People Are Leaving Their Jobs, But Unemployment Is Dropping? How?

You hear repeated headlines about “record people are leaving their jobs,” but you also hear that unemployment numbers are dropping.  So which is it?  It can’t be both, can it?

Of course it can.

If somebody leaves their job, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re now unemployed.  They could be going to a better job.  They could be switching to a contract position.  They could be making a lateral move closer to home.  They could be leaving the job market because their spouse is seeing increasing wages, and they don’t need to work.

The only way you are considered to be “unemployed” is if you are able to work, willing to work, and searching for work.  If you don’t meet those criteria, then you’re not “unemployed.”

We all know there’s a lot of jobs out there to be had.  This makes people realize they don’t have to put up with less-than-stellar working conditions.  So they don’t.