Hires rate, total nonfarm sector, seasonally adjusted, January 2003-July 2008 Percent Jan-03 3.2 Feb-03 3.1 Mar-03 3.1 Apr-03 3.0 May-03 3.0 Jun-03 3.1 Jul-03 3.2 Aug-03 3.2 Sep-03 3.2 Oct-03 3.3 Nov-03 3.2 Dec-03 3.4 Jan-04 3.3 Feb-04 3.2 Mar-04 3.7 Apr-04 3.5 May-04 3.4 Jun-04 3.5 Jul-04 3.2 Aug-04 3.5 Sep-04 3.4 Oct-04 3.5 Nov-04 3.8 Dec-04 3.6 Jan-05 3.6 Feb-05 3.6 Mar-05 3.7 Apr-05 3.5 May-05 3.6 Jun-05 3.6 Jul-05 3.4 Aug-05 3.7 Sep-05 3.7 Oct-05 3.6 Nov-05 3.6 Dec-05 3.5 Jan-06 3.6 Feb-06 3.7 Mar-06 3.6 Apr-06 3.5 May-06 3.7 Jun-06 3.7 Jul-06 3.7 Aug-06 3.6 Sep-06 3.6 Oct-06 3.6 Nov-06 3.6 Dec-06 3.5 Jan-07 3.6 Feb-07 3.5 Mar-07 3.5 Apr-07 3.5 May-07 3.5 Jun-07 3.5 Jul-07 3.5 Aug-07 3.5 Sep-07 3.4 Oct-07 3.6 Nov-07 3.4 Dec-07 3.4 Jan-08 3.4 Feb-08 3.3 Mar-08 3.3 Apr-08 3.4 May-08 3.0 Jun-08 3.2 Jul-08 3.0 July 2008 figure is preliminary The hires rate is the number of hires as a percent of total employment.