Job openings and hires rates by industry, March 2016

The March 2016 job openings rate for total nonfarm was 3.9 percent, and the hires rate was 3.7 percent. Job openings rates in professional and business services, accommodation and food services, health care and social assistance, and finance and insurance were higher than the overall rate; rates were lower in mining and logging, state and local government, durable goods manufacturing, educational services, and information. Hires rates were higher than the total nonfarm rate in arts, entertainment, and recreation; accommodation and food services; professional and business services; construction; and retail trade. Hires rates were lower in federal and state and local government, retail trade, educational services, and nondurable goods manufacturing.

Industries with high job openings rates and high hires rates need more workers, and hiring is strong. In March 2016, industries in this category included professional and business services and accommodation and food services.

Industries with low job openings rates and low hires rates have few job openings and are hiring few workers. In March 2016, industries in this group included mining and logging, state and local government, educational services, and durable goods manufacturing.

These data are from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and are seasonally adjusted. Data are preliminary. To learn more, see “Job Openings and Labor Turnover — March 2016” (HTML) (PDF). Also see "Which industries need workers? Exploring differences in labor market activity" by Charlotte Oslund in the January 2016 Monthly Labor Review. More charts featuring data on job openings, hires, and employment separations can be found in Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey Highlights: March 2016 (PDF).