The number of US job openings rose 8.1% in June from May, but the hires rate was little changed, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The job openings rate — a measure of job openings compared with total employment — rose to 4.0% in June from 3.8% in May.

Job openings increased in a number of industries with the largest increases occurring in professional and business services, up by 179,000; healthcare and social assistance, up by 125,000; and construction, up by 62,000. Job openings decreased in other by 62,000. The number of job openings increased in the Midwest and West regions.

Bloomberg reports the gain in job openings underscores the need for workers in an economy that’s continuing to expand. At the same time, the pool of qualified Americans is shrinking and making some positions tougher to fill, one reason economists expect the monthly pace of hiring will eventually cool.

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