BLS Analysis for Recruiters – July 2025 – 8/1/25

Bob Marshall’s July 2025 BLS Analysis for Recruiters; 8/1/25

July BLS Coaching Preface

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July’s Business Articles

Where Will Tomorrow’s AI Geniuses Go?
BCG, Nikolaus Lang, Leonid Zhukov, Etienne Cavin, and Johann Harnoss, July 21, 2025

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Policy shifts could reshape the AI map—but talent, not tariffs, will have the greatest long-term impact.

• While many CEOs are understandably focused on trade policy and the rising cost of data center expansion in the US, changes in immigration policies and public funding for R&D may have a more significant effect on the global AI race.

• Even modest increases in the inflow of AI talent could dramatically accelerate the R&D momentum of the GenAI “middle powers”—nations and regional blocs actively positioning themselves to compete alongside the US and China. 

• Business leaders should rethink their innovation footprint and talent strategy, ensuring alignment with emerging centers of research excellence.

For business leaders navigating the geopolitics of AI, the near-term signals are easy to read: infrastructure spending is rising, capital is abundant, and US firms still dominate in AI capacity. But long-term success may hinge on the flow of minds, rather than money.

In a world where AI breakthroughs shape competitive advantage, overlooking potential shifts in the talent pipeline may mean missing the next transformative innovation. Leaders who actively monitor and respond to these global talent shifts, and the innovation hubs that grow around them, will be better positioned to shape, not follow, the future of AI.

The US Remains a Magnet for AI Workers

Over the past 3 years, the US has welcomed more than 32,000 foreign AI workers. They now account for nearly 40% of AI roles at top tech firms, and they’re well compensated for their contributions. The average salary for these professionals is twice that offered by competitors in countries like Israel, Canada, France, or the UAE—and that’s not including the added draw of bonuses and stock options.

While foreign AI workers express concerns about shifts in US policy, this doesn’t explain the recent decrease in the inflow of AI talent to the US. The trend began before these shifts, driven by a more general slowdown in hiring and an overall reduction in global talent mobility.
And though recruiters expect a slight decline in the US’s ability to attract AI talent in the next year, they believe US tech firms will improve financial packages to help compensate for any policy shifts. But that isn’t the full story.

Breakthroughs Begin in the Research Lab

Public research funding allows academics to probe the frontiers of AI and build on one another’s discoveries. Their work often lays the groundwork for commercially transformative technologies, at which point private investment takes over.

Historically, these researchers have gone to US institutions in large numbers, fueling the country’s position as an AI powerhouse. But that trend is now under pressure following suspensions of F-1 and J-1 visa programs, proposed limitations on postgraduation work visas (OPT), and dramatic cuts to public R&D funding—including a proposed 56% reduction at the National Science Foundation.

Unlike the unmatchable compensation of the US private sector, academic salaries across countries are more balanced. That means a modest policy shift in the US can create a meaningful pull elsewhere.

The Race for AI Research Talent Is On

In response to these shifts, GenAI “middle powers”—nations with strong ambitions to become global suppliers of the technology—are acting decisively:

• The EU has launched a nearly $600 million initiative with long-term “super grants” for researchers.

• France and the UK are rolling out new research mobility schemes.

• Japan, Australia, and the UAE are providing relocation support, funding packages, and institutional incentives.

Global capital flows where talent and ideas take root. In the AI era, the next great leaps won’t necessarily be in the same places as the last ones.

This moment represents both a warning and an opportunity. CEOs and innovation leaders who reassess their global footprint now—aligning R&D investment, talent sourcing, and strategic partnerships with the new geography of AI—will be best positioned to lead. Ignoring the shift could mean depending on yesterday’s centers for tomorrow’s ideas.

Few workers have faith in hiring process, report says
SIA, Jake Angelo, July 18, 2025

Few prospective workers have faith in the hiring process, with less than 1 in 10 job seekers saying they think the market favors them, according to a July 17 report released by Greenhouse, a firm whose services include candidate discovery and candidate engagement.

Nearly half of Generation Z applicants feel unseen in the process, with 45% reporting they find it harder to stand out. But the issue persists across generations.

The survey — which included 2,200 active job seekers in the US, UK and Ireland — finds that applicants across all generations are struggling to navigate the volatility of the job market.

Part of the problem is with hiring practices, according to the report. Nearly three-quarters of applicants say they have encountered bait-and-switch tactics, where the job they applied for turned out to be different than what was initially described.

Employers are also guilty of ghosting, or unresponsiveness, Greenhouse’s report said. It found 63% of candidates say they have been left in the dark after an interview. The rate is even higher for members of Gen Z at 78%.

But job seekers are also guilty, the report said. Almost three-quarters of Gen Z have ghosted employers during the hiring process, with 26% disappearing after receiving an offer.

In addition, the economy is compounding the effects of job-seeker unease. Four in five US workers fear they will lose their jobs due to the constant specter of layoffs amid economic uncertainty. 28% of workers face economic uncertainty and 15% have been told their jobs may be affected.

For some, the effects have already set in. 13% of respondents say their employers have reduced their hours or have fired them.

Employer bias makes the prospect of finding a job even harder for many, according to the report. Over half of respondents report facing illegal and discriminatory questions during the hiring process. Baby boomers face this bias at the highest rates, with 61% saying they have been questioned about their age. Historically underrepresented candidates also confront discrimination, with 30% saying they have changed their names to avoid prejudice.

“Discrimination allows qualified candidates to slip through the cracks and erodes trust, damaging a company’s reputation,” Paaras Parker, chief people office at Greenhouse, said in a statement. “Transparency, communication and fairness are not optional; these characteristics are a competitive advantage for employers.”

The economy’s unpredictability, combined with the rigidity of hiring automation, employer ghosting and bias, have caused job seekers to rely on unconventional practices to remain competitive, namely, embellishing their qualifications and using AI as a cheat code.

Nearly half, or 45%, said they embellish their credentials to get ahead. And even more have turned to AI, with over two-thirds of applicants relying on the technology while job searching. The trend is stark, with 45% using AI for interview prep, and 28% admitting using the technology to generate fake work samples. And just one in five US job seekers consider using AI in a live interview to be cheating.

“Hiring is stuck in an AI doom loop,” Daniel Chait, CEO and co-founder of Greenhouse, said in a statement. “A more human and three-dimensional hiring process that helps candidates showcase their skills and focus their job search is the only way to cut through the chaos and connect the right people to the right roles.”

Economic activity ticks up, but hiring remains cautious: Beige Book
SIA, Katherine Alvarez, July 17, 2025

US economic activity ticked up from late May through early July, according to the new Federal Reserve Beige Book report released July 16.

“Uncertainty remained elevated, contributing to ongoing caution by businesses,” the report states.

Five districts reported slight or modest gains, five had flat activity and the remaining two districts noted modest declines in activity. That represented an improvement over the previous report, in which half of districts reported at least slight declines in activity.

Employment increased “very slightly overall,” according to the report. One district noted modest increases, six noted slight increases, three experienced no change and two had slight declines.
“Hiring remained generally cautious, which many contacts attributed to ongoing economic and policy uncertainty,” the report states. “Labor availability improved for many employers, with further reductions in turnover rates and increased job applications.”

More districts cited labor shortages in the skilled trades with several also mentioning reduced availability of foreign-born workers, which they attributed to changes in immigration policy. Employers in a few districts “ramped up investments” in automation and AI aimed at reducing the need for additional hiring.

Reports of layoffs were limited in all industries but somewhat more common among manufacturers. “Looking ahead, many contacts expected to postpone major hiring and layoff decisions until uncertainty diminished,” according to the report.

Staffing Trends

Select comments from the Beige Book report include:

“Overall, our staffing contacts reported a decline in demand — attributed to very low employee turnover rates and relatively few businesses looking to expand. Multiple other business contacts reported increased use of artificial intelligence (AI), with one contact saying AI replaced some call center employees, and another contact noting how AI led to a reduction in accounting jobs.” — Philadelphia

“A staffing firm noted that their clients were taking a ֲ‘wait and see’ approach before implementing any new plans.” — Richmond, Virginia

“Some manufacturing contacts continued to report difficulty finding skilled workers, and contacts from staffing agencies noted a slight increase in demand for their services from manufacturers. However, several other manufacturers indicated that they were hiring only for replacement, some had cancelled plans to add staff due to low demand, and a few had instituted layoffs.” — Chicago

“A retail staffing firm reported there was a ‘high bar’ for hiring additional workers through the end of the year.” — St. Louis

“A staffing company reported being very busy.” — St. Louis

“Staffing firms reported spotty activity across the district. One firm with multiple district offices experienced a healthy recent increase in clients and improvements in job orders; a Montana firm said job orders were down after a strong first quarter; a Wisconsin contact said demand had improved after a slow first quarter; and in North Dakota, professional and skilled job opportunities rose while unskilled and administrative jobs were down.” — Minneapolis

“But staffing firms reported slowing wage growth; two noted that the only clients raising wages were those that currently offered uncompetitive compensation. Another staffing firm reported that year-over-year wage levels for light industrial jobs have declined for two consecutive months. A Minnesota contact said that retailers were finding employees ‘without having to raise wages to attract them.’” — Minneapolis

“Staffing services firms spoke of a slight increase in demand after it bottomed out in May.” — Dallas

The Beige Book, published eight times a year, characterizes regional economic conditions and prospects across the 12 Federal Reserve districts. It is based on mostly qualitative information gathered directly from each district’s sources.

HR pros say AI can’t replace the human touch, survey says
SIA, Amrita Ahuja, July 15, 2025

While artificial intelligence transforms how people apply for jobs, employers still value the human touch, according to a March survey of more than 900 US HR professionals released July 14 by résumé-building platform Resume Now.

Personalization still matters most, with 78% of hiring managers believing personalized details signal effort and fit and 62% saying that résumés generated by AI without customization often lead to candidate rejection.

The survey found that hiring managers are not anti-AI, but anti-generic. 53% are frustrated by AI-generated outreach that feels impersonal or robotic, 36% said generic content is a top reason for rejecting résumés and 78% of companies now actively check for AI-generated content.

More than half of hiring managers, 55%, reported that candidates most frequently use AI to craft résumés and cover letters, and 57% reported a noticeable uptick in AI-assisted submissions over the past year.

Spammy applications are spiking with AI usage. Ninety percent of hiring managers reported an increase in low-effort or spammy applications, largely driven by AI tools.

Employers also reported increased use of AI tools among job applicants, with 57% saying applicants are using AI significantly more and 32% reporting somewhat more. Meanwhile, 8% reported no change, and 3% said AI use has declined.

Employers identified the following ways candidates are using AI:

Drafting résumés and cover letters, 55%
For interview preparation, 53%
Filling application forms, 53%
Creating work samples, 37%
Completing skills assessments, 30%

Still, many hiring managers see AI as a net positive if used well. While 77% are more likely to interview a candidate who used AI to improve their résumé thoughtfully, 65% believe AI-generated content should always be flagged, though 31% said it depends on the role.

