Although the jobless numbers are still high, employers continue to face difficulty in finding qualified job candidates, and this could stem from a prejudice some employers have against the unemployed, says Jason Carney, director of human resources at WorkSmart Systems Inc., a professional employer organization in Indianapolis. While the unemployed are not necessarily less productive or talented, a perception exists that performance could be an issue.

"I think there's still a stigma in the business world that if you're unemployed, you're unemployed for a reason," Carney says. "Right or wrong, employees who are working are seen as more desirable. There's this feeling that you must be doing a pretty good job if you're still employed, so many organizations believe they would rather find someone who is actively still working because they're probably a top performer."

There are also numerous accounts that the jobless rate could actually be higher than reported because many unemployed workers have stopped looking for new opportunities, which could contribute to the lower number of job candidates, Carney adds.