Today’s Economic Landscape and What’s on the Other Side February 2010
Workplace Economy Slides May 2012
1. U.S. Economic Data
Michael J. Shafran, National Sales
Adecco
As of May 2012
Reflective of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ “The Employment Situation – April 2012”
2. The national unemployment rate declined for the
second consecutive month
JOBS GAINED IN APRIL
115,000
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
8.1%
LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE SINCE
February 2009
7. Sector changes observed in April
Employment by Selected Industries
(Changes from March – April 2012,
in Thousands)
Temporary
Finance
Healthcare
Legal
Leisure & Hospitality
Manufacturing
Professional & Business Services
Retail Trade
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Source: BLS
8. Education remained a job search differentiator
Less than high school 12.5%
High school diploma 7.9%
Some college 7.6%
College educated 4.0%
National average 8.1%
* National unemployment average, according to education levels
Source: BLS
9. A snapshot of metropolitan unemployment figures
Source: BLS
11. The national labor force participation rate
Sources: BLS, WashingtonPost.com
12. Changes in the labor force
Source: EconomyWatch.MSNBC.MSN.com
13. A look back on past recessions and recoveries
Sources: Labor Department, The Wall Street Journal
14. A snapshot of Americans unable to find full-time work
* In millions
Sources: Economix.Blogs.NYTimes.com, BLS
15. In Summary
The national unemployment rate declined for the second straight month in
April, to 8.1 percent, which is the lowest it has been since February 2009.
Opportunities
• The professional and business services sector added 62,000 new jobs to the
national economy in April.
• Employment within the retail trade and manufacturing industries increased by
29,300 and 16,000, respectively, last month.
• In the meantime, the healthcare and temporary help services industries
generated 19,000 and 21,100 new jobs, respectively.
Weaknesses
• Hiring continued to dwindle, as only 115,000 new jobs were created last
month.
• Employment within the information and transportation and warehousing
sectors diminished by 2,000 and 16,600, respectively.