My Recruiting Blog

According to most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, finding jobs in Chicago (click here for more information) didn't become any easier during the month of June. The city's unemployment rate rose 0.6 percent from May's 10.7 percent to 11.3 percent. This is significantly higher than the city's jobless rate from the previous year. In June of 2008 only 6.9 percent of Chicago residents were unable to find work.

During the month the state's unemployment rate and the national jobless average also rose. According to the Bureau, Illinois' rate climbed 0.2 percent from May's 10.1 percent to 10.3 percent. The countrywide unemployment rate rose 0.1 percent to 9.5 percent. Since then this statistic has fallen back to 9.4 percent, making July the first month that nation has seen a decline in joblessness in over a year.

According to the Bureau, there are now approximately 474,200 people in the Chicago collecting unemployment benefits. Despite the rise in the number of jobless residents, the number of people employed in the state rose by 37,400 individuals to 3,725,100.

During the last 12 months the largest Chicago job declines have occurred in the construction industry. As of June, there were now 14 percent fewer positions in this sector than there were in 2008. The economic recession has been particularly hard on the housing market. Since fewer people can afford to purchase new homes, there has been less of a need for new construction projects. This has, of course, hurt the job market for this sector.

Another area of employment that has taken a hit in the city over the course of the last year is the manufacturing sector. In the last 12 months this industry lost 11.7 percent of its jobs. Thankfully, these are the only two sectors that have experienced a loss of jobs greater than 10 percent.

The only industry to report an increase in jobs over the course of the last year was educational and health services. Employment in this sector grew by 0.6 percent.

Labels: Chicago jobs