Minn. online job postings up slightly

Online job postings in Minnesota ticked up slightly this month according to the Conference Board.

The research group measures demand for labor each month through help wanted ads posted online.

In Minnesota, the number of postings inched up by 100 compared to September. Nationally the number of want ads fell and has been languishing for the past five months.

Steve Hine, Minnesota's chief labor market analyst, said it's difficult to interpret the increase in the state. He said it could be stronger labor demand in Minnesota due to real economic factors, but he also says more businesses are posting jobs online instead of in the newspaper or on store windows.

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"Some of that is just a technologically driven trend upward," Hine said. "Perhaps it's the case that employers here in Minnesota are adapting that technology more rapidly."

In any case, Hine notes that online job postings in Minnesota have consistently been stronger than the nation's.

The numbers suggest there are 14 unemployed Minnesotans for every 10 job openings in the state, well below the national average of 25 jobless people per 10 positions.

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