The BLS report last week blew past expectations, with a whopping 254,000 jobs added in September. But is that the full story? Each month, we dive deeper with Aura’s workforce analytics, going beyond the headlines to conduct job market research and reveal emerging trends reshaping the job market.
From shifts in remote work to industry-specific changes, Aura provides the context behind labor statistics, helping business leaders, consultants, and other professionals gather information and analyze data to make strategic decisions. Our job posting data, in particular, provides what may be considered a forward-looking indication of hiring demand, which can forecast future employment numbers.
This October job market research report relies on updated Aura data from the end of September, offering valuable insights for anyone in job market research or business strategy. We use publicly-sourced data from Aura's workforce analytics platform for this report.
But first, let's look at the recently released BLS data to provide context on the overall environment.
BLS September Jobs Report: A Snapshot of the Labor Market
The September Jobs Report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed a labor market with solid growth (+254K jobs, beating expectations) across key sectors such as food services, healthcare, government, and construction. Wage growth increased by 0.4% in September, adding up to 4.0% year-over-year.
This job market growth suggests stable market conditions, but a closer look reveals some potential areas for concern. A steady labor force participation rate of 62.7% indicates consistent workforce engagement, yet the falling quits rate signals some feelings of job insecurity. As research analysts evaluate market conditions, statistical data like the ratio of job vacancies to unemployed workers, which is narrowing, becomes essential for understanding job growth and labor market confidence.
Global Job Market Trends: Uncovering Potential Markets
Aura Country Job Posting Data
Aura’s data from September offers a detailed look at global job trends and hiring demand conditions.
U.S. State-Specific Performance: Trends Across Industries
The latest Aura data shows a notable turnaround in hiring trends across major states, especially compared to last month’s significant and broad-based declines.
California, which saw an 18% drop in job postings in last month's report, due to challenges in the technology sector, has rebounded with a 5.46% increase in jobs posted. Florida, similarly bouncing back from an 18% drop, recorded a 4.8% rise in new jobs. Texas, which faced a 13% decline last month impacted by shifts in the energy and service sectors, now shows a positive change with a 3.19% increase.
New York, previously showing a smaller 5% decline, continues its resilience with a modest 1.24% rise in job postings. However, this upward trend wasn't seen everywhere: Ohio and Illinois, though major job markets, still faced declines of 4.06% and 1.78%, indicating that some sectors may still be experiencing lingering challenges.
Remote Job Trends: The Rise of Flexible Work
Aura Remote Job Data
The graph from Aura reveals a continued increase in remote job opportunities throughout 2024 YTD. Remote jobs as a percentage of total jobs peaked in August at 6.5% before stabilizing at 6.2% in September for this month's report.
Diving into the data, we see industry-specific changes in remote work as well, with the most dramatic swings in Mental Health Care and Apparel and Fashion. The sectors with the most remote jobs overall also displayed some notable changes, with remote jobs in IT Services falling by 5%. Human Resources also showed a very large drop in remote roles, the largest at -26%.
Remote Job Openings by Industry from Aura
Industry-Specific Job Posting Trends
Job Postings by Industry from Aura Workforce Analytics
Some of the most significant changes in job postings occurred in information technology and services, which experienced an 8% decrease, and government administration, which saw a substantial 17.3% increase. In both sectors, 85% of positions remained open.
Meanwhile, construction also saw notable growth, with a 5.8% rise in job postings, in line with a recent BLS report showing sector growth. These trends highlight key shifts in job market demand, emphasizing the sharpest areas of growth and contraction across industries.
Global Trends and Regional Shifts in Labor Statistics
Regional Job Posting Trends from Aura
Aura workforce data also shows regional differences in hiring for October:
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LATAM (Latin America) shows an additional month-over-month growth, with a 6% increase in new jobs posted.
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APAC (Asia-Pacific) saw a 13% decline.
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EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) presented a 7% growth in job postings.
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North America experienced a slight 1% decrease overall, with the US recovering to a small positive change after a month of 10% declines in August; Canada drove the N. American decrease, falling by 16%.
Leverage Analytics for Strategic Workforce Planning
With Aura’s workforce intelligence platform, companies can research and analyze workforce and labor market data to stay ahead of industry changes and create effective organizational strategies. By understanding how economic shifts impact your workforce, you can make data-driven decisions that align with consumer behavior, potential markets, and job growth.
Leverage our workforce analytics for better business outcomes. Discover how Aura can empower your workforce strategy by learning more through a demonstration or free trial.
