July’s job numbers were just released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and they may give you flashes of Bill Murray a la Groundhog Day, as the unemployment rate remained at 9.5 percent in July and another month went by without significant improvement in our employment situation.  But as Bill Murray’s character, Phil Connors,  reminded us in the film, we can see see the groundhog signifying six more weeks of winter as  bleak and dark and bereft of hope,  or look at the positives of the situation and acknowledge where we’re improving. After all, we’ve gained 630,000 private sector jobs this year — and there’s still five months of 2010 that remains to be seen.

Additionally, we’re seeing moderate, sequential improvements across almost every job category on CareerBuilder itself. Entry-level jobs are up 100 percent year over year,  and in the skilled areas for both construction and manufacturing, we’re seeing jobs up 50 percent year over year, as CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson pointed out on CNBC’s Squawk Box this morning. Ferguson explained July’s job numbers from his point of view, how things have changed since 2008, and the good and the bad of what’s going on now.

Watch the VIDEO:

Let’s take a closer look at BLS’s Employment Situation report for July:

• Both the number of unemployed persons, at 14.6 million, and the unemployment rate, at 9.5 percent, were unchanged in July.
• Total nonfarm payroll employment declined by 131,000 in July, but those losses were due to to 143,000 temporary workers hired for the decennial census completing their work.
• So far this year, private sector employment has increased by 630,000, with about two-thirds of the gain occurring in March and April.
• The average hourly wage rose slightly in July, from $22.55, to $22.59. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 1.8 percent.
• Private employers added 71,000 jobs in July, up from a downwardly revised 31,000 in June but below the consensus forecast of 90,000.
• The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (because either their hours had been cut back or they were unable to find a full-time job) was essentially unchanged over the month at 8.5 million but has declined by 623,000 since April.
• The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased from 34.1 hours to 34.2 hours — signaling employers are looking for more productivity from the same number of workers.

NOTE: June’s number was revised dramatically downward to a total loss of 221,000 jobs. The agency originally reported that the nation lost 125,000 jobs in June.

Industry-Specific Changes for July:

• Manufacturing employment increased by 36,000 over the month. Manufacturing employment has expanded by 183,000 since December 2009.
• Health care added 27,000 jobs in July. Over the past 12 months, health care employment has risen by 231,000.
• Employment in professional and business services was little changed (13,000) in July.
• The number of jobs in temporary help services showed little movement (-6,000) over the month.
• Employment in financial activities continued to trend down in July, with a decline of 17,000. So far this year, monthly job losses in the industry have averaged 12,000, compared with an average monthly job loss of 29,000 for all of 2009.
• Construction employment changed little (-11,000) in July; 10,000 construction workers were off payrolls due to strike activity.
• Employment in other private-sector industries, including wholesale trade, retail trade, information, and leisure and hospitality showed little change in July.

What happens next?

Although we’ve pointed out positives when looking at 2010 as a whole, expectations are high, and many say job market improvements are not keeping up with the number of entrants to the job market. An article in The New York Times stresses that today’s unemployment report renewed pressure on lawmakers to consider the next steps they might take to bolster the economy. After more of the same with job numbers, employers are hoping to break the Phil Connors cycle and wake up next to Rita with “I’ve Got You Babe” playing on the radio — er, wake up with more jobs to be had and more people getting work. Time will tell as to what combination of factors will get us there — and stop us from stepping in that same puddle every morning.

Resilience is not only found among the Oceanic 815 survivors of “LOST” — who returned to TV last night after five seasons of battling hostile island dwellers, a mysterious smoke monster, and the bounds of space and time  — but in taking a look at CareerBuilder’s updated survey among more than U.S. workers, it’s also evident among many workers who have been laid off in the last 12 months.

Although Bureau of Labor Statistics job loss numbers could be in the negative range for January, unemployed Americans continue to be steadfast in their job searches, and, according to CareerBuilder survey results, many workers laid off in the last 12 months have found new employment.

The Results

1. New Employment
Your company may even be among those who have brought on laid off workers this past year, as over half (58 percent) of those laid off in the last twelve months have found new jobs. Fifty-one percent have found full-time positions (up from 48 percent in June 2009) and 7 percent have found part-time positions (up from 3 percent in June 2009).

“Despite one of the most competitive job markets in decades, nine-in-ten workers say they have not given up on their job searches, and the amount of workers who have found work is evidence that their drive and determination are paying off,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America.  “The number of laid-off workers who have found new full-time and part-time jobs rose in the last six months.  Although this good news reflects a healing economy, it also shows that job seekers are exploring career options in new industries and locations.”

