SALT LAKE CITY -- Forbes ranks Salt Lake City No. 8 in the nation for finding jobs. As it stands, there are about three people looking for every one job posted, which is significantly better than the national average.
Spencer Eccles with the Governor's Office of Economic Development says Utah's high ranking is directly related to its young, well-educated workforce, with a strong work ethic.
Eccles also says companies are drawn to the state because Utah is known for being fiscally fit, having a strong transportation hub and is one of eight states with a triple-A bond rating.
It's encouraging news; but if you're the one looking for work, it's still too early to stand up and cheer.
Jim lost his 30-year job in banking a couple years ago. We ran into him at the Department of Workforce Services, where job seekers work the computers for leads and call on employees for research assistance.
"When I see others unemployed or underemployed ... I know a lot of people like that," Jim said.
He said he'd make more money on unemployment but works at a call center for one-third his previous pay.
"When I hear about things starting to improve, I'm hopeful," Jim said. "But it hasn't directly affected me yet."
Nearing 60, Jim is hunting for another job where he can use his skills again.
"It only takes one job," Jim said, and then he'll be back on a track.
"I've been working at it really hard," a woman named Camille told KSL News.
Camille lost her job 20 months ago. She now spends a lot of time at the unemployment center.
"It's a little bit better now than it was maybe six months ago," she said. "I think I'm getting more interviews."
"We're not going anywhere until the national economy gets out of the mud," said Mark Knold, senior economist at the Department of Workforce Services.
Right now, Knold is not sure the Forbes ranking is justified. The magazine has given Salt Lake City good rankings in recent years in the job market category. At some point, Knold says, the ranking will be deserved.
"Utah isn't going to go off and do it's own thing until the national economy gets itself righted and strengthened," he said.
The economist says Utah job growth is at 1 percent or less. That needs to climb closer to 2 percent to make a dent in the the 80,000 jobs lost in last 2 years, he says.
But Knold agrees even modest job growth lays the foundation for recovery.
"So that when those overall United States economic factors finally get back on a solid track, then we'll be in a position to benefit," he said.
Utah unemployment remains flat at about 7 percent, but Knold believes the worst of the job losses in our state are behind us.
Forbes also picked Utah as the best state in the nation for business in October of 2010.
CLICK HERE to find local jobs on ksl.com.
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Story compiled with contributions from Jed Boal and Nkoyo Iyamba.
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