By PAUL WISEMAN
WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell by 6,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 361,000, a level consistent with modest gains in hiring.
The Labor Department said Thursday that the less volatile four-week average rose by 2,250 to 368,250 in the week that ended Aug. 4.
Weekly applications bounced around in July, skewed by the difficulty of accounting for temporary summertime layoffs in the auto industry. The seasonal distortions had faded by last week.
When applications consistently fall below 375,000, it typically suggests hiring is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate.
The job market appears to be pulling out of a midyear slump, but still isn't very strong.
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The once-dominant toy retailer is opening many new stores, while <a href="http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/337502/toysrus-to-mark-grand-re-opening?SESSf37695df3e4b74d882a87db3b2f62bc2=google" target="_blank">"re-opening" other stores</a> in an effort to improve its brand.<br />
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<strong>Employee Review: </strong>"Pretty solid paid time-off and vacation packages, reasonably priced medical/dental insurance. Opportunities to advance within the company."*<br />
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 8,536<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/toys+r+us/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at Toys R Us</a>.</em></strong></p>
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The New York-based financial-services giant <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/29/us-citibank-wealthmanagement-idUSBRE84S0XA20120529" target="_blank">plans to hire</a> 300 additional bankers and brokers in the coming year, in efforts to build a wealth management group.<br />
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<strong>Employee Review:</strong> "Nice co-workers, good hours, pleasant management, good location, interesting work spanning decades of involvement in the country. Good springboard for future jobs."*<br />
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 2,320<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/citi/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at Citi</a>.</em></strong></p>
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Even if they aren't listed on the government's USAJobs.gov website, jobs at <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/military-bases-are-great-source-for-jobs/2012/04/18/gIQAIm3yST_story.html" target="_blank">military bases</a> are plentiful. The U.S. Army provides a variety of openings at its bases for Americans of all backgrounds.<br />
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<strong>Employee Review:</strong> "Excellent pay and benefits. Superior job security and work experience. Excellent advancement opportunities for growth and career progression. Variety of assignments."*<br />
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 1,995<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/u+s+army/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at the U.S. Army</a>.</em></strong></p>
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AT&T has <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2012/04/16/technology/att-aspire/?source=cnn_bin" target="_blank">committed to a $350 million program</a>, called "Aspire," which includes a job-shadowing program aimed at bringing students into the workforce. Although traditional landline service is dying, new talent is needed to fulfill wireless needs.<br />
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<strong>Employee Review:</strong> "They provide great benefits and pay. I know they match quite a bit for 401(k) investment. It is a great job for someone interested in technology and learning about new technologies. Also, it is great to know that you are helping others out on a daily basis."*<br />
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 1,876<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/att+retail/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at AT&T Retail</a>.</em></strong></p>
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UnitedHealth Group currently provides health <a href="http://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/main/aboutus.aspx">insurance services</a> to more than 75 million people worldwide. It recently <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/unitedhealth-group-joins-100000-jobs-mission-2012-04-24" target="_blank">joined the 100,000 Jobs Mission</a>, a coalition of companies dedicated to hiring 100,000 veterans by 2020.<br />
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<strong>Employee Review:</strong> "I really enjoyed my time at UnitedHealth Group. The trainers were very knowledgeable and were always there to answer any questions that I had. I worked as a claims associate for just a few short months before being promoted to another department. I then went on to work from home! Only left this company because of personal issues not related to my job. Great place to work!"*<br />
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 1,646<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/UnitedHealth+Group/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at UnitedHealth Group.</a></em></strong></p>
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The company recently <a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2018327601_retailsales01.html" target="_blank">reported sales figures</a> for the month of May which exceeded Wall Street estimates. The results bode well for the overall health of the retail chain.<br />