Additionally, 79% of hiring managers said companies should implement formal guidelines around AI-assisted job applications.

45% of workers report using AI in jobs: SHRM
SIA, Craig Johnson, July 15, 2025

Nearly half of US workers, 45%, reported using artificial intelligence in their jobs, according to a survey by SHRM. Use of AI was most common among millennials at 56%, while only 25% of baby boomers said they used AI tools.

A majority of workers using AI, 77%, said it helped them accomplish more in less time, according to SHRM. And 73% of workers said it improved the quality of their work.

However, the question of how AI is integrated into organizations is important, SHRM noted.

Among workers who rated their organization’s AI and human intelligence integration as excellent, 97% were satisfied with training opportunities. On the other hand, only 21% of those rated integration as fair, and 18% of those who rate integration as poor were satisfied with the training available to them.

“As AI continues to reshape the way work is done, it’s imperative we approach its integration thoughtfully and ethically,” Alex Alonso, chief data and analytics officer at SHRM, said in a statement.

Organizations must put strategies in place to drive technological integration as well as empower employees to adapt, reskill and thrive in AI-driven environments, SHRM said.
Other findings in the report:

51% of workers identified enhanced training as the top priority for improving AI outcomes.
74% of workers said AI should be a complement to human talent, while strong majorities emphasized the need for oversight and collaboration.

SHRM’s survey included 1,812 US-based workers and took place on Jan. 10 using a third-party online panel. Participants were required to be employed by an organization. Self-employed persons and independent contractors did not qualify for the survey.

More than half of talent in the engineering sector would trade higher pay for workplace perks, Randstad research shows
Onrec, Stuart Gentle, July 14, 2025

With global demand for talent in the engineering sector projected to increase by over 80% by 2030, employers face mounting pressure to evolve. Randstad’s 2025 Workmonitor report, based on insights from over 26,000 workers across 35 markets, reveals a clear shift in expectations among talent in the sector. For the purposes of this research, engineering sector talent refers to all individuals working within engineering-focused organizations.

Randstad’s research reveals that 52% of workers in the sector prefer benefits like gym access or childcare over salary increases – highlighting a shift toward work-life balance and values-driven careers.

50% have already accepted lower pay for more meaningful roles – well above the global average of 40%.

78% of talent in the sector feel future-ready to use the latest technologies, such as AI in their roles.

Workers in the engineering sector prioritize belonging, flexibility and values alignment

Randstad’s research also found that over half of talent in this sector (52%) would rather have additional workplace benefits (such as gym membership, nursery, healthcare, free transport) than a higher salary, compared to a global average of 47%. While flexibility is clearly becoming a key lever for retention and satisfaction, job decisions are increasingly driven by how well a role integrates with life outside of work.

The survey found that over half (58%) say they’d leave a job if they didn’t feel they belonged, and 40% already have because the role didn’t fit their personal life. Moreover, 50% of engineering sector workers said they’ve accepted more meaningful roles with lower pay, well above the global average of 40%. It’s clear that talent in the sector are looking for more than strong pay and stimulating work. They seek roles that align with their values, support their lifestyle, and enable long-term career growth.

Globally, only 29% of workers report an increased ability to work remotely or from different sites, however in the engineering sector, that figure rises to 37%. Work-life balance has become a top priority, with 84% ranking it as their most important factor when evaluating new roles. Employers are recognizing this growing demand, with 69% of talent reporting that their jobs provide flexible working hours.

Encouragingly, workers in the sector feel positive about their current workplace environments. 85% feel valued, whilst 84% feel a strong sense of community, and 82% feel comfortable expressing their views, both exceeding the global averages of 79% and 76%, respectively. The data shows employers increasingly recognize that roles must fit into employees’ lives, offering more control over how, when and where they work.

Engineering sector talent are future-ready and tech-confident

Workers in this sector are not only confident in their skills, they’re eager to grow. Over three quarters (78%) feel ready to use the latest technologies, including AI, higher than the global average of 71% and outperforming other sectors like healthcare (64%), automotive (66%) and agriculture (67%). They’re also proactive about development: 78% rank training and development as important, and 76% say their employer is actively helping them build future-proof skills.

Randstad’s Pulse survey also found that 65% of engineering sector talent would prefer skill and training opportunities over the ability to work remotely – highlighting this talent pool’s commitment to long-term growth. This doesn’t diminish the importance of flexibility: in fact, 84% still rank work-life balance as a top priority when evaluating job opportunities. Instead, it reveals that engineering sector talent seek careers that support both their professional ambitions and wellbeing. For employers, this underscores the need to design roles that balance flexibility with ongoing development opportunities.

According to Randstad’s Talent Trends Report 70% of talent leaders have increased their learning budgets over the past year, up from 57% in 2023. This upward trend aligns with engineering workers’ growing appetite for career progression.

Sander van ‘t Noordende, Randstad CEO, commented: “Talent in the engineering sector are no longer making career decisions based solely on salary or job content. They’re seeking roles that fit their lives, reflect their values, and foster a sense of belonging. Flexibility and purpose are baseline expectations. At the same time, this is a highly future-focused workforce, eager to adopt new technologies and build lasting skills. Employers who invest in both personal alignment and professional growth will lead: not just in retention, but in innovation.”

