By Michael Kling

High unemployment rates can cause more damage to an economy than you may realize. When the unemployment rates rise, many people begin relocating to areas with more readily-available jobs. Unattached singles are especially prone to moving, but if jobs don't become more plentiful in major cities, even married couples with children think about hitting the road.

AP

CLARKSVILLE, Md. - Be sure to wash up, Maryland doctors and nurses. You're being watched.

State officials said Tuesday they're creating teams of staff members at hospitals around the state to secretly monitor their colleagues' hand-washing habits as part of a first-of-its-kind program. The monitors will contribute to a systemwide report on hand-washing, using $100,000 in federal stimulus money.

By Kate Lorenz for www.TheWorkBuzz.com, CareerBuilder's job seeker blog

If you are hoping to snag a seasonal job during this year's holidays, it's time to start looking now. Like the rest of the job market, competition will be fierce. What you might not think about, though, is that a seasonal job can be your ticket to full-time employment.

"Competition for seasonal positions will be intense as the job market is flooded with qualified candidates vying for a smaller number of open positions," said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. "Employers tell us they are accepting the majority of their seasonal applications during October and November, meaning job seekers need to identify and apply for those opportunities now."

Hiring managers struggle to find employees, even as millions of jobs seekers are desperate for work.

By Jessica Dickler, CNNMoney.com staff writer

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Despite millions of unemployed job seekers desperate for work, many open positions are languishing unfilled. The reason? Not enough candidates.

With job openings largely concentrated in specialized industries like healthcare, green technology and energy, some employers say the problem is finding qualified workers, which are in short supply. Meanwhile, they are inundated with eager candidates from other industries who lack the skills and experience that the job requires.

By Ed Orum

Five hundred resumes came down to one simple question:

If you were at a baseball game and a foul ball came your way, would you stand up and try to catch it or just wait in your seat and hope it fell your way?

No, the job opening wasn't for a baseball team, but a $13-an-hour administrative assistant at a trucking company. That's the story according to a recent New York Times article, which explains how hiring managers are getting creative in this competitive job market, with far more qualified candidates than openings.