CBS NEWS POLL For release: January 5, 2010 6:30 PM EST ...

CBS NEWS POLL For release: January 5, 2010

6:30 PM EST

WHERE AMERICA STANDS: THE JOB MARKET AND THE ECONOMY December 17-22, 2009

As Americans look at the nationwide employment picture, they see a job market that today demands different sets of skills than it did 20 years ago -- more than eight in ten say today's jobs have different criteria.

DOES TODAY'S JOB MARKET

REQUIRE DIFFERENT SKILLS THAN 20 YEARS AGO?

Yes, different skills

87%

No, same skills

10

These views are equally shared by both college and non-college graduates, as well as those earning under and over $50,000 per year, and all age groups.

Job requirements are a pressing issue because Americans remain concerned about potential job losses in their households; most are at least somewhat nervous about it.

CONCERN ABOUT HOUSEHOLD JOB LOSS

Very concerned

29%

Somewhat concerned 34

Not concerned

33

Concern is high in all parts of the country, and especially high in the West and South.

CONCERN ABOUT HOUSEHOLD JOB LOSS BY REGION

Northeast Midwest South

West

Very concerned

26%

22%

33%

32%

Somewhat concerned 40

35

27

37

Not concerned

31

38

35

29

Job loss worries hit especially hard among lower-income households. One-third of Americans in households earning under $30,000 say they're very concerned, while one-fifth say so in households over $100,000.

In a separate, recent survey of unemployed Americans conducted by CBS News and the New York Times (December 4-10, 2009) those who are unemployed worried that the jobs lost in their communities would never come back. Fewer than half expected the jobs to come back when the economy recovers, and 40% said they wouldn't. Those who have been out of work longer were even less hopeful.

WILL THE LOST JOBS IN YOUR COMMUNITY EVER COME BACK?

(among unemployed Americans, interviewed December 4-10, 2009)

Time unemployed

All

Six months

Six months

Unemployed

or less

or more

Yes

46%

52%

37%

No

40

34

48

Overall, in this poll, Americans' evaluations of the economy remain poor: eight in ten call it bad.

Now

Good

18%

Bad

80

CONDITION OF THE ECONOMY

12/8/2009 10/2009 8/2009

22%

16%

20%

77

84

79

2/2009 5%

94

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1048 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone December 17-22, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS POLL Where America Stands: The Job Market and Economy December 17-22, 2009

q7 How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days? Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad, or very bad?

Very good Fairly good Fairly bad Very bad DK/NA

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **

*** GENDER ***

Total Men Women

%

%

%

1

0

1

17

15

18

46

51

41

34

31

37

2

3

3

Dec09a % 2

20 44 33

1

q9 How concerned are you that in the next 12 months you or someone in your household might be out of work and looking for a job -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, or not concerned at all?

Very concerned

29

Somewhat concerned

34

Not at all concerned

33

One person household (Vol.) 3

DK/NA

1

31

27

32

36

33

33

2

3

2

1

q11 Compared to twenty years ago, do you think the types of jobs now available in the U.S. require different backgrounds and skills than they used to 20 years ago, or do the jobs available now require about the same backgrounds and skills?

Different Same Mix (vol.) DK/NA

87

86

88

10

11

9

1

1

1

2

2

2

Total Respondents

Total Men Total Women

Unweighted Weighted 1048

442

493

606

555

Margin of error 3 pts.

5 pts. 4 pts.

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