‘Cringeworthy’ phrases turning candidates off job listings
HRD America, Dexter Tilo, July 8, 2025

Candidates also don’t like cover letters, complex application processes or manual entry of CV details

The language used in job listings matters, according to a new report that identified the most “cringeworthy” phrases in job ads — the ones that instantly put off jobseekers.

Adobe recently polled over a thousand individuals, including 807 jobseekers and 253 hiring decision-makers, to determine their preferences in recruitment.

It found that more than a quarter of respondents are immediately turned off from a job listing when they read the phrases:

Customer-obsessed (33%)
Wear many hats (33%)
Rockstar (32%)
High sense of urgency (29%)
Fast-paced environment (25%)

“Companies often rely on what they think are buzzwords, but many job seekers find them cringeworthy,”

Other red flags for jobseekers

But these phrases aren’t the only factors turning off employees from job applications, according to the report.

A quarter of jobseekers said they won’t apply to a role if it requires a cover letter.

Another 1 in 5 said they won’t apply if there is no easy-apply option available.

In fact, nearly half of Gen Zs (49%) and Millennials (47%) said they have abandoned
applications requiring manual re-entry of CV information.

This is also the case for at least a third of Gen X (39%) and Baby Boomers (33%).

“With today’s competitive job market, abandoning an application for a role you’re qualified for might seem counterintuitive, but job seekers do it often,” the report read. “From clunky systems to unclear expectations, there are numerous reasons candidates drop off before submitting.”

When it comes to benefits, 71% of employees want to see paid time off before applying. Another 69% said they require medical insurance. Other benefits they consider are:

• Retirement savings with employer match (56%)
• Dental insurance (51%)
• Flexible working (50%)
• Remote (44%)
• Vision insurance (41%)
• Performance bonuses (36%)

Short jobseeker attention span

The findings come as the report underscored that jobseekers are only investing 32 minutes for a single job application. They are also investing only up to 41 minutes for a skill assessment.

According to the report, employers should avoid using overused or vague terms when it comes to job listings.

“Hiring teams might consider more candidate-friendly language,” the report read. “Swapping out clichés for straightforward descriptions not only sets better expectations but also lets a listing stand out for the right reasons.”

They should also consider including the benefits they offer to employees in the job listing, such as the number of paid time off days they offer, in the wake of demand among jobseekers.

ADP National Employment Report: Private Sector Employment Increased by 104,000 Jobs in July; Nearly 56% of all New Job Creation (58,000) came from Small and Medium-Sized Establishments; Annual Pay was Up 4.4%
ROSELAND, N.J. – July 30, 2025

Private sector employment increased by 104,000 jobs in July and pay was up 4.4% year-over-year, according to the July 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 private-sector employees in the United States.

ADP’s Pay Insights captures nearly 14,800,000 individual pay change observations each month. Together, the jobs report and pay insights use ADP’s fine-grained data to provide a representative and high-frequency picture of the private-sector labor market.

Sum of components may not equal total due to rounding. The June total number of jobs added was revised from -33,000 to -23,000.

“Our hiring and pay data are broadly indicative of a healthy economy,” said Dr. Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. “Employers have grown more optimistic that consumers, the backbone of the economy, will remain resilient.”

JOBS REPORT

Private employers added 104,000 jobs in July. Hiring gains were led by a resurgence in services, with the exception of education and health, which has posted a net loss of jobs so far this year.

Change in U.S. Private Employment: 104,000

Change by Industry

Goods-producing: 31,000
Natural resources/mining 9,000
Construction 15,000
Manufacturing 7,000

Service-providing: 74,000
Trade/transportation/utilities 18,000
Information 9,000
Financial activities 28,000
Professional/business services 9,000
Education/health services <-38,000>
Leisure/hospitality 46,000
Other services 2,000

Change by U.S. Regions

Northeast: <-18,000>
New England <-13,000>
Middle Atlantic <-5,000>

Midwest: 18,000
East North Central 6,000
West North Central 12,000

South: 43,000
South Atlantic 44,000
East South Central 18,000
West South Central <-19,000>

West: 75,000
Mountain 32,000
Pacific 43,000

Change by Establishment Size

Small establishments: 12,000
1-19 employees 22,000
20-49 employees <-10,000>

Medium establishments: 46,000
50-249 employees 55,000
250-499 employees <-9,000>

Large establishments: 46,000
500+ employees 46,000

PAY INSIGHTS

Pay gains were little changed in July.

Year-over-year pay growth in July was 4.4% for job-stayers and 7% for job-changers. Gains have held steady for the past 4 months.

Median Change in Annual Pay

Job-Stayers 4.4%
Job-Changers 7.0%

Median Change in Annual Pay for Job-Stayers by Industry

Goods-producing:
Natural resources/mining 4.4%
Construction 4.5%
Manufacturing 4.6%

Service-providing:
Trade/transportation/utilities 4.2%
Information 4.2%
Financial activities 5.1%
Professional/business services 4.2%
Education/health services 4.5%
Leisure/hospitality 4.5%
Other services 4.2%

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

Small firms:
1-19 employees 2.6%
20-49 employees 4.1%

Medium firms:
50-249 employees 4.7%
250-499 employees 4.8%

Large firms:
500+ employees 4.8%

The August 2025 ADP National Employment Report will be released on September 4, 2025, at 8:15 a.m. ET.

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 – June 2025
July 29th, 2025

The number of job openings was little changed at 7,400,000 in June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, both hires and total separations were little changed at 5,200,000 and 5,100,000, respectively. Within separations, quits (3,100,000) were little changed while layoffs and discharges (1,600,000) were unchanged.

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 include all positions that are open on the last business day of the month. Hires and separations include all changes to the payroll during the entire month.

