Unemployment rate and share of workers believing 'jobs hard to get,' 1969–2019
| Date, quarterly | Share of workers believing ‘jobs hard to get’ | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1968-Q1 | 15.50 | 3.70 |
| 1968-Q2 | 14.75 | 3.50 |
| 1968-Q3 | 14.38 | 3.50 |
| 1968-Q4 | 13.40 | 3.40 |
| 1969-Q1 | 14.02 | 3.40 |
| 1969-Q2 | 13.35 | 3.40 |
| 1969-Q3 | 14.53 | 3.60 |
| 1969-Q4 | 14.55 | 3.60 |
| 1970-Q1 | 19.47 | 4.20 |
| 1970-Q2 | 25.55 | 4.80 |
| 1970-Q3 | 30.22 | 5.20 |
| 1970-Q4 | 36.60 | 5.80 |
| 1971-Q1 | 42.63 | 5.90 |
| 1971-Q2 | 44.05 | 5.90 |
| 1971-Q3 | 43.03 | 6.00 |
| 1971-Q4 | 42.10 | 6.00 |
| 1972-Q1 | 39.57 | 5.80 |
| 1972-Q2 | 35.40 | 5.70 |
| 1972-Q3 | 30.58 | 5.60 |
| 1972-Q4 | 26.20 | 5.30 |
| 1973-Q1 | 24.47 | 5.00 |
| 1973-Q2 | 25.65 | 4.90 |
| 1973-Q3 | 24.02 | 4.80 |
| 1973-Q4 | 24.30 | 4.80 |
| 1974-Q1 | 30.23 | 5.10 |
| 1974-Q2 | 27.00 | 5.20 |
| 1974-Q3 | 28.65 | 5.60 |
| 1974-Q4 | 42.05 | 6.60 |
| 1975-Q1 | 49.37 | 8.20 |
| 1975-Q2 | 49.75 | 8.90 |
| 1975-Q3 | 46.03 | 8.50 |
| 1975-Q4 | 41.10 | 8.30 |
| 1976-Q1 | 38.27 | 7.70 |
| 1976-Q2 | 36.55 | 7.60 |
| 1976-Q3 | 37.87 | 7.70 |
| 1976-Q4 | 39.15 | 7.80 |
| 1977-Q1 | 37.17 | 7.50 |
| 1977-Q2 | 34.40 | 7.10 |
| 1977-Q3 | 32.10 | 6.90 |
| 1977-Q4 | 31.93 | 6.60 |
| 1978-Q1 | 28.20 | 6.30 |
| 1978-Q2 | 26.27 | 6.00 |
| 1978-Q3 | 24.27 | 6.00 |
| 1978-Q4 | 23.50 | 5.90 |
| 1979-Q1 | 24.20 | 5.90 |
| 1979-Q2 | 23.83 | 5.70 |
| 1979-Q3 | 24.20 | 5.90 |
| 1979-Q4 | 24.40 | 5.90 |
| 1980-Q1 | 28.67 | 6.30 |
| 1980-Q2 | 38.10 | 7.30 |
| 1980-Q3 | 41.30 | 7.70 |
| 1980-Q4 | 38.00 | 7.40 |
| 1981-Q1 | 39.43 | 7.40 |
| 1981-Q2 | 37.63 | 7.40 |
| 1981-Q3 | 38.17 | 7.40 |
| 1981-Q4 | 43.10 | 8.20 |
| 1982-Q1 | 50.47 | 8.80 |
| 1982-Q2 | 55.43 | 9.40 |
| 1982-Q3 | 58.53 | 9.90 |
| 1982-Q4 | 60.70 | 10.70 |
| 1983-Q1 | 57.87 | 10.40 |
| 1983-Q2 | 51.47 | 10.10 |
| 1983-Q3 | 45.07 | 9.40 |
| 1983-Q4 | 40.03 | 8.50 |
| 1984-Q1 | 36.93 | 7.90 |
