U.S. job openings surged in June to record high
8/8/2017WASHINGTON — U.S. employers posted a record number of open jobs in June, a sign that the solid hiring of recent months will likely continue.
The Labor Department says that job openings jumped 8 percent to 6.2 million, the highest on records dating back to 2000. Hiring fell, however, and the number of people quitting their jobs also dropped.
The data suggest that employers have plenty of jobs to fill but are struggling to find the qualified workers they need. Typically, employers would offer higher pay to entice more applicants, accelerating wage growth. But the government’s jobs report for July, released Friday, showed that pay gains haven’t picked up yet.
Job openings in construction and manufacturing rose sharply. They also increased in financial services, health care, and in state and local government.