Job Openings

The number and rate of job openings were little changed at 7,400,000 and 4.4%, respectively, in June. The number of job openings decreased in accommodation and food services (-308,000), health care and social assistance (-244,000), and finance and insurance (-142,000). The number of job openings increased in retail trade (+190,000), information (+67,000), and state and local government education (+61,000).

Hires

In June, the number and rate of hires were little changed at 5,200,000 and 3.3%, respectively. The number of hires decreased in arts, entertainment, and recreation
(-42,000).

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 and rate of total separations in June were little changed at 5,100,000 and 3.2%, respectively. Total separations decreased in state and local government education (-39,000) and in federal government (-20,000).

In June, the number of quits was little changed at 3,100,000. The rate of quits remained unchanged at 2.0%. The number of quits decreased in professional and business services (-114,000), state and local government education (-20,000), and federal government
(-5,000).

The number and rate of layoffs and discharges in June were unchanged at 1,600,000 and 1.0%, respectively. Layoffs and discharges decreased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-35,000) and in state and local government education (-19,000). The number of layoffs and discharges increased in mining and logging (+5,000).

The number of other separations was little changed at 314,000 in June.

Establishment Size Class

In June, establishments with 1 to 9 employees and establishments with 5,000 or more employees showed little or no change in job openings, hires, and separations rates.

May 2025 Revisions

The number of job openings for May was revised down by 57,000 to 7,700,000, the number of hires was revised down by 38,000 to 5,500,000, and the number of total separations was revised down by 29,000 to 5,200,000.

Within separations, the number of quits was revised down by 23,000 to 3,300,000 million, and the number of layoffs and discharges was revised up by 10,000 to 1,600,000.

(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 July 2025 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

As we recruiters know, that 7,400,000 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 7,400,000 published job openings now become a total of 37,000,000 published and hidden job orders.

Online Labor Demand Decreased in June
July 18, 2025

The Conference Board−Lightcast Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Index fell in June 2025 to 116.6 (July 2018=100), down from an upwardly revised 118.7 in May. The 1.8% decrease between June and May followed a 5.1% increase between May and April. Overall, the Index is down 3.0% 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

The June 2025 data release reflects an update to our job board coverage as a few job boards made changes to their access policy. To minimize any impact, and improve and supplement our job board coverage, we have broadened and updated our job board coverage.

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 April 2025 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 and the Geographical coding for the HWOL Data Series from January 2015-forward. The HWOL Index has also been updated from January 2020-forward.

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 July 2025 is Wednesday, August 13, 2025

U-6 Update

In July 2025, the regular unemployment rate rose to 4.2% and the broader U-6 measure rose to 7.9%.

The above 7.9% 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 July U-6 numbers for the previous 22 years:

July 2024 7.8%
July 2023 6.7%
July 2022 6.8%
July 2021 9.2%
July 2020 16.5%
July 2019 6.9%
July 2018 7.5%
July 2017 8.5%
July 2016 9.7%
July 2015 10.4%
July 2014 12.2%
July 2013 13.9%
July 2012 14.9%
July 2011 16.1%
July 2010 16.5%
July 2009 16.4%
July 2008 10.4%
July 2007 8.3%
July 2006 8.5%
July 2005 8.9%
July 2004 9.5%
July 2003 10.3%

The July 2025 BLS Analysis

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 73,000 in July, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.2%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment continued to trend up in health care and in social assistance. Federal government continued to lose jobs.

Revisions for May and June were larger than normal. The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for May was revised down by 125,000, from +144,000 to +19,000, and the change for June was revised down by 133,000, from +147,000 to +14,000. With these revisions, employment in May and June combined is 258,000 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 August 1st, 2025, the BLS published the most recent unemployment rate for July 2025 of 4.2% (actually, it is 4.248% up by .131% from 4.117% in June).

The unemployment rate was determined by dividing the unemployed of 7,236,000
(–up from the month before by 221,000—since July 2024, this number has increased by 139,000) by the total civilian labor force of 170,342,000 (down by 38,000 from June 2025). Since July 2024, our total civilian labor force has increased by 2,027,000 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 273,785,000. This is an increase of 200,000 from last month’s increase of 200,000. In one year, this population has increased by 5,141,000. For the last several years the Civilian Noninstitutional Population has increased each month—except in December 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2023—by…)

Up from June 2025 by 200,000
Up from May 2025 by 200,000
Up from April 2025 by 188,000
Up from March 2025 by 174,000
Up from February 2025 by 176,000
Up from January 2025 by 162,000
Up from December 2024 by 3,047,000
Up from November 2024 by 175,000
Up from October 2024 by 174,000
Up from September 2024 by 209,000
Up from August 2024 by 224,000
Up from July 2024 by 212,000
Up from June 2024 by 206,000
Up from May 2024 by 190,000
Up from April 2024 by 182,000
Up from March 2024 by 182,000
Up from February 2024 by 173,000
Up from January 2024 by 171,000
Down from December 2023 by 451,000
Up from November 2023 by 169,000
Up from October 2023 by 180,000
Up from September 2023 by 214,000
Up from August 2023 by 215,000
Up from July 2023 by 211,000
Up from June 2023 by 152,000
Up from May 2023 by 183,000
Up from April 2023 by 175,000
Up from March 2023 by 171,000
Up from February 2023 by 160,000
Up from January 2023 by 150,000
Up from December 2022 by 1,118,000
Up from November 2022 by 136,000
Up from October 2022 by 173,000
Up from September 2022 by 179,000
Up from August 2022 by 172,000
Up from July 2022 by 172,000

Subtract the ‘civilian labor force’ from the ‘civilian noninstitutional population’) and you get 103,443,000 ‘Not in Labor Force’—up by 239,000 from last month’s 103,204,000. In one year, this NILF population has increased by 3,114,000. 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—fell to 62.2%. This rate is .2% lower 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 48 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 July was 3.0% (this rate was .2% higher than last month’s 2.8%). Or you can look at it another way. We usually place people who have college degrees. That unemployment rate in July was 2.7% (this rate was .2% higher 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 July 30th, the real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 3.0% in the second quarter of 2025 (April, May, and June), according to the “advance” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the first quarter of 2024, real GDP decreased 0.5%.

