

Professional & Related – Unemployment Rate

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
2.1%2.1%2.0%2.0%2.5%2.9%3.2%3.6%2.8%3.0%3.0%2.9%
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
4.9%4.6%4.3%4.1%4.3%5.0%5.2%5.3%4.4%4.1%4.1%3.8%
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
4.3%4.1%3.9%3.5%4.0%4.9%5.3%5.1%4.4%4.1%4.0%4.0%
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
4.2%4.1%4.0%3.5%4.0%4.8%5.5%5.2%4.3%3.9%3.5%3.8%
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
3.8%3.8%3.6%3.4%3.3%4.6%4.7%4.0%3.6%3.1%2.9%2.7%
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
2.9%3.0%3.1%2.6%2.9%4.0%4.1%3.9%3.1%2.7%2.9%2.8%
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
2.9%2.7%2.2%2.3%2.1%3.2%3.6%3.3%2.4%2.2%2.2%2.1%
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
2.4%2.2%2.3%1.8%2.0%3.1%3.4%3.5%2.6%2.4%2.2%2.1%
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
2.2%1.9%1.8%1.8%2.0%2.6%3.3%3.1%2.3%2.2%2.0%2.1%
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
2.3%2.0%2.1%1.8%1.7%2.8%2.8%2.9%2.0%1.9%2.1%2.1%
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
2.4%2.0%1.9%1.8%1.8%2.7%2.9%2.6%2.1%1.8%1.9%1.7%
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
2.1%1.8%2.6%8.8%7.7%7.7%7.6%6.1%4.3%3.3%3.5%3.2%
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
3.5%3.1%2.9%3.0%2.8%3.8%3.9%3.4%2.4%2.1%1.8%1.6%
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
2.5%2.2%1.6%1.6%1.7%2.6%3.0%2.8%1.9%1.9%1.7%1.6%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
2.1%1.9%1.8%1.4%1.7%2.5%2.8%2.7%2.0%2.1%1.9%1.7%
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
2.1%2.1%2.1%1.6%1.9%2.9%3.3%3.2%2.3%2.3%2.1%2.1%

Sales & Related – Unemployment Rate

1/082/083/084/085/086/087/088/089/0810/0811/0812/08
5.2%5.2%4.8%4.3%5.1%5.6%6.2%6.3%5.7%6.1%6.5%7.0%
1/092/093/094/095/096/097/098/099/0910/0911/0912/09
7.7%8.4%8.9%8.6%8.9%9.1%8.3%8.7%8.9%9.5%9.1%8.9%
1/102/103/104/105/106/107/108/109/1010/1011/1012/10
10.1%10.2%9.7%9.2%9.6%9.4%10.1%9.0%9.4%9.1%8.8%8.3%
1/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/1110/1111/1112/11
9.3%9.0%8.5%8.5%9.4%9.7%9.4%8.6%9.4%8.2%7.8%7.7%
1/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/1210/1211/1212/12
8.2%7.9%8.1%7.6%7.9%8.4%8.3%8.6%7.9%7.0%7.3%7.0%
1/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/1310/1311/1312/13
8.5%8.2%7.7%6.9%7.1%6.7%6.9%7.2%7.5%7.3%7.0%6.3%
1/142/143/144/145/146/147/148/149/1410/1411/1412/14
7.1%7.7%6.8%5.8%6.8%6.1%6.2%5.6%5.4%5.2%5.3%5.0%
1/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/1510/1511/1512/15
5.8%5.2%5.8%5.5%5.8%5.6%5.8%5.4%5.6%5.3%5.1%4.3%
1/162/163/164/165/166/167/168/169/1610/1611/1612/16
5.0%4.4%4.4%5.2%5.1%4.9%4.9%4.8%5.2%4.4%4.6%4.6%
1/172/173/174/175/176/177/178/179/1710/1711/1712/17
5.2%4.3%3.9%4.2%4.5%4.8%4.2%4.2%3.7%4.0%4.1%3.8%
1/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/1810/1811/1812/18
4.6%4.5%4.5%4.1%4.2%4.4%4.0%3.5%4.0%3.6%3.7%3.6%
1/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/1910/1911/1912/19
4.5%5.0%4.6%3.9%3.6%3.4%3.2%3.8%3.6%3.4%3.3%3.3%
1/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209/2010/2011/2012/20
4.5%4.2%4.3%17.1%16.2%13.3%10.9%8.6%8.9%7.0%6.3%5.3%
1/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/2110/2111/2112/21
6.6%6.6%6.3%6.3%6.4%6.0%6.0%5.5%5.2%4.5%4.2%3.6%
1/222/223/224/225/226/227/228/229/2210/2211/2212/22
4.2%3.6%4.3%4.1%4.2%4.1%4.1%4.0%3.8%3.4%3.3%3.4%
1/232/233/234/235/236/237/238/239/2310/2311/2312/23
4.4%4.0%3.7%3.0%4.0%4.0%3.7%3.9%4.1%3.9%3.7%4.4%
1/242/243/244/245/246/247/248/249/2410/2411/2412/24
4.5%4.7%4.7%3.6%3.8%4.5%4.6%4.6%4.5%3.9%4.2%4.1%