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Employers Post Fewest Job Ads In 5 Months

By The Associated Press
Posted Nov 7th 2012 @ 9:20AM
Filed under: Unemployment Trends and Stats, Employment News & Trends

WASHINGTON -- Employers posted fewer job openings in September after advertising more in August than first estimated. The report suggests that hiring will likely remain modest in the coming months.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that job openings dropped by 100,000 to 3.56 million, the fewest in five months. August's openings were revised up to 3.66 million.

The number of available jobs has jumped about 63 percent since July 2009, one month after the recession ended. It remains well below the more than 4 million jobs a month advertised before the recession. One positive sign in the report was a decline in the number of layoffs.

The market for jobs remains competitive. With 12.1 million people unemployed in September, there were 3.4 unemployed people, on average, competing for each open job. In a healthy economy, that ratio is roughly 2 to 1.

Employers filled fewer available positions in September than in August. And the number of people who quit fell to the lowest level in 10 months. That's a bad sign for the job market, because it suggests that workers see fewer opportunities to move to a better job. Workers are more likely to leave jobs when they have other offers.

More: Planned Job Cuts Jump 41%, 5-Month High, Report Says

Hiring looked a little better in October. The Labor Department said Friday that employers added 171,000 jobs last month and hiring in August and September was better than first estimated.

The unemployment rate rose to 7.9 percent from 7.8 percent. But that was because more Americans began searching for work, likely reflecting increasing optimism about their chances.

Friday's report measures net hiring and unemployment, while Tuesday's government report looks at total hiring, layoffs and quits.

Job openings fell in manufacturing, construction, hotels and restaurants, and in government. There was also a big drop in openings in professional and business services, which includes both high-paying jobs, such as architects and engineers, as well as lower-paying temporary services.