It might not seem like much, but the fact that 42 percent of Americans say it is currently a good time to find a quality job actually shows a bit of optimism. While it is slightly below the January 2016 number of 45 percent, this 42 percent is very similar to most readings over the past two years, according to Gallup.
Beginning in 2001, Gallup asked Americans to evaluate the availability of good jobs in the U.S. on a month-by-month basis. In 2007, 48 percent of Americans said it was a good time for jobs, which was the highest level recorded so far. But just overtwo years later, the percentage fell into the single digits as the economic recession destroyed confidence in the job market. Optimism bottomed out as only 8 percent of Americans said it was a good time to find a quality job in late 2009.
Additionally, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say it is a good time to find a quality job; 54 percent of Democrats answered that it was a good time compared to only 28 percent of Republicans. That trend has been ongoing since early 2012. Americans who identify with the party of the president tend to feel more optimistic about jobs than those who identify with the opposing party.
Age seems to play a role as well. Since 2009, younger Americans have been more optimistic than older Americans.