"A single report doesn't mean it's going down to me," said Douglas Troester, one of the state's unemployