Nation's Unemployment Rate Zooms to 6.1% in August; EmploymentCrossing Keeps on Adding Jobs

September 09, 2008   |    PDF version

Pasadena, CA — Unemployment rose among almost all demographic groups as it shot up to 6.1%, the highest level since September of 2003, according to the most recent employment report from the Labor Department. The US economy has now lost more than 600,000 jobs this year, according to the Department’s statistics. More than 84,000 jobs were lost in the month of August, with working women being harder-hit than men. Reports state that companies are having a hard time trying to retain their employees, as rising costs and inflation are taking a toll on their businesses. EmploymentCrossing, the leading job board in the US, agrees that the current job market has been increasingly tough on employees, as widespread cuts have reached a new high.

''Yes, it is true that the job market has plunged into dire straits, worsening dramatically and consecutively over the months,'' says Harrison Barnes, the CEO of EmploymentCrossing. ''EmploymentCrossing, however, is trying its best to increase its job count. The need of the hour is to accelerate that growth even more.''

According to the report, factories shed 61,000 jobs, with housing-related manufacturers and automakers among the worst hit. Construction firms were forced to slash 8,000 jobs, while retailers cut 20,000. Professional and business services lost 53,000 positions, much more than in previous months. The hospitality sector got rid of 4,000 jobs, too. The employment gains in the government, education, and health sectors were far less than the job losses incurred during the month.

''The job market has definitely hit a new low this year, but it’s useless to cry over spilled milk,'' says Barnes. ''Efforts should be made to make people aware about good sources of jobs, because they do not know where to find jobs. EmploymentCrossing is focusing on several US states and some specific demographics, especially the hard-hit ones, and believe it or not, the site has been successful in its endeavors. Over the past week, we managed to post more than 191,433 active new jobs in the US itself —one of our best efforts yet — in spite of the dire employment figures just released.''

According to Barnes, the top job types out of the 2 million jobs listed on EmploymentCrossing’s websites are:

• Managerial jobs (136,066 jobs)
• Healthcare jobs (159,204 jobs)
• Information technology jobs (118,714 jobs)
• Engineering jobs (87,039 jobs)
• Accounting jobs (54,532 jobs)
  

''With a highly trained team of researchers who personally screen each and every job posted on EmploymentCrossing’s portals, EmploymentCrossing seeks out, edits, approves, and tracks an elite collection of jobs on an ongoing basis,'' Barnes says. ''EmploymentCrossing is not for everyone — we are exclusive and private, and only members have access to our job-opening research.''

Contact:
Mary Waldron, Editorial Coordinator
EmploymentCrossing
626-243-1821
maryw@employmentcrossing.com

About EmploymentCrossing

EmploymentCrossing is a powerful and comprehensive organization dedicated to helping professionals find jobs that will enhance their careers. EmploymentCrossing consists of 90+ industry-specific job boards which consolidate every job opening they can find in one convenient location. The website also offers a seven-day free trial to new members.