Millions of Jobs Available

The good news is that there were nearly 2.5 million jobs up for grabs in the US last month. The bad news is that there are 15.4 million people competing for those positions. That's according to a recent release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

So how do you get a leg up on all those millions of competitors? It wouldn't hurt to check out the fields with the most opportunities. Not counting seasonal work like package wrapping and holiday retail sales, the most job openings right now seem to be in Trade, Transportation and Utilities, followed by Professional and Business Services, then Leisure and Hospitality. Your worst chances are in the fields of Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, where there are the fewest openings, which makes sense, because those jobs are traditionally the most fun and desirable.

Or you could try searching in greener pastures. While the job openings rate fell in three of the four US regions: Midwest, Northeast and South, it actually increased just a tad in the West. But before you load up the truck and move to Beverly Hills, know that the unemployment rates in the Los Angeles area are about at 11.9% -- considerably higher than the much-touted 10.0% national average. In fact, the metropolitan area with the lowest unemployment rate is Bismarck, North Dakota, that's currently at 2.8%. So if hot chocolate and cozy fires are your thing, bundle up and take a look on line for jobs in that area.

And if none of that sounds appealing, you can always follow around those who might be about to up and leave. Believe it or not, 1.8 million people actually quit their jobs in October. Try to find out "What were they thinking?" before you swoop in there to fill that position, however, because that's an extremely daring move these days. Times may be tough, but a torturous job could make them even worse.

Next: Top 10 Companies Hiring This Week >>

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