Solid hiring, better pay draw more Americans into job hunt

WASHINGTON — Drawn by steady hiring and slightly higher pay, more Americans began looking for work in September, a sign of renewed optimism about the U.S. job market.

The influx of job seekers sent the unemployment rate up slightly as more Americans were counted as unemployed. Taken as a whole, Friday's jobs report from the government painted a picture of a resilient economy that could keep the Federal Reserve on track to raise interest rates in December.

Employers added 156,000 jobs, fewer than the 167,000 in August and well below last year's average monthly gain of 230,000. Still, September's hiring pace, if sustained, would likely be more than enough to absorb new job seekers.

http://www.startribune.com/us-jobless-rate-ticks-up-to-5-pct-employers-add-156k-jobs/396286061/