The increase in real GDP in the second quarter primarily reflected a decrease in imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, and an increase in consumer spending. These movements were partly offset by decreases in investment and exports.

Compared to the first quarter, the upturn in real GDP in the second quarter primarily reflected a downturn in imports and an acceleration in consumer spending that were partly offset by a downturn in investment.

Real final sales to private domestic purchasers, the sum of consumer spending and gross private fixed investment, increased 1.2% in the second quarter, compared with an increase of 1.9% in the first quarter.
The price index for gross domestic purchases increased 1.9% in the second quarter, compared with an increase of 3.4% in the first quarter.

The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index increased 2.1%, compared with an increase of 3.7%. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 2.5%, compared with an increase of 3.5%.

Annual Update of the National Economic Accounts

BEA will begin releasing results from the 2025 annual update of the National Economic Accounts, which include the National Income and Product Accounts as well as the Industry Economic Accounts, on September 25, 2025. The update will present revised statistics for GDP, GDP by Industry, and GDI.

Technical Notes

Sources of change for real GDP

Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 3.0% (0.7% at a quarterly rate 1) in the second quarter, primarily reflecting a decrease in imports and an increase in consumer spending that were partly offset by decreases in investment and exports.
• Exports and imports primarily reflected Census Bureau-BEA U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services data as well as the Census Bureau’s Advance Economic Indicators Report for June.
o Within imports, the decrease primarily reflected a decrease in goods, led by nondurable consumer goods, except food and automotive (mainly medicinal, dental, and pharmaceutical preparations, including vitamins).
o Within exports, the decrease primarily reflected a decrease in goods, led by automotive vehicles, engines, and parts.
• The increase in consumer spending reflected increases in both services and goods. Within services, the leading contributors were health care, food services and accommodations, and financial services and insurance. Within goods, the leading contributors were motor vehicles and parts and other nondurable goods.
o Within health care, both outpatient services and hospital and nursing home services increased, based primarily on Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Employment Statistics (CES) employment, earnings, and hours data.
o The increase in food services and accommodations was led by food services, based on Census Bureau Monthly Retail
o The increase in financial services and insurance was led by portfolio management and investment advice services.
o The increase in motor vehicles and parts was led by new light trucks, based primarily on IHS-Polk registrations data.
o The increase in other nondurable goods was led by pharmaceutical products, based on MRTS data.
• The largest contributor to the decrease in investment was private inventory investment, led by decreases in nondurable goods manufacturing (mainly, chemical manufacturing) and in wholesale trade (reflecting widespread decreases in durable goods industries). The estimates of private inventory investment were based primarily on Census Bureau inventory book value data and a BEA adjustment to account for notable increases in imports in the first quarter and decreases in the second quarter.

Next release: August 28, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
Gross Domestic Product (Second Estimate),
Corporate Profits (Preliminary Estimate),
2nd Quarter 2025

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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:

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.

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 25 years of unemployment in the July “management, professional and related” types of worker category, you will find the following rates:

July 2024 2.9%
July 2023 2.4%
July 2022 2.4%
July 2021 3.3%
July 2020 6.6%
July 2019 2.4%
July 2018 2.4%
July 2017 2.7%
July 2016 3.0%
July 2015 3.1%
July 2014 3.5%
July 2013 4.1%
July 2012 4.8%
July 2011 5.0%
July 2010 5.0%
July 2009 5.5%
July 2008 2.9%
July 2007 2.5%
July 2006 2.5%
July 2005 2.7%
July 2004 3.1%
July 2003 3.7%
July 2002 3.5%
July 2001 2.2%
July 2000 1.8%

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

July 2024 2.3%
July 2023 2.0%
July 2022 2.0%
July 2021 3.1%
July 2020 6.7%
July 2019 2.1%
July 2018 2.2%
July 2017 2.3%
July 2016 2.5%
July 2015 2.5%
July 2014 3.1%
July 2013 3.8%
July 2012 4.1%
July 2011 4.3%
July 2010 4.5%
July 2009 4.7%
July 2008 2.5%
July 2007 2.1%
July 2006 2.1%
July 2005 2.4%
July 2004 2.7%
July 2003 3.1%
July 2002 3.0%
July 2001 2.2%
July 2000 1.7%

The July 2025 rates for these two categories, 3.0% and 2.7%, 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

1/08 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%

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
5.7% 5.3% 5.9% 5.4% 5.4% 5.3% 5.1% 5.4% 4.8% 5.6% 5.3% 5.2%

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
5.5% 5.7% 6.8% 21.2% 19.9% 16.6% 15.4% 12.6% 10.7% 9.9% 9.2% 9.8%

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
9.1% 10.1% 8.2% 9.3% 9.1% 10.2% 9.5% 7.8% 7.9% 7.4% 5.7% 5.2%

