Who is counted as unemployed?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor persons are classified as unemployed if they do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks and are currently available for work. Actively looking for work may consist of any of the following activities:

• Contacting:
- An employer directly or having a job interview
- A public or private employment agency
- Friends or relatives
- A school or university employment center
• Sending out resumes or filling out applications
• Placing or answering advertisements
• Checking union or professional registers
• Some other means of active job search