<p>Numbers released today suggest the job market is improving,hence the economy is getting better…But is it? I see many vacant office/retail space,houses for sale though i don’t know 1 person unemployed,or for that matter under employed…Do yuo know anyone unemployed/underemployed?? Is the economy improving as suggested or is this smoke and mirrors???</p>
<p>Portland has had some of the worst unemployment in the country, and the situation is definitely improving here. Storefronts that have been vacant for two years are being leased and new stores moving in. Our business employs 25 people and we had someone hired away for the first time in two years. The house that was on the market for two and a half years that we can see out the window… finally sold.</p>
<p>Is it improving all across or selected segments? Last time I had checked people with college degree had about half of the general unemployment rate.</p>
<p>[Table</a> A-4. Employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cpsatab4.htm#a4.f.1]Table”>http://www.bls.gov/webapps/legacy/cpsatab4.htm#a4.f.1)</p>
<p>I have my own “tell” about employment in our area. I have a friend who is an unemployed HR person. I figure that employment will definitely be on the upswing when she gets a job–you don’t need to hire a new HR person unless you are planning on hiring!</p>
<p>She told me recently that whereas in past months she’d be lucky to be able to put in even one application, nowadays she puts in 2 or 3 a week and has been getting interviews. </p>
<p>[not working yet,though–she doesn’t want to drop too much in salary]</p>
<p>I think it depends on how one asks the question. Auto sales are still down a third from 2007, which suggests lots of job insecurity. Government figures say “better” or “worse” or “no real change” depending on which calculation is used. For my private purposes, I like the “number of people working to day” divided by “number of people working in mid-2007.” All I know for sure is that getting in and out of Hartford during rush hour is a breeze now.</p>
<p>Traffic has gotten steadily worse in my area. We are hiring though we’ve been hiring through the recession. I see more tech jobs opening up.</p>
<p>I asked the manager of a sub shop near where I live as to how things are going. He said that he hasn’t noticed any change in the economy. He does hear anecdotal evidence that things are getting better for some but thinks that they aren’t getting better for a lot of other people. So things appear mixed and uneven to me.</p>
<p>I know several people unemployed or underemployed. I own a specialty construction business and the construction Industry has been hit hard. I would not assume that the CC population is a cross segment of our society as a whole. So it wouldn’t surprise me if ccers know few who are unemployed or underemployed but that doesn’t mean our economy has turned the corner.</p>