Relatively few jobs were added during the month of May, according to a release from the Labor Department.

The agency stated that during May, just 69,000 jobs were added, echoing a slowdown from May through August in 2011, when the average number of jobs created stood at 80,000. During April and March, average hiring stood at 135,000, a slower rate than in previous months. In an interview with the Associated Press, Naroff Economic Advisors economist Joel Naroff said that although the rate of growth was slower, there was reason to be positive about the future.

"We're forming a base," Naroff told the source."The level of confidence going into the spring and summer is definitely higher this year than last year."

While fewer people found employment, there are signs that more openings are becoming available. A June 2012 Employment Outlook from SimplyHired.com found that 49 out of 50 metropolitan areas had increases in the number of job opportunities. The places that saw the greatest jumps in opportunities were Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, both of which experienced a 14.2 percent increase in available openings.

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