Share of small firms with unfilled job openings, 1974–2019
| Date | Unfulfilled job openings |
|---|---|
| 1974Q2 | 23 |
| 1974Q3 | 23 |
| 1974Q4 | 19 |
| 1975Q1 | 15 |
| 1975Q2 | 14 |
| 1975Q3 | 16 |
| 1975Q4 | 18 |
| 1976Q1 | 17 |
| 1976Q2 | 17 |
| 1976Q3 | 21 |
| 1976Q4 | 18 |
| 1977Q1 | 20 |
| 1977Q2 | 21 |
| 1977Q3 | 21 |
| 1977Q4 | 22 |
| 1978Q1 | 22 |
| 1978Q2 | 26 |
| 1978Q3 | 25 |
| 1978Q4 | 29 |
| 1979Q1 | 26 |
| 1979Q2 | 25 |
| 1979Q3 | 23 |
| 1979Q4 | 24 |
| 1980Q1 | 21 |
| 1980Q2 | 16 |
| 1980Q3 | 14 |
| 1980Q4 | 15 |
| 1981Q1 | 16 |
| 1981Q2 | 17 |
| 1981Q3 | 15 |
| 1981Q4 | 11 |
| 1982Q1 | 13 |
| 1982Q2 | 11 |
| 1982Q3 | 9 |
| 1982Q4 | 8 |
| 1983Q1 | 11 |
| 1983Q2 | 10 |
| 1983Q3 | 12 |
| 1983Q4 | 13 |
| 1984Q1 | 14 |
| 1984Q2 | 14 |
| 1984Q3 | 15 |
| 1984Q4 | 16 |
| 1985Q1 | 17 |
| 1985Q2 | 16 |
| 1985Q3 | 16 |
| 1985Q4 | 15.0 |
| 1986Q1 | 17.3 |
| 1986Q2 | 16.3 |
| 1986Q3 | 15.7 |
| 1986Q4 | 16.7 |
| 1987Q1 | 18.3 |
| 1987Q2 | 19.0 |
| 1987Q3 | 20.0 |
| 1987Q4 | 21.3 |
| 1988Q1 | 21.3 |
| 1988Q2 | 21.0 |
| 1988Q3 | 22.0 |
| 1988Q4 | 24.0 |
| 1989Q1 | 24.7 |
| 1989Q2 | 22.7 |
| 1989Q3 | 21.0 |
| 1989Q4 | 22.3 |
| 1990Q1 | 21.0 |
| 1990Q2 | 20.7 |
| 1990Q3 | 19.0 |
| 1990Q4 | 16.7 |
| 1991Q1 | 15.0 |
| 1991Q2 | 13.7 |
| 1991Q3 | 14.0 |
| 1991Q4 | 12.0 |
| 1992Q1 | 12.7 |
| 1992Q2 | 15.0 |
| 1992Q3 | 14.3 |
| 1992Q4 | 14.7 |
| 1993Q1 | 15.7 |
| 1993Q2 | 15.7 |
| 1993Q3 | 16.0 |
| 1993Q4 | 17.7 |
| 1994Q1 | 21.3 |
| 1994Q2 | 20.3 |
| 1994Q3 | 22.0 |
| 1994Q4 | 22.0 |
| 1995Q1 | 24.0 |
| 1995Q2 | 23.7 |
| 1995Q3 | 23.7 |
| 1995Q4 | 24.0 |
| 1996Q1 | 24.3 |
| 1996Q2 | 26.0 |
| 1996Q3 | 25.7 |
| 1996Q4 | 25.3 |
| 1997Q1 | 25.7 |
| 1997Q2 | 26.0 |
| 1997Q3 | 28.0 |
| 1997Q4 | 28.3 |
| 1998Q1 | 27.0 |
| 1998Q2 | 29.0 |
| 1998Q3 | 27.7 |
| 1998Q4 | 30.3 |
| 1999Q1 | 30.7 |
| 1999Q2 | 30.3 |
| 1999Q3 | 28.3 |
| 1999Q4 | 31.7 |
| 2000Q1 | 32.0 |
| 2000Q2 | 34.0 |
| 2000Q3 | 33.0 |
| 2000Q4 | 33.3 |
| 2001Q1 | 29.7 |
| 2001Q2 | 26.3 |
| 2001Q3 | 26.3 |
| 2001Q4 | 20.0 |
| 2002Q1 | 19.5 |
| 2002Q2 | 20.0 |
| 2002Q3 | 20.5 |
| 2002Q4 | 20.5 |
| 2003Q1 | 19.0 |
| 2003Q2 | 16.7 |
| 2003Q3 | 18.0 |
| 2003Q4 | 19.0 |
| 2004Q1 | 20.3 |
| 2004Q2 | 21.0 |
| 2004Q3 | 21.3 |
| 2004Q4 | 22.7 |
| 2005Q1 | 23.0 |
| 2005Q2 | 22.0 |
| 2005Q3 | 22.3 |
| 2005Q4 | 22.7 |
| 2006Q1 | 25.0 |
| 2006Q2 | 27.0 |
| 2006Q3 | 24.3 |
| 2006Q4 | 23.0 |
| 2007Q1 | 25.7 |
| 2007Q2 | 25.3 |
| 2007Q3 | 24.0 |
| 2007Q4 | 21.0 |
| 2008Q1 | 21.0 |
| 2008Q2 | 19.0 |
| 2008Q3 | 16.3 |
| 2008Q4 | 14.3 |
| 2009Q1 | 10.7 |
| 2009Q2 | 9.7 |
| 2009Q3 | 8.0 |
| 2009Q4 | 9.0 |
| 2010Q1 | 10.0 |
| 2010Q2 | 9.7 |
| 2010Q3 | 10.3 |
| 2010Q4 | 11.0 |
| 2011Q1 | 14.3 |
| 2011Q2 | 13.7 |
| 2011Q3 | 13.3 |
| 2011Q4 | 15.3 |
| 2012Q1 | 16.7 |
| 2012Q2 | 17.3 |
| 2012Q3 | 16.3 |
| 2012Q4 | 16.7 |
| 2013Q1 | 19.0 |
| 2013Q2 | 18.7 |
| 2013Q3 | 19.3 |
| 2013Q4 | 22.7 |
| 2014Q1 | 22.0 |
| 2014Q2 | 24.7 |
| 2014Q3 | 23.3 |
| 2014Q4 | 24.7 |
| 2015Q1 | 26.3 |
| 2015Q2 | 26.7 |
| 2015Q3 | 26.7 |
| 2015Q4 | 27.7 |
| 2016Q1 | 27.3 |
| 2016Q2 | 28.3 |
| 2016Q3 | 26.7 |
| 2016Q4 | 29.3 |
| 2017Q1 | 31.0 |
| 2017Q2 | 32.3 |
| 2017Q3 | 32.0 |
| 2017Q4 | 32.0 |
| 2018Q1 | 34.3 |
| 2018Q2 | 34.7 |
| 2018Q3 | 37.7 |
| 2018Q4 | 37.0 |
| 2019Q1 | 37.0 |
| 2019Q2 | 37.3 |
| 2019Q3 | 36.3 |
| 2019Q4 | 35 |
Source: National Federation of Independent Business, Small Business Economic Trends (SBET) survey.