‘Horrific report’ details state’s pain

A new federal report shows that Georgia’s job market has suffered more than most in the recession.

The state’s unemployment rate of 9.7 percent was 16th highest, according to the report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Jobless rates during the year rose in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

“It is a pretty horrific report,” said Mark Vitner, senior economist at the Wachovia Economics Group. “Georgia had a lot of areas that were exposed, which may be why its unemployment rate rose faster than the rest of the country. But it does look like the rest of the country is catching up to Georgia’s pain.”

The state’s loss of 211,500 jobs in the past year was the eighth highest in the nation, although that measured total loss rather than rate.

Illinois, which has a slightly larger jobs base, shed 273,500 jobs in the past year. But one-time manufacturing mecca Michigan, whose job market is about the same size as Georgia’s, has bled 302,800 jobs. Of the 13 states with double-digit unemployment, Michigan also has the highest: 14.1 percent.

North Carolina, virtually the same size as Georgia, lost about the same number of jobs in the year. Nationally, sectors hit hardest were construction, manufacturing and financial services.

All three are significant in Georgia, fueling job growth in good times, then leading the way in layoffs.

With continuing uncertainty about when the economy will recover, even companies with openings are hesitant to expand. Moreover, employers believe they can be very selective, said Ali Ellis, division manager for the metro Atlanta office of Ajilon, a national staffing and placement company.

“The biggest trend we have seen is how long the hiring process has become. It is dramatic.”

Ajilon said that even in Salt Lake City —- where the unemployment rate is about 5 percent —- clients drag their feet in hiring, said Doug Jensen, market manager for the company in Utah.

Of 372 metro areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked Salt Lake City 45th lowest in joblessness. Atlanta ranked 245.Utah’s unemployment rate in May was 5.4 percent —- lower than Georgia’s even before the recession.

Meanwhile, the two states with the lowest rates now are Nebraska and North Dakota, both at 4.4 percent.

Nationally, there are more than 14.5 million officially jobless, or about five jobseekers for each opening, according to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute.

Despite Utah’s lower unemployment rate —- or partly because of it —- local companies typically see 300 resumes for every job posting, Jensen said. “I have seen more ‘mobile’ candidates than in the past.”

Willingness to relocate is not an automatic advantage, he said. “Some of our clients say they look at the in-state candidates first.”

That might explain some of the silent treatment Sharon Jordan has gotten.

The Mableton woman was laid off in January from her job in technical support and training for a software company. A Georgia Tech grad and a longtime resident, she soon realized that jobless rates were dramatically lower elsewhere.

Jordan has applied for jobs in Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. So far, no go. But she’s looking.

“I like Atlanta, it’s been good to me,” she said. “But if I find something good, I’m gone.”