Local Jobs Improving?

The latest job numbers out of the U-S Labor Department and Private Employment Analysts  show Unemployment dropped in about 2/3rds of the major Metropolitan Areas around the country.

There are still 6 applicants for every job opening in South Florida, but help-wanted ads statewide are up over last month for one of the best gains in the Southeast..

And the U-S Department of Labor just reported a key local unemployment number just dropped.

Gloria Salazar recently quit her job after 2-1/2 years of working 6 days a week without any benefits, no overtime and no sick time.

The Kendall single mom feared she'd be unemployed for a while.

But turns out, she was wrong.     

Gloria says " I was very relieved, knowing how tight the economy is and how long people are trying to get back to work."

CBS 4 Chief Consumer Investigator Al Sunshine recently spoke with Gloria and asked how long it took to get back to work?

Gloria broke out in a big smile and admitted " It was 2 weeks, I was lucky."

And it turns out she could be in the start of the latest new-hiring wave here and across the country.

Nationally, Metropolitan unemployment fell from 9.5 to 9.1 % last month.

The Miami market dropping slightly to 11.2%...just about in the middle of the pack between Florida's best and worst job markets.   

While the Conference Board just reported online ads this month are down from earlier in the year, Florida led all major southern states with 14-hundred more job notices than august.

The best gains?

Healthcare, technical and office positions.

With sales, management and computers seeing the worst declines.

Odalys Girado of Doral's RightHire Staffing Solutions confirms " I've seen it recently, a lot more orders for warehouse and holiday temps, which can often turn into full time positions".

What does Gloria Salazar say to so many discouraged job seekers who joined the ranks of the long-term unemployed?

"Don't lose hope, because there are jobs out there..people are hiring" acording to the Kendall mother of 2 .

As we get deeper into the fall and closer to the holiday shopping season, hiring typically improves.

It may still be a while before national job figures show any significant gains.

But around South Florida new help-wanted signs may be a  very welcome pre-holiday surprise.