About 4,699,500 online job postings appeared on leading internet job boards in May, a decrease of 51,000 from April, the Conference Board reported Wednesday.
“The April Supply/Demand rate stands at 1.34 unemployed for each advertised vacancy, with a total of 1.6 million more unemployed workers than the number of advertised vacancies,” the Conference Board said in a release. “The number of unemployed was approximately 6.35 million in April.”
“In May, online labor demand grew in 3 states, declined in 46 states, and 1 was constant,” the release said. “Three regions experienced decreases and one increased.”
“The number of postings does not, however, tell the entire story,” according to the release. “A crucial factor is how many unemployed people are seeking jobs and how much competition there is for the jobs that are available.”
The Midwest grew 11,800, while the West saw a 39,700 drop, the South fell 40,600 and the Northeast slid by 8,500.
In the U.S. there were 1.16 ads per 100 people, down from 1.24 in April.
The Conference Board said it is reviewing its methodology to ensure accuracy and alignment with market trends.
