job market

noun

Definition of job market

: the number of jobs that are available for workers

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job market

Financial Definition of job market

What It Is

The job market is the group of individuals seeking employment within an economy.

How It Works

As with any market, there is a supply and a demand for employment opportunities that directly affects wage and salary levels. Labor supply and demand depends on an economy's unemployment level. A low unemployment rate places upward pressure on wages and salaries because employers compete with one another for a smaller number of job seekers. Conversely, a high unemployment rate forces wages and salaries down because a larger number of job seekers compete with one another for fewer available jobs. Assuming a constant supply of jobs, this phenomenon can be expressed graphically as follows:

The of the red demand curve to the right represents a decrease in the unemployment rate. This results in an upward shift in wages and salaries on the y-axis. Similarly, a shift to the left would suggest a rise in the unemployment rate and a commensurate decline in wages and salaries.

The overall wage and salary levels in the job market represent an average of multiple industries and types of work. At a given point in time, the supply and demand for labor in the job market can vary from sector to sector.

Why It Matters

Wage and salary levels set by the job market are an important indicator for analysts and economic policy makers. More important, the job market fosters economic productivity by creating jobs and cycling money through the economy via wages and salaries.

Source: Investing Answers

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