Things Are Looking Up

Said a job-seeker, not so dejected:
"In the past I was feeling neglected.
But things may rebound,
As of late I have found
That at least I am being rejected."

"I'm sensing revitalization
In every failed application.
My hopes may be fond,
But once they respond,
It's proof of their consideration."

Weekly jobless claims have just been announced as 332,000, much fewer than the consensus estimate. First-time applications for benefits were expected to rise to 350,000 from around 340,000 a week earlier. Claims have been drifting lower, another sign that layoffs have continued to dwindle and that hiring may be picking up. The US job market has presented a mixed but - on balance - positive picture so far this year, with steady but slow job growth offset by a continued long-term unemployment problem. Anecdotally, many search firms report that they are seeing renewed activity in their own business, so the overall picture gives cause for cautious optimism.