2. Higher Salaries
Of those workers who were laid off in the last 12 months and found new jobs, 61 percent reported they were able to negotiate comparable or higher pay for their new positions. Thirty-nine percent of workers took a pay cut.

3. Greener Grass
More than half (51 percent) of laid off workers who landed new jobs said they found work in a different field than where they were previously employed. One-third of workers said they really enjoy their new positions.

4. Movin’ Out
It appears from survey results that fewer unemployed workers would consider relocating for a job opportunity; on the other hand, the number of workers who actually took an out-of-area opportunity when it arose increased in comparison to June 2009 results.

• Twenty-six percent of workers who were laid off in the last twelve months and found jobs relocated to a new city or state, up from 20 percent in June 2009.
• Of those who are still looking for employment, 37 percent reported they would consider relocating for a job opportunity, down from 44 percent in June.

5. Entrepreneurship
Consistent with June 2009 survey results, many job seekers, unable to find jobs,  are considering creating their own job.  Twenty-nine percent of workers who have not found jobs are considering starting their own business.

6. Expanding the Search
How did workers who were laid off in the last 12 months have since gained employment find their jobs?

• Personal referrals (22%)
• Online job boards (21%)
• Newspapers and other print classifieds (11%)
• Recruiting/staffing firms (8%)
• Career fairs (5%)
• Social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn (4%)

You can read the full press release here.

Although the recession has been hard on many industries, the health care industry is one that has managed to thrive. Since the recession’s start, the health care industry has added 631,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and has consistently added headcount each month. CareerBuilder’s annual health care hiring forecast indicates that this hiring momentum will likely continue into 2010. The survey was conducted between November 5 and November 23, 2009, among more than 240 health care employers.

Hiring in 2010

• More than one in five (22 percent) health employers said they plan to increase the number of full-time, permanent employees this year, up from 17 percent last year.

• Ten percent of employers said they had plans to increase the number of part-time employees at their organizations in 2010, in order to help meet demand.

“While most industries struggled with headcount since the start of the recession, health care was and continues to be one of the strongest industries for hiring,” said Jason Ferrara, vice president of corporate marketing for CareerBuilder.

“Forty percent of health care employers, by far the highest among industries we surveyed, have open positions for which they can’t find qualified candidates. This shows that there is high demand for qualified health care workers across a variety of areas; everything from medical assistants to records specialists to nurses.”

Five Health Care Recruitment Trends for 2010

1. Replacing Low-Performing Employees

Health care employers are taking advantage of the current labor pool’s large number of highly qualified candidates to strengthen their work force. Forty-three percent of health care employers say they plan to replace low-performing employees with higher performers in 2010.

What do health care employers really think of their employees’ performance? When asked to grade their current work force, 18 percent rated their employees an “A”, 68 percent a “B”, 13 percent a “C”, and less than one percent a “D” or “F. Whew.

2. More Flexibility

Flexible work options continue to be important to health care employers. Over a third (37 percent) of health care employers said they will provide more flexible work arrangements for employees in 2010, including:

• Alternative schedules (74%) — Employees can come into work early and leave early, or come in later and leave later
• Compressed work weeks (53%) Employees work the same hours, but consolidate work into fewer days
• Telecommuting (40%) — Employees work from home or from another remote location
• Job sharing (12%) — Employees share the same position in a company, each working part of the week
• Summer hours (12%) — Workers enjoy condensed hours during the summer; typically 1/2 days on Fridays

3. Recruitment Tools

As the demand for quality health care employees continues this year, health care employers will leverage a variety of recruitment tools to fill their open positions. But on what are they planning to spend more money, exactly?

• Online recruitment sites — (25%)

• Newspaper classifieds — (20%)

• Career fairs — (18%)

• Social and professional networking sites — (13%)

• Staffing firms and recruiters — (7%)

4. Freelance Workers

Because of the great demand for qualified workers, many health care employers are seeking out freelance or contract health care workers to supplement their needs.  In fact, 34 percent of health care employers are hiring contract or freelance workers in 2010.

5. Green Jobs

“Green jobs” are defined as jobs that contribute significantly to preserving or restoring environmental quality. Being “green” is a rapidly growing movement within the health care industry as companies seek ways to run more efficiently; 10 percent of health care employers plan to add “green” jobs in 2010.
If you missed it, read the full press release here.