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<strong>Employee Review</strong>: "The management is competent. Employees are given a good discount and still able to use coupons. You can pick up more hours online when they become available."*<br />
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 1,499<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/macy%27s/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at Macy's</a>.</em></strong></p>
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Operating more than 3,000 stores in the United States, Rent-A-Center recently opened stores in <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/rent-a-center-opens-store-in-rochester-2012-04-04" target="_blank">Rochester, N.Y.,</a> and <a href="http://www.zacks.com/stock/news/72028/rent-a-center-in-rocky-mount" target="_blank">Rocky Mount, Va</a>.</p>
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<strong>Employee Review:</strong> "Always something new every day, never a dull moment. Small stores, opportunities to develop strong relationships with customers. Virtually no scripts to follow, no "dumbing-down"... employees are encouraged and empowered to answer challenges and solve problems"*</p>
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 1,374</p>
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/rent+a+center/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at Rent-A-Center</a>.</em></strong></p>
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The venerable retail company is planning to <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/05/business/la-fi-sears-design-20120605" target="_blank">revamp product lines</a> in an effort to better connect with customers in 2012.<br />
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<strong>Employee Review: </strong>"My favorite thing about working with Sears is the stability. The company has been around for over 100 years and is one of the largest in the world. It has great benefits and work-life balance is excellent. I don't have to worry about being on-call on nights and weekends. They have really great quality people who are easy to get along with."*<br />
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 1,370<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/sears+roebuck+and+co/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at Sears</a>.</em></strong></p>
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The company agreed to a <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/05/we-cant-wait-white-house-announces-federal-and-private-sector-commitment" target="_blank">partnership with the Obama administration</a> in which it pledged to provide part-time summer jobs to young people. The federal program will provide approximately 180,000 paid jobs and Wells Fargo has committed to approximately 1,000 of them.<br />
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<strong>Employee Review:</strong> "Large company with a lot of training; encouraged to change positions/departments within bank to grow and learn; good senior management and diversity commitment."*<br />
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<strong>Number of Jobs:</strong> 1,323<br />
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/wells+fargo/?siteid=cbaol95top10">Find jobs at Wells Fargo</a>.</em></strong></p>
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The company has announced the <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/2013-dodge-dart-rolls-off-belvidere-assembly-line-as-chrysler-adds-1-800-jobs">addition of 1,800 new jobs</a> in Belvidere, Ill. These jobs will support the production of the new Dodge Dart compact car, and augment the approximately 2,700 current jobs at the Illinois plant.</p>
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<strong>Employee Review:</strong> "The company is extremely adaptable and resilient after its financial distress in recent years, and the company is very hopeful for the future. The need for young and creative people is overwhelming -- those without automotive background may be better positioned than they think!"*</p>
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<strong>Number of Job Openings:</strong> 1,064</p>
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<strong><em><a href="http://aol.careerbuilder.com/jobs/company/Chrysler+Mopar/?siteid=cbaol95top10" target="_self">See all Chrysler - Mopar jobs</a></em></strong></p>
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The economy added 163,000 jobs in July, the biggest increase since February. From April through June, employers had created a lackluster 73,000 jobs a month, not enough to keep up with a rising population. Despite the improvement in hiring in July, the unemployment rate ticked up to 8.3 percent from 8.2 percent in June.
Most economists say growth must be stronger to generate enough jobs to lower unemployment. The economy grew at an annual rate of 1.5 percent from April through June, down from 2 percent in the first quarter and 4.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011.
In a hopeful sign, U.S. employers posted the most job openings in four years in June. The Labor Department said this week that job openings rose to a seasonally adjusted 3.8 million in June from 3.7 million in May. That's the most since July 2008. Layoffs fell. A rise in openings could signal better hiring in the coming months. It typically takes one to three months to fill a job.
Even with the increase, hiring is competitive. There were 12.7 million unemployed people in June, or an average of 3.4 unemployed people for each job.
U.S. companies got a bit more out of their workers in the spring. Their productivity grew at a slim 1.6 percent annualized rate in the April-June quarter, signaling that employers may have to hire more if orders pick up.
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