Juror Flirting With John Edwards
Obama's Pot-Smoking Detailed
The Labor Department said Wednesday that employers advertised 3.1 million available jobs that month, the most since September 2008. That was the height of the financial crisis, when Lehman Brothers collapsed.
The competition for those jobs is easing, though still intense. The department's report shows that there were 4.4 people, on average, competing for each available job in February. That's down from nearly 7 in July 2009, but still above the approximately 2 to 1 ratio that exists in a healthy economy.
A rise in employment advertisements is the latest sign that companies are stepping up hiring. The private sector in March added more than 200,000 jobs for a second straight month, the first time that's happened since 2006. And the unemployment rate fell to 8.8 percent, the lowest level in two years.
Sponsored Links
Job openings are usually filled within one to three months after posting, which means the report can be an indicator of future hiring activity. If that holds true, April could be another strong month for job growth.The number of jobs advertised has increased by nearly 1 million since they bottomed out in July 2009, a month after the recession ended. But they are still well below the 4.4 million openings that were advertised in December 2007, when the recession began.
Openings rose sharply in professional and business services, which include accountants, legal services and temporary help agencies. Education and health care and hotels and restaurants also posted big jumps in job postings. Openings in state and local governments, which fell sharply last month, edged up slightly.
Romney Argues Big Spending Cuts Would Cause 'Depression,' Contrary To Tea Party Activists
Scott Walker, Tom Barrett Face Off In First Wisconsin Recall Debate
A New Murdoch Scandal Emerges
The Mortgage Mess: Just How Many Screwups Were There?
Devils Down Rangers, Headed To Stanley Cup Finals
GOP Governor Signs Bill Banning Islamic Law
The Story Behind Clinton's Porn Star Picture
Pedro Hernandez Charged In Etan Patz Death
Scott Walker Recall Race May Be Tightening
WATCH: Fox News Besieged By Technical Difficulties
Romney To Pay More In Taxes?
Cory Booker Goes Off Message, Everyone Freaks For A Week: The Speculatron Weekly Round-Up
Joe Biden Recalls Thoughts Of Suicide
More Trouble For Rick Scott
Over 50 Reportedly Killed By Syrian Forces
Police: Indiana Gunman Who Held Hostages Shot Self In Head
JPMorgan Risk Committee Missing People With Experience Monitoring Risk
GOP Congressional Candidate Accuses Opponent Of Spying On Campaign
Geologists Confirm Possible Jesus Crucifixion Date
Tom Coburn Gets Big Penalty From Fellow Senators
WATCH: Meghan McCain Lashes Out At Republicans
Arianna Huffington: The Inspirationals: Jeff Skoll, Doubling Down on the Things That Work
What Bin Laden's Wives Revealed
