Job JOLTS - There are 3.7 Unemployed People Per Job Opening for April 2012

The BLS JOLTS, or Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey reports a dismal and pathetic jobs market. The April 2012 statistics show there were 3.66 official unemployed persons for every position available^*. There were 3,416,000 job openings for April 2012, a -8.69% change from the previous month of 3,741,000. Openings are still way below pre-recession levels of 4.7 million. Job openings have increased 56% from their July 2009 trough, yet opportunities are miles away from the 1.8 persons per job opening ratio at the start of the recession, December 2007. Below is the graph of April official unemployed, 12.5 million, per job opening.

job openings per official unemployed

If one takes the official broader definition of unemployment, or U-6, the ratio becomes 6.65^** unemployed people per each job opening for February. The April U-6 unemployment rate was 14.5%. Below is the graph of number of unemployed, using the broader U-6 unemployment definition, per job opening.

Job JOLTS - There are 3.4 Official Unemployed per Job Opening in March 2012

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The March 2012 statistics show there were 3.39 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available^*. There were 3,737,000 job openings for March 2012, an increase of 4.83%, from the previous month of 3,565,000. The press shouts this is the largest number of jobs openings in four years, that's actually wrong. This is the highest number of job openings since July 2008. We were 8 months into the great recession and there were way less people needing a job in July 2008. Openings are still way below pre-recession levels of 4.7 million. Job openings have increased 71% from their July 2009 trough, yet opportunities are still way below the 1.8 persons per job opening at the start of the recession, December 2007. Below is the graph of March official unemployed, 12.673 million, per job opening.

jolts u-3 03/12

Job JOLTS - There are 3.66 Official Unemployed per Job Opening in February 2012

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The February 2012 statistics show there were 3.66 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available^*. There were 3,498,000 job openings for February 2012, an increase of 0.6%, from the previous month of 3,477,000. This is no change from January 2012 in actual job openings. Job openings have increased 60% from their July 2009 trough. Yet opportunities are still way below the 1.8 persons per job opening at the start of the recession, December 2007. Below is the graph of February official unemployed, 12.806 million, per job opening.

jolts u3 02/12

Job JOLTS - There are 3.88 Official Unemployed Per Job Opening in December 2011

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The December 2011 statistics show there were 3.88 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available^*. There were 3,376,000 job openings for December 2011, an increase of 8.27%, from the previous month of 3,118,000. This is a marked improvement from last month. While job openings have increased 60% from their June 2009 trough, jobs are still way below the 1.19 person per job opening at the start of the recession. Below is the graph of number of official unemployed, 13.097 million, per job opening for December 2011.

jolts u3 12/11

Job JOLTS - There are 4.22 Official Unemployed Per Job Opening in November 2011

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The November 2011 statistics show there were 4.22 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available^*. There were 3,161,000 job openings for November 2011, a decrease of -1.95%, from the previous month of 3,224,000.

Job JOLTS - There are 4.25 Official Unemployed Per Job Opening in October 2011

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The October 2011 statistics show there were 4.25 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available^*. There were 3,267,000 job openings for October 2011, a decrease of -3.38%, from the previous month of 3,377,000.

Job JOLTS - Job Openings for June 2011

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The June 2011 statistics show there were 4.53 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available. There were only 3,109,000 job openings for June 2011, almost the same, +2.47%, from the previous month of 3,034,000. The change is flat from last month, an absolutely horrific jobs market.

Job JOLTS - Job Openings for May 2011

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The July 12th report on May 2011 data shows there were 4.68 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available. There were only 2,974,000 job openings for May 2011, almost the same, +0.7%, from the previous month. Below is the graph of number of official unemployed per job opening for May 2011.

Jobs JOLTS for December 2010

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The December report shows there were 4.73 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available. If one takes the official broader definition of unemployment, or U6, the ratio becomes even worse, 8.40.

Jobs JOLTS for November 2010

JOLTS stands for Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The November report shows there were 4.63 official unemployed people hunting for a job to every position available. If one takes the official broader definition of unemployment, or U6, the ratio becomes even worse, 8.17.

job losses