On the Job Hunt, With New Hope

As the economy stabilizes, Americans are returning to the labor force, suggesting their confidence in the job market is improving.

• Discuss: When was last time a new hire surprised you in a good way?

College Grads' Outlook Is Grim

Despite signs of life in the job market, the outlook for newly minted college graduates remains grim and many are trying new strategies for landing positions.

• Real Time Econ: Tips for New College Grads

Entrepreneurs Remain Wary

Small-business owners turned slightly more pessimistic in February, as actual sales have failed to meet up to brighter expectations, new data show.

More Men File Harassment Claims

Since the start of the recession, a growing number of sexual harassment complaints have come from men.

• Video: Men Filing More Job Harassment Claims

Workers Perceive Little Opportunity

Professionals don't think it is worth it to seek out new opportunities, and many have lowered their career and retirement aspirations, according to a recent study.

• News Hub: Weak Economy Impacts Workers' Goals

Bad Credit Derails Job Seekers

Job hunters are finding their financial past is interfering with their professional future as more employers conduct credit checks on applicants.

• Podcast: Why Employers Look at Credit Reports
• Vote: Should credit histories be screened?
• Readers React: 'This is outrageous'

Best Bet For a Post-Graduation Job: Engineering

A new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers finds that eight of the top 10 best-paid majors are in engineering, with petroleum engineering topping off the list at $86,220.

Recession Tactic: The Mini-Shift

As the number of "involuntary part-time" workers surges, many are slicing the day into five or more chunks of work or other activity—a coping tactic that exacts a toll.

• Work & Family Mailbox

Women M.B.A.s Continue to Lag in Pay, Promotions

Despite having similar educational backgrounds and experience, female M.B.A.-holders are still not getting the same pay, positions, or promotions as their male colleagues, according to a new study by Catalyst.

Internal Hires Trumped Outsiders in 2009

Employers filled more than half of job openings with existing employees, a new study shows. And for jobs that were filled with external recruits, referrals accounted for the most hires.

Devaluing a College Degree

The idea that a college grad earns $800,000 or more than a high school grad is based on fuzzy math. The real number is much lower.

U.S. Keeps Its Foreign Ph.D.s

Most foreigners who come to the U.S. to earn doctorate degrees in science and engineering stay on after graduation, despite fears of a post-9/11 drop.

• Interactive chart: Who stays?

Study Asks: Who Has Easy Path to Top?

A study shows a large gap in perceptions among the sexes in who has more opportunities for advancement—men or women.

Some U.S. Jobs Aren't Coming Back

Even when the U.S. labor market finally starts adding more workers than it loses, many unemployed will find that the types of jobs they once had don't exist anymore.

• How to Build a Better Résumé | Graphic
• Sortable Table: Industry Gains, Losses
• Interactive: Reshaping the Job Market
• Readers React: 'Our loss is China's gain'

The Best and Worst Jobs

From actuary to roustabout, a look at some of the best and worst jobs for the coming year, ranked based on factors such as income, stress and employment outlook.

• Sortable Chart: Ranking the Jobs
• Discuss: Where does your job fit?