First-time jobless claims increased by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 284,000 in the week ended May 20, the Labor Department said.
Analysts see little sign jobs are anything but plentiful.
The nation's unemployment rate fell to a 30-year low of 3.9 percent in April, the government reported earlier this month. In the first quarter of 2000, the median length of time it took to recruit a new employee was 3.58 months. Common sense might suggest the tight labor market is to blame for the lengthy job search times. California boasted the most technology jobs and the greatest number created. Texas ranked second in both categories.