Things could be better, at least in the month of December, according to the latest Chicago unemployment figures released by the IDES.   But it’s still an improvement over the rate of 11.3% posted in June of last year.

For employers hoping to hire and build for the coming improvement  when it hits Chicago with full force — and the latest GDP numbers indicate revived growth –  it implies there are probably good prospective hires available, looking for work.  It also probably means businesses have to still be cautious, which is another reason temporary or temp-to-hire options are attractive during periods like this.

Let’s hope the good news — like Ford’s decision to bring on 1,200 employees to build its next Ford Explorer model at its Chicago assembly plant — keeps coming as the year moves forward!