| 1984-Q2 | 33.70 | 7.50 |
| 1984-Q3 | 32.83 | 7.40 |
| 1984-Q4 | 32.90 | 7.30 |
| 1985-Q1 | 31.87 | 7.30 |
| 1985-Q2 | 31.17 | 7.30 |
| 1985-Q3 | 30.93 | 7.20 |
| 1985-Q4 | 30.97 | 7.00 |
| 1986-Q1 | 31.47 | 7.00 |
| 1986-Q2 | 31.20 | 7.20 |
| 1986-Q3 | 33.10 | 7.00 |
| 1986-Q4 | 34.43 | 6.80 |
| 1987-Q1 | 33.60 | 6.60 |
| 1987-Q2 | 31.20 | 6.30 |
| 1987-Q3 | 27.70 | 6.00 |
| 1987-Q4 | 24.63 | 5.90 |
| 1988-Q1 | 24.17 | 5.70 |
| 1988-Q2 | 23.57 | 5.50 |
| 1988-Q3 | 22.20 | 5.50 |
| 1988-Q4 | 22.27 | 5.30 |
| 1989-Q1 | 20.53 | 5.20 |
| 1989-Q2 | 20.43 | 5.20 |
| 1989-Q3 | 20.10 | 5.30 |
| 1989-Q4 | 20.50 | 5.40 |
| 1990-Q1 | 21.30 | 5.30 |
| 1990-Q2 | 22.97 | 5.30 |
| 1990-Q3 | 24.33 | 5.70 |
| 1990-Q4 | 30.30 | 6.10 |
| 1991-Q1 | 34.00 | 6.60 |
| 1991-Q2 | 36.93 | 6.80 |
| 1991-Q3 | 38.73 | 6.90 |
| 1991-Q4 | 46.13 | 7.10 |
| 1992-Q1 | 47.60 | 7.40 |
| 1992-Q2 | 42.03 | 7.60 |
| 1992-Q3 | 45.17 | 7.60 |
| 1992-Q4 | 44.67 | 7.40 |
| 1993-Q1 | 39.67 | 7.20 |
| 1993-Q2 | 41.00 | 7.10 |
| 1993-Q3 | 39.83 | 6.80 |
| 1993-Q4 | 37.07 | 6.60 |
| 1994-Q1 | 32.87 | 6.60 |
| 1994-Q2 | 30.27 | 6.20 |
| 1994-Q3 | 28.43 | 6.00 |
| 1994-Q4 | 27.17 | 5.60 |
| 1995-Q1 | 24.83 | 5.50 |
| 1995-Q2 | 24.17 | 5.70 |
| 1995-Q3 | 24.27 | 5.70 |
| 1995-Q4 | 25.80 | 5.60 |
| 1996-Q1 | 25.30 | 5.50 |
| 1996-Q2 | 22.60 | 5.50 |
| 1996-Q3 | 21.57 | 5.30 |
| 1996-Q4 | 21.50 | 5.30 |
| 1997-Q1 | 18.53 | 5.20 |
| 1997-Q2 | 17.80 | 5.00 |
| 1997-Q3 | 16.67 | 4.90 |
| 1997-Q4 | 17.40 | 4.70 |
| 1998-Q1 | 14.47 | 4.60 |
| 1998-Q2 | 13.93 | 4.40 |
| 1998-Q3 | 14.03 | 4.50 |
| 1998-Q4 | 14.77 | 4.40 |
| 1999-Q1 | 12.37 | 4.30 |
| 1999-Q2 | 12.50 | 4.30 |
| 1999-Q3 | 12.30 | 4.20 |
| 1999-Q4 | 12.30 | 4.10 |
| 2000-Q1 | 11.07 | 4.00 |
| 2000-Q2 | 11.43 | 3.90 |
| 2000-Q3 | 10.57 | 4.00 |
| 2000-Q4 | 11.83 | 3.90 |
| 2001-Q1 | 12.60 | 4.20 |
| 2001-Q2 | 14.13 | 4.40 |
| 2001-Q3 | 16.30 | 4.80 |
| 2001-Q4 | 21.73 | 5.50 |
| 2002-Q1 | 22.07 | 5.70 |
| 2002-Q2 | 22.57 | 5.80 |
