Job vacancies posted online down 2.5% in U.S., 5.8% in Illinois

Online advertised job vacancies fell 2.5 percent in October from a month earlier, down 83,200 postings to 3,280,000, according to the latest report from the Conference Board. In Illinois, the number fell by 5.8 percent, or 7,400 postings, to 119,300.

Online labor demand has been relatively flat since the April 2009 low, increasing a modest 117,000, or slightly less than 20,000 a month, the Conference Board said.

Among the top occupations nationally in October were sales and related occupations, where vacancies rose by 46,100 to 413,100. Job demand was up for retail sales workers, first-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers and financial services sales agents. Business and finance postings rose by 21,800 to 188,200 as demand grew for management analysts. Computer and mathematical science occupations rose by 7,200 to 409,200 with increased demand for computer engineers. There also was an increase of 3,200 in office and administrative support postings, where vacancies hit 335,600.

Francine Knowles