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Job Numbers Up, But Not Everyone Believes The Numbers

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - With the election two and a half weeks away and the economy being the main issue, people have a laser focus on jobs numbers.

Whether things are getting better fast enough depends on who you ask.

Marrissa Eddington has seen the unemployment statistics, but she says it's hard for her to believe the numbers are dropping despite a report released Friday showing the Sacramento region below 10 percent unemployment for the first time in four years.

Marrissa has looked just about everywhere for a job.

"I'm tired of being broke," she said Friday. "I've been going on craigslist, Sacramento Grapevine, Snagajob, CareerBuilder and a few others."

According to the state Employment Development Department, the local job market is improving.

"We're definitely in a better position than we were a few years ago," EDD labor market analyst Justin Wehner said.

The region has shown monthly job growth in eight of 12 industries, according to the EDD's September report. The government sector has added 3,100 jobs, education and health services have added 1600 jobs and financial, manufacturing and farm have each added 400 jobs.

"Are we where we were or where we need to be? No, we're not, but things have turned around a bit and it's looking a little bit better than it has in the past few years," Wehner said.

The region is also seeing an up-tick in job postings, led by health care organizations. In September Sutter Health posted 735 jobs, Catholic Healthcare West listed 705 jobs and Kaiser Permanente 249.

Still, the decrease in unemployment is in part due to people giving up looking and dropping out of the work force. And Marrissa says until she gets some callbacks, she won't believe the shrinking unemployment numbers.

"No, not at all, or at least I'd be working, even at Wendy's, and it hasn't happened yet," she said.

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