In March 80,000 jobs were lost nationwide, according to a report put out by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This was 30,000 more than economists had expected. But that's not all — the unemployment rate jumped from 4.8% to 5.1%, and it's expected to continue rising.

Tig Gilliam, the CEO of staffing firm Adecco, said, "We're expecting the unemployment rate to rise to as much as 5.5% over the course of the first half of 2008, and I think we have to put that in perspective."

However, there is growth in some job sectors, including government, education, healthcare, and technology. And as far as location goes?

"The strongest job performance has been in the South," Gilliam continued. "They have the lowest unemployment rate now. The highest unemployment rate is in the Midwest, and that's primarily because of the exposure to manufacturing in the Midwest."

The areas that have suffered the most include construction (with 51,000 jobs cut in March), manufacturing (with 48,000 jobs cut in March), and retail, to name a few.

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