Bureau of Labor Statistics reports less job openings across U.S.
MISHAWAKA, Ind. --- A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics says there are less job openings across the U.S., but the help is still wanted in Michiana.
“It’s still a really good time to be someone who wants to be in the workforce,” says Andrew Butters, an economics expert at Indiana University Bloomington. “The unemployment rate is really, really, low. In fact, it’s the lowest it’s been in a long, long time.”
The unemployment rate is low, and so are the number of job openings across the country, according to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“This latest job openings number which fell, and had one of the steepest drops that it had basically since the pandemic recession,” Butters explains. “We’re still at a ratio of job openings for how many people out there looking for jobs at 1.7. We can still see that the demand for laborers is still quite outpacing the supply, but it is still slowing.”
The decrease comes after a slowdown of the economy and the way people reacted to recent, high inflation rates.
“We’ve had really, really high inflation over the last, now going into probably the second year,” says Butters. “It’s a really good time to be a laborer; it’s unfortunately not a great time to be trying to buy all the goods, and the groceries, and the gas. I think this number, if we want to take that in the context of the other things that are going on in the economy, it would be a hopeful signal that things are coming to be a little bit more in balance.”
With more people needing to find work and less openings available, it makes the job easier for employers that are looking to fill open positions, which many Michiana employers are doing now.
“If you are still one of those firms or employers that are looking for workers right now, there’s a few less competitors right now out there that are engaging in that same type of activity that could potentially be trying to get that potential candidate from you,” explains Butters.
“Surrounding the Michiana areas over in like Elkhart, Goshen, even in our Warsaw areas, we still have other positions, specifically skilled positions, but many other positions and opportunities,” says Tabitha Martin, an Elwood Staffing manager.
Even though job openings across the U.S. are down, there are many employers in Michiana that want the help!
“We just need somebody to stop in, fill out their application, get their paperwork in order, and we can get you to work,” says Katrina Harris, a recruiting manager at Elwood Staffing.
On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release an Employment Situation report that will show the amount of employees added to payrolls for the month of September, and will help to give a more clear picture of the job market.