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Daily Pulse

How many resumes to find a job? For one man, 10.

David Brancaccio Nov 4, 2011

With the unemployment rate spending another month around 9 percent, we’re looking at a number you can count on both hands: 10. That’s how many versions of his resume Steve Asher has. He lives in Brooklyn and he’s been looking for work for more than a year.

Each of his resumes highlights different strengths and experience to be tailors to different jobs. Career counselors such as those at Monster.com recommend keeping multiple resumes up to date, with special emphasis on putting together a strong general one.

The idea that a job applicant needs 10 resumes in this job market lowers our Pulse today.

The latest jobs report says the economy added 80,000 jobs last month What does the report tell us about the job market at this point?

According to Gus Faucher of Moody’s Analytics:

The report tells us that the job market is good, but not great. The October number was a little bit weak, but on the other hand we had large upward revisions to August and September. So we’re not at any risk of a double-dip recession right now, I think this reduces the likelihood of that.

Meanwhile Gene Sperling, director of the National Economic Council, says that in order to create more jobs, what he’s focused on is trying to pass the American Jobs Act “because we have to give a greater jolt to this economy by putting construction workers back to work, rebuilding our roads and bridges. By giving payroll tax relief to every family, every small business.” Check out the rest of his Marketplace Morning Report interview here.

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