The big question hanging over the U.S. economy: Did job growth just take a rest during the harsh winter, or is it shifting to a much slower pace? David Goldman/AP hide caption
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Target shoppers Kelly Foley (from left), Debbie Winslow and Ann Rich use a smartphone to look at a competitor's prices while shopping shortly after midnight on Black Friday, in South Portland, Maine. Robert F. Bukaty/AP hide caption
Job hunters line up for interviews at an employment fair in New York City. The unemployment rate tells only a partial story about the U.S. labor market. Mark Lennihan/AP hide caption
A notice in a store window in New York City announces a retail job opening. Now that unemployment has slipped below 6 percent, there's renewed interest in what the Federal Reserve's target for joblessness should be. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption
Job seekers sign in before meeting prospective employers during a January career fair at a hotel in Dallas. LM Otero/AP hide caption
The scene at a job fair for veterans earlier this year in Washington, D.C. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption
Sign of the times? A "help wanted" sign in the window of a Philadelphia business last year. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption
Looking for work in Florida. At a November career fair in West Palm Beach, this man had a job application in hand. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption
People looking for work were filling out applications earlier this month at a career fair in Emeryville, Calif. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption
The scene earlier this month at a job fair in Sunrise, Fla. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption
On 'Morning Edition': NPR's Chris Arnold previews the September jobs report
A recruiter for Cigna greets a job seeker at a career fair in Philadelphia over the summer. Mark Makela /Reuters /Landov hide caption
