There were fewer US job openings in November and more positions filled, the Labour Department said on Wednesday. Job openings as of the last day of November stood at 3.204 million, down 6.3 percent from 3.420 million in October. The department said openings decreased in all the major job sectors listed.
These include construction, manufacturing, trade/transportation/utilities, professional/business services and government.
But hirings in November rose 7.9 percent to 4.821 million from 4.469 million the previous month, with increases in all sectors listed except government. Manufacturing, trade/transportation/utilities, professional/business services, and leisure and hospitality saw notable increases.
Total November separations, which include voluntary quits, layoffs, firings and retirements, fell 0.8 percent to 4.098 million from 4.129 million the prior month. A smaller number of employees left positions in construction, manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, and government compared to October.
By comparison, November saw more separations in the trade/transportation/utilities, professional/business services, and education and health sectors.
The monthly Job Openings and Labour Turnover Survey is more dated than other gauges of the job market, but it has improved as a measure since the US Labor Department began adjusting the numbers for seasonal variations in its February 2004 data.