Rise in first time jobless claims probably mean a growing economy with a lot of jobs out there. Lots of people who had left the work force either to start their own businesses or work for cash are now trying to get back to work in their specialty. Want ads for jobs are up strongly, important as hell because those ads cost money and open firms to phony suits by minorities and women. First hires these days are old employees, then "off the street" from signs outside of businesses. Neither of those methods leaves an employer open to all the phony victim group discrimination law suits. When employers advertise and post jobs at the Employment Offices you know they need the workers and have to go after them. Take a look at your local paper.