| 2002-Q3 | 24.37 | 5.70 |
| 2002-Q4 | 28.10 | 5.80 |
| 2003-Q1 | 30.40 | 5.90 |
| 2003-Q2 | 31.40 | 6.20 |
| 2003-Q3 | 33.97 | 6.10 |
| 2003-Q4 | 31.57 | 5.80 |
| 2004-Q1 | 29.50 | 5.70 |
| 2004-Q2 | 28.17 | 5.60 |
| 2004-Q3 | 26.57 | 5.40 |
| 2004-Q4 | 27.43 | 5.40 |
| 2005-Q1 | 23.50 | 5.30 |
| 2005-Q2 | 23.17 | 5.10 |
| 2005-Q3 | 23.97 | 5.00 |
| 2005-Q4 | 23.80 | 5.00 |
| 2006-Q1 | 20.30 | 4.70 |
| 2006-Q2 | 19.97 | 4.70 |
| 2006-Q3 | 20.53 | 4.60 |
| 2006-Q4 | 21.73 | 4.50 |
| 2007-Q1 | 18.83 | 4.50 |
| 2007-Q2 | 20.17 | 4.50 |
| 2007-Q3 | 20.27 | 4.70 |
| 2007-Q4 | 22.30 | 4.80 |
| 2008-Q1 | 22.83 | 5.00 |
| 2008-Q2 | 28.63 | 5.30 |
| 2008-Q3 | 31.37 | 6.00 |
| 2008-Q4 | 38.40 | 6.90 |
| 2009-Q1 | 45.60 | 8.30 |
| 2009-Q2 | 45.10 | 9.30 |
| 2009-Q3 | 46.60 | 9.60 |
| 2009-Q4 | 48.90 | 9.90 |
| 2010-Q1 | 46.70 | 9.80 |
| 2010-Q2 | 44.07 | 9.70 |
| 2010-Q3 | 45.47 | 9.50 |
| 2010-Q4 | 47.37 | 9.50 |
| 2011-Q1 | 45.27 | 9.00 |
| 2011-Q2 | 43.03 | 9.10 |
| 2011-Q3 | 47.57 | 9.00 |
| 2011-Q4 | 43.83 | 8.70 |
| 2012-Q1 | 40.87 | 8.30 |
| 2012-Q2 | 40.07 | 8.20 |
| 2012-Q3 | 40.77 | 8.00 |
| 2012-Q4 | 37.43 | 7.80 |
| 2013-Q1 | 36.30 | 7.70 |
| 2013-Q2 | 36.80 | 7.50 |
| 2013-Q3 | 34.03 | 7.30 |
| 2013-Q4 | 33.97 | 7.00 |
| 2014-Q1 | 32.17 | 6.60 |
| 2014-Q2 | 31.90 | 6.20 |
| 2014-Q3 | 30.10 | 6.10 |
| 2014-Q4 | 28.33 | 5.70 |
| 2015-Q1 | 25.07 | 5.50 |
| 2015-Q2 | 26.40 | 5.40 |
| 2015-Q3 | 24.67 | 5.10 |
| 2015-Q4 | 24.97 | 5.00 |
| 2016-Q1 | 24.13 | 4.90 |
| 2016-Q2 | 23.67 | 4.90 |
| 2016-Q3 | 22.40 | 4.90 |
| 2016-Q4 | 21.87 | 4.80 |
| 2017-Q1 | 20.00 | 4.60 |
| 2017-Q2 | 18.70 | 4.40 |
| 2017-Q3 | 18.37 | 4.30 |
| 2017-Q4 | 16.63 | 4.10 |
| 2018-Q1 | 15.70 | 4.10 |
| 2018-Q2 | 15.40 | 3.90 |
| 2018-Q3 | 13.67 | 3.80 |
| 2018-Q4 | 12.73 | 3.80 |
| 2019-Q1 | 12.70 | 3.90 |
| 2019-Q2 | 13.63 | 3.60 |
| 2019-Q3 | 11.83 | 3.60 |
| 2019-Q4 | 12.37 | 3.50 |
Source: Conference Board and Bureau of Labor Statistics.