February job openings rise to 4.17 million

[UrbScotty]

Source: MarketWatch

Job openings at U.S. workplaces rose to 4.17 million in February -- the most in just over six years -- from 3.87 million in January, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Tuesday. Compared with same period in the prior year, February job openings rose 4%, as private-sector openings increased 5% to 3.78 million, and government positions declined to 393,000 from 424,000. With 10.46 million unemployed people in February, there were about 2.5 potential job seekers per opening, below January's ratio of 2.6. In February 2013, there were 12.05 million unemployed people -- about 3 potential seekers per opening. When the recession began in December 2007, there were less than two potential job seekers per opening. The number of separations, such as quits and layoffs, declined to 4.38 million in February from 4.42 million in January. Meanwhile, the total number of hires rose to 4.59 million from 4.52 million. The level of hires was almost 5 million when the recession began.

Read more: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/february-job-openings-rise-to-417-million-2014-04-08

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We're not there yet - but we're getting there.

[fasttense]

1. It seems that the Wall Street Urinal didn't read the BLS report all the way to the bottom,

before declaring the economy recovered.

"Large numbers of hires and separations occur every month throughout the business cycle. Net
employment change results from the relationship between hires and separations. When the number of
hires exceeds the number of separations, employment rises, even if the hires level is steady or declining.
Conversely, when the number of hires is less than the number of separations, employment declines, even
if the hires level is steady or rising. Over the 12 months ending in February 2014, hires totaled 54.3
million and separations totaled 52.2 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.1 million. These
figures include workers who may have been hired and separated more than once during the year."

We only got 2.1 million hires when you subtract the separations that's only about half way to 5 million.

And...."The number of hires rose in February in retail trade and was little changed in all four regions." Oh boy more poorly paid retail jobs. Just what we need for a recovery.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm

[Wilms]

2. "We're not there yet - but we're getting there."

You've got a point, there.

[kelliekat44]

3. But the hiring is so discriminatory only few can actually get employment.

out of work for more than 1 year, bad credit because you have been out of work, over 50 with great skills and great work record, poor with children, not white, not foreign....these are some of the biases facing American workers.