How is the current job market affecting you?

Canada's economy created thousands fewer jobs in January than economists had predicted. Are you being affected by the current job market? (iStock)A poor showing for Canada's job market in January is just the latest sign of an economy that is expected to remain weak in 2012, economists say.

Canada added just 2,300 jobs in January, Statistics Canada reported Friday, far fewer than the 24,500 that many had predicted.

"These figures are consistent with an economy fighting to keep its head above water," said Derek Burleton, TD Bank's deputy chief economist.

January is typically a strong month for employment, particularly in construction and manufacturing.

But despite bright spots such as an increase in private and public sector employment, numbers were poor across the country, especially in Atlantic Canada and Ontario. Self-employment was hit particularly hard, losing 37,500 jobs.

How is the weak job market affecting you, if at all? If you're unemployed, how hard are you finding it to find work? And if you already have a job, have you found yourself holding back on making changes because of job insecurity? Share your comments in the field below.




(These surveys are not scientific. Results are based on readers' responses.)