Temporary help employment showed little change from October to November (-0.4%), and was 2.6% higher than in November 2014, according to seasonally adjusted data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Year-to-year staffing job growth averaged 4.9% over the past 12 months.

Nonseasonally adjusted BLS data, which estimate the actual number of jobs in the economy, mirrored seasonally adjusted data, decreasing 0.4% from October to November. Year-to-year, there were 2.6% more staffing employees in November than in the same month last year.

“Staffing and recruiting executives continue to report healthy seasonal demand across many sectors,” said Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer of the American Staffing Association. “And job seekers should keep in mind that December is a very good time to get their résumés in to companies that are currently planning on adding new flexible and permanent positions in January.”

Total U.S. nonfarm payroll employment rose by 211,000 jobs in November (seasonally adjusted), BLS reported. Incorporating revisions for September and October, the data showed that monthly job gains averaged 218,000 per month over the past three months, considerably less than the average of 237,000 for the prior 12 months.

The unemployment rate held at 5.0% in November.

BLS also released preliminary October employment data for search and placement services, which increased 0.9% from September, seasonally adjusted. Search and placement jobs totaled 330,800 in October, 5.1% higher than in the same month last year.