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
6.3% 4.3% 5.2% 5.4% 5.2% 5.8% 5.9% 6.2% 5.6% 6.3% 4.4% 5.0%

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
4.5% 5.8% 4.8% 5.4% 5.7% 6.0% 5.2% 5.4% 5.5% 5.8% 6.3% 6.0%

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
6.0% 6.1% 4.9% 6.0% 5.9% 5.9% 6.7% 7.1% 6.8% 6.6% 6.0% 5.6%

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
5.2% 6.0% 5.8% 6.1% 5.5% 5.8% 5.5%

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%

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
3.8% 3.8% 3.7% 3.5% 3.5% 3.9% 3.6% 3.6% 3.6% 3.7% 3.7% 3.7%

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
3.8% 3.6% 4.4% 17.3% 15.3% 12.1% 10.8% 9.8% 9.0% 8.1% 7.8% 7.8%

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
7.1% 7.2% 6.7% 6.9% 6.8% 7.0% 6.3% 6.0% 5.8% 5.4% 5.2% 4.6%

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
4.6% 4.5% 4.0% 3.8% 3.8% 3.6% 3.6% 4.2% 3.7% 3.9% 3.9% 3.6%

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
3.7% 3.6% 4.0% 3.9% 3.9% 3.9% 3.4% 3.8% 4.1% 4.0% 4.1% 4.2%

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
4.3% 4.2% 4.1% 4.0% 4.3% 4.2% 4.6% 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 4.6% 4.3%

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
4.5% 4.2% 4.1% 4.0% 4.5% 4.0% 4.4%

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%

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
3.4% 3.2% 3.4% 3.1% 2.8% 3.0% 3.2% 3.1% 2.9% 2.9% 2.9% 2.7%

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
2.8% 3.0% 3.7% 15.0% 13.3% 10.9% 10.0% 8.0% 8.1% 6.6% 6.3% 6.3%

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
6.2% 5.9% 5.9% 5.8% 5.9% 5.8% 5.0% 5.1% 4.5% 4.4% 3,7% 3.6%

1/22 2/22 3/23 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
3.6% 3.8% 3.0% 3.1% 3.4% 3.1% 2.8% 2.9% 2.9% 3.0% 3.2% 2.9%

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
2.9% 3.2% 3.0% 2.9% 3.2% 3.1% 3.1% 3.0% 3.0% 3.1% 2.8% 3.1%

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
3.3% 3.1% 3.4% 3.3% 3.1% 3.4% 3.5% 3.4% 3.4% 3.4% 3.6% 3.5%

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
3.5% 3.5% 3.5% 3.7% 3.3% 3.2% 3.0%

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%

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
2.4% 2.2% 2.0% 2.1% 2.1% 2.1% 2.2% 2.1% 2.0% 2.1% 2.0% 1.9%

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
2.0% 1.9% 2.5% 8.4% 7.4% 6.9% 6.7% 5.3% 4.7% 4.2% 4.2% 3.8%

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
4.0% 3.8% 3.7% 3.5% 3.2% 3.5% 3.1% 2.8% 2.5% 2.4% 2.3% 2.1%

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
2.3% 2.2% 2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 2.1% 2.0% 1.9% 1.8% 1.9% 2.0% 1.9%

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 1.9% 2.1% 2.0% 2.0% 2.2% 2.1% 2.1% 2.1% 2.1%

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
2.1% 2.2% 2.1% 2.2% 2.1% 2.4% 2.3% 2.5% 2.3% 2.5% 2.5% 2.4%

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/245
2.3% 2.5% 2.6% 2.5% 2.6% 2.5% 2.7%

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%

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
2.5% 2.0% 2.0% 1.6% 1.7% 2.4% 2.4% 2.3% 1.9% 1.8% 1.8% 1.8%

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
2.2% 1.8% 2.5% 7.7% 6.6% 6.5% 6.6% 5.5% 4.5% 3.7% 3.7% 3.4%

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
3.7% 3.2% 3.1% 3.0% 2.8% 3.5% 3.3% 3.2% 2.4% 2.2% 1.9% 1.7%

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
2.3% 2.2% 1.5% 1.6% 1.6% 2.2% 2.4% 2.4% 1.8% 2.0% 1.8% 1.7%

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
2.1% 2.0% 1.9% 1.6% 1.8% 2.2% 2.4% 2.4% 2.0% 1.9% 1.8% 1.8%

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
2.1% 2.2% 2.2% 1.9% 2.0% 2.6% 2.9% 2.9% 2.3% 2.3% 2.2% 2.1%

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
2.2% 2.4% 2.3% 2.2% 2.4% 2.8% 3.0%

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

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
63,818 64,281 64,299 63,560 63,594 63,418 63,394 63,679 64,343 64,997 65,548 65,682

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
65,533 66,091 65,881 61,152 62,330 63,290 62,451 63,095 62,759 63,277 63,387 64,007

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
63,886 64,471 64,503 64,264 64,268 64,316 64,179 64,122 65,163 65,335 66,060 66,366

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
66,740 67,754 67,823 67,319 67,652 67,224 67,874 68,377 69,056 68,918 69.156 69,297

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
69,249 69,986 70,651 70,403 70,388 69,956 69,662 69,280 70,417 71,387 71,350 70,572

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
70,650 70,217 70,786 70,548 70.897 71,002 70,167 69,892 70,916 71,553 71,258 71,042

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
71,547 71,477 72,019 72,168 70,912 70,250 69,809

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

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
1,607 1,317 1,289 1,040 1,086 1,540 1,591 1,476 1,235 1,161 1,208 1,171

