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WASHINGTON — Job openings rose about 7.6 percent in January, to 2.7 million, compared with December, the Labor Department said. That’s the highest total since February 2009.
The report is a sign that the economy is likely to generate consistent job gains soon. Some economists expect employers to add up to a net 300,000 jobs in March, though as many as a third of those jobs could be temporary hiring for the 2010 census.
There are about 5.5 unemployed people, on average, competing for each opening. When the recession began, that figure was 1.7 people competing for each opening. But the number is down from just over 6 people per opening in December. The economy has lost 8.4 million jobs since the recession began.
The Associated Press
