In April, the economy lost 611,000 jobs, and unemployment rose to 8.9%, a rate not seen since 1983. Since the recession started in December 2007, the economy has lost 6 million jobs. The only sector adding jobs is health care and education. Even so, only 19,000 jobs were added in this area.

What It Means to You

Generally, about 150,000 new jobs are needed each month to keep the economy stable. The last recession led to 29 months of job losses. Health care is really the only area that is still growing. If you are considering a career change, now might be a good time to get some training for that field. (Source: BLS, Employment Situation Summary)

Best Moves Now

• How to Prepare for a Possible Layoff
• How to Recover from a Job Loss
• How to Replace Your Work Benefits Before a Layoff