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
1,454 1,207 1,663 5,079 4,432 4,390 4,400 3,680 2,946 2,448 2,415 2,235

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
2,433 2,158 2,063 2,014 1,879 2,303 2,203 2,123 1,580 1,453 1,308 1,146

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
1,583 1,490 1,053 1,088 1,098 1,520 1,650 1,647 1,291 1,398 1,247 1,198

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
1,460 1,406 1,368 1,153 1,281 1,609 1,701 1,712 1,466 1,415 1,301 1,314

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
1,527 1,580 1,580 1,399 1,423 1,887 2,095 2,056 1,647 1,689 1,581 1,490

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
1,604 1,720 1,706 1,596 1,719 2,000 2,162

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

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
65,425 65,598 65,588 64,600 64,680 64,958 64,985 65,155 65,578 66,158 66,756 66,853

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
66,987 67,298 67,544 66,231 66,762 67,680 66,851 66,775 65,705 65,675 65,802 66,242

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
66,319 66,629 66,566 66,278 66,147 66,619 66,382 66,245 66,743 66,788 67,368 67,512

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
68,323 69,244 68,876 68,407 68,750 68,744 69,524 70,024 70,347 70,316 70.403 70,495

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
70,709 71,392 72,019 71,556 71,669 71,565 71,363 70,992 71,883 72,802 72,651 71,886

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
72,177 71,797 72,366 71,947 72,320 72,889 72,262 71,948 72,563 73,242 72,839 72,532

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
73,151 73,197 73,725 73,764 72,631 72,250 71,971

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%

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
2.5% 2.1% 2.0% 1.4% 1.5% 1.9% 1.8% 1.9% 1.6% 1.7% 1.6% 1.9%

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
2.3% 1.8% 2.2% 6.2% 5.1% 4.8% 5.1% 4.7% 4.8% 4.3% 3.9% 3.6%

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
3.8% 3.5% 3.4% 3.1% 2.9% 3.0% 2.6% 2.9% 2.3% 2.3% 2.2% 1.8%

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
2.1% 2.1% 1.5% 1.6% 1.4% 1.6% 1.5% 1.7% 1.8% 2.1% 1.9% 1.8%

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
2.0% 2.1% 2.1% 1.8% 2.0% 1.9% 1.9% 2.1% 2.1% 1.8% 1.7% 2.0%

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
2.1% 2.4% 2.3% 2.4% 2.0% 2.2% 2.3% 2.4% 2.2% 2.3% 2.2% 2.0%

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
2.1% 2.3% 2.3% 2.2% 2.6% 2.4% 2.1%

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%

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
2.4% 2.0% 1.9% 1.8% 1.8% 2.7% 2.9% 2.6% 2.1% 1.8% 1.9% 1.7%

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
2.1% 1.8% 2.6% 8.8% 7.7% 7.7% 7.6% 6.1% 4.3% 3.3% 3.5% 3.2%

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
3.5% 3.1% 2.9% 3.0% 2.8% 3.8% 3.9% 3.4% 2.4% 2.1% 1.8% 1.6%

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
2.5% 2.2% 1.6% 1.6% 1.7% 2.6% 3.0% 2.8% 1.9% 1.9% 1.7% 1.6%

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
2.1% 1.9% 1.8% 1.4% 1.7% 2.5% 2.8% 2.7% 2.0% 2.1% 1.9% 1.7%

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
2.1% 2.1% 2.1% 1.6% 1.9% 2.9% 3.3% 3.2% 2.3% 2.3% 2.1% 2.1%

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
2.3% 2.4% 2.4% 2.1% 2.2% 3.1% 3.7%

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%

1/19 2/19 3/19 4/19 5/19 6/19 7/19 8/19 9/19 10/19 11/19 12/19
4.5% 5.0% 4.6% 3.9% 3.6% 3.4% 3.2% 3.8% 3.6% 3.4% 3.3% 3.3%

1/20 2/20 3/20 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 8/20 9/20 10/20 11/20 12/20
4.5% 4.2% 4.3% 17.1% 16.2% 13.3% 10.9% 8.6% 8.9% 7.0% 6.3% 5.3%

1/21 2/21 3/21 4/21 5/21 6/21 7/21 8/21 9/21 10/21 11/21 12/21
6.6% 6.6% 6.3% 6.3% 6.4% 6.0% 6.0% 5.5% 5.2% 4.5% 4.2% 3.6%

1/22 2/22 3/22 4/22 5/22 6/22 7/22 8/22 9/22 10/22 11/22 12/22
4.2% 3.6% 4.3% 4.1% 4.2% 4.1% 4.1% 4.0% 3.8% 3.4% 3.3% 3.4%

1/23 2/23 3/23 4/23 5/23 6/23 7/23 8/23 9/23 10/23 11/23 12/23
4.4% 4.0% 3.7% 3.0% 4.0% 4.0% 3.7% 3.9% 4.1% 3.9% 3.7% 4.4%

1/24 2/24 3/24 4/24 5/24 6/24 7/24 8/24 9/24 10/24 11/24 12/24
4.5% 4.7% 4.7% 3.6% 3.8% 4.5% 4.6% 4.6% 4.5% 3.9% 4.2% 4.1%

1/25 2/25 3/25 4/25 5/25 6/25 7/25 8/25 9/25 10/25 11/25 12/25
4.9% 4.3% 4.4% 4.2% 4.5% 4.9% 3.9%

BLS Analysis for Recruiters – July 2025 – 8/1/25

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