Good Job Market, Bad Job Market

Regardless, you’re still looking

There are many job reports being issued all the time. The monthly jobs report from the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Services (BLS) is probably the most watched list. It certainly garners some of the most, if not the most interest among those in the know – especially the media.

The Department of Labor has others. The Weekly Unemployment Insurance Claims and the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). They measure different things but don’t get as much coverage. There is also the ADP National Employment Report which is issued by ADP Research Institute (in collaboration with Stanford Digital Economy Lab.)

Lots of reports. Lots of data.

Lots of opinions.

How about you?

You personally may have varying degrees of interest in any/all of these reports during your job search. It doesn’t matter if you follow these reports. It doesn’t matter what the reports say. It doesn’t matter how the experts opine about the reports. There is one thing that is unaffected by them all: you’re still looking.

If the job market is strong and people seem to be hiring, that may be great, but you’re still out of work. If the job market is weak and jobs are few and far between, that may seem daunting, but you’re still looking.

Just because the job market is strong, that doesn’t mean that you’ll get a job anytime soon. Likewise, when the job market is weak, there are still employers who are looking for people and one of those people might be you.

In the end, the content of those reports have little or no bearing on the prospects of you finding a new job. You’re still looking. You need to maintain your focus, your efforts, your intensity. That’s what will find you your next job. Not some government jobs report.

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