Is it really a job seeker's market out there?

Canada's unemployment rate continues to hover around a near all-time low of five per cent, so you'd assume that landing a job is easier than ever. But there's another narrative to consider.

"That's still a million unemployed people, and that doesn't tell the whole story," said Jim Stanford, an economist and director of the Centre for Future Work, a research institute with operations in Canada and Australia.

"There's probably another million underemployed people who have a job, but don't work as many hours as they want to or use their full skills," he said. "Then there's lots of other people — probably another million — on the margins of the official labour force who would like to work but aren't counted as officially unemployed."

To be counted as in the official labour force, Stanford explained, you must be employed or available and actively seeking work.

"There are many discouraged job seekers and others who say they'd like to work, but don't meet that criteria, so StatsCan doesn't count them in the labour force," he said.

Jennifer Thompson, 27, of London, Ont., is an example of someone scrambling to find a job that meets her skills and she's able to take on. She's currently in the Ontario Works program, which offers financial assistance, benefits and employment assistance.

"I'm a single mom taking care of my three-year-old and I just want to get off of OW as soon as possible," Thompson said from the one-bedroom apartment she shares with her toddler son.

Thompson just completed a hairstyling course at GA Wheable Centre, Adult and Continuing Education. She already earned a hairstyling diploma from Fanshawe College in 2018.

Thompson had hoped to land work at the nearby barber shop where she just wrapped an eight-week unpaid co-op and logged 140 hours — a place she had previously worked, but she wasn't offered a job.

"Sport Clips hires both full- and part-time team members;" said Peter Kowal, president and chief operating officer, but it just depends on the needs of the shop at the time.

Now, Thompson has redirected her search and has submitted dozens of online applications to a variety of minimum-wage jobs.

"Just about everywhere," she said about her job search. "Retail at the mall, host jobs at restaurants, Tim Hortons, anywhere retail, anywhere restaurant. Just about anything that I have the qualifications for or that don't need much experience."

Thompson joined the workforce at 16 and has a lot of retail experience.

So far, she has only heard back from one leaf blowing company and one salon, on the other side of town, so she'd need to take two buses. Since she's the sole provider, and has to pick up her son on time at daycare, relying on city transit makes her nervous.