Job Openings - Nonfarm

Returns total nonfarm job openings (unfilled positions) in thousands from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

Data Details

Attribute Value
Source Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) JOLTS / FRED
Frequency Monthly
Unit Thousands of openings
Coverage Total nonfarm

Notes

  • Key indicator of labor demand and market tightness
  • Part of the JOLTS report along with hires and separations
  • High openings relative to unemployment suggests a tight labor market

Examples

Total job openings in thousands
=JobOpenings()*1000
Convert to actual number
Job openings per hire ratio
Openings rate as percentage

When to Use

  • Analyzing labor market tightness
  • Tracking labor demand trends
  • Economic forecasting
  • Wage pressure analysis

When NOT to Use

Scenario Use Instead
Need hiring data Hires()
Need layoffs data LayoffsDischarges()
Need unemployment claims InitialCliams()
Need total employment EmployeesNonfarm()

Common Issues & FAQ

Q: What unit is the result in? A: Thousands of job openings.

Q: What is JOLTS? A: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, a monthly BLS survey.

Q: How is this different from hiring data? A: Job openings are unfilled positions; hires are people actually brought on board.

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MarketXLS Excel Add-in Tutorial - How to Use Job Openings - Nonfarm and Other Financial Formulas
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