Job Openings Rise To Highest Level Since Sept. '08

[Purveyor]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(05-11) 07:53 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

Companies in March advertised the most jobs since the peak of the 2008 financial crisis, a sign that hiring is likely to remain healthy in the months ahead.

The Labor Department says job openings rose by 99,000 to 3.1 million in March. That's the highest level of openings since September 2008 and the second straight monthly increase.

The number of available jobs plummeted to 2.1 million in July 2009, one month after the recession ended. But March's total is still significantly below the 4.4 million openings recorded in December 2007, when the recession began.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/05/11/national/w075323D17.DTL

[christx30]

1. I'm pretty happy

that I just got a second job. I mean... my life will be pretty much nothing but work, food, bathroom, and sleep. But at least I won't have to worry about my kids going 5 or more days without food.

[LiberalLoner]

3. I'm sorry. We need to have jobs with benefits and decent wages! n/t

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BigD_95]

7. this is sad to hear

I have a salary job, so I try to work the least hours I can, so I can spend as much time with my young kids as
possible before they grow up. Kids need their parents and it makes me angry when people have to work their entire day just to have enough money to provide for their family for basic needs. This country is such a mess right now. I hope things improve for you and your family.

[christx30]

12. Thank you

I'm happy that I'm 32 days away from getting health insurance for the first time in nearly 3 years. $15 co-pays to see a doctor rather than $102 for an office visit sounds like a wonderful proposition.
I'm rather fortunate that my part time job is a work from home tech support. So I can be at home and do it and not have to go out to an office. So if I miss my kids (ages 3 and 5), I can put my phone on DND for 2 minutes at a time and run out for a quick hug and a high five.
The new job is going to pay more and I'll get benefits.
I just wish my home was closer to a normal bus line so I could ride the bus rather than drive. The place is about 45 minutes drive (1 hour and 45 min on the bus) and that's going to eat up a lot of gas. So if I take the bus, I can save a ton on gas. And get a lot of reading done.

[No Elephants]

10. Glad you got a job you needed. Sorry one job is not enough.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. This is great news. Thanks for posting. (nt)

[bushisanidiot]

5. Thank you, Mr. President!

:)

[Dawgs]

6. Why would you thank the President? n/t

[jtuck004]

8. "to remain healthy" ? Healthy is 3.1 million openings with 22 million unemployed,

underemployed, or discouraged workers needing them? In other words, about 7 people looking for every available job. At this rate, we might employ an extra 1 1/2 million a year beyond people entering the market and adding to the total, which means it will be near 2030 before we see unemployment near 5-6% again. How many people will be allowed to die in poverty while we wait?

I don't want to guess what the author might find "sick"...

Shadow stats says the number of unemployed is even higher, but even with these numbers, if it were not for the 2.5 million or so that have quit looking for jobs that (we now have evidence, again, eh?) don't exist, the unemployment rate would be over 11%.

The government is the only entity that can call on the resources to fix this, very much like we did in the 30's. All the rest of the cutting nonsense isn't going to bring in more revenue, and it won't save enough (except on the backs of the most vulnerable) to put in a hat. The QE is just putting money into the hands of people with money, the 20% who own 87% of ALL private wealth. And the wealthy will not suddenly change to being philanthopists. None of these get people employed in eny meaningful number.

The only way we grow toward the future is demand, which requires taxpayer investment in the economy, (not in tax cuts for the greedy who don't pay their fair share of taxes), education, and the creation of wealth (pretty much not "Do you want fries with that?" jobs). Investment in our country and our people.

We can talk about sending people to war to die for our security, but how secure can we be with 44 million people on food stamps, or many hundreds of thousands of homes being foreclosed on each year?

Maybe security starts at home.

[supernova]

9. I hope that means one for me

I've been out of work since Oct 08. Haven't been able to find anything in my previous career. That is dead as a doornail. Mailed out every job opening I came across that was a fit. Only only to hear back... nothing most times. I've had maybe three interviews in all that time.

Savings are gone. UI is gone too. The SO is also looking for work and he may land something soon. I hope so. We are barely eeking by on his UI. There are days when giving up seems like a good option. I started apprenticing in a new career, last week, but it will be very sporadic possibly weeks between gigs, and I need other work to fill the gaps.

Some days I really don't know what to do. I don't believe in anything anymore.

[No Elephants]

11. I'm so very sorry, I applaud you for apprenticing in a new career. I wish I had something more

useful to say, but I wish you well.

[bemildred]

13. Is this some sort of joke?

Do crises peak or bottom out?

"But March's total is still significantly below the 4.4 million openings recorded in December 2007, when the recession began."

The real question, as always, is how many people who want to work cannot find work?

[w4rma]

14. Redefining healthy? (nt)