Job market confidence is at the highest level it has been since the beginning of the recession, according to a new survey. The 2012 General Social Survey shows that Americans now feel they would be able to find a new job if they needed to. In addition, it shows that worries about losing jobs have quieted down, falling to their peak in 2010 to about the average level of the past 35 years.
CNBC reports that last year, 54 percent of Americans said it would be either somewhat or very easy to find a job if they lost their current job. That’s compared to 46 percent in 2010, which was the lowest percentage recorded since 1983 when the nation was also recovering from a major recession. The average percentage over the last 35 years has been 58 percent.
The survey also indicates that last year, only 11 percent of Americans thought it was either somewhat or very likely that they would lose their jobs. That’s a decrease from the record high in 2010 of 16 percent. It also meets the average of 11 percent the survey has found over the last 35 years.
Because the survey was completed last year, it’s possible that job market confidence has increased even further. January saw the number of layoffs in the U.S. drop to the lowest level it has been at in 12 years. Also, fewer people are applying for unemployment benefits weekly, although that number doesn’t account for those who are still unemployed but whose unemployment benefits have run out.
Last year there were almost 2.2 million jobs added to the U.S. economy, which averages out to approximately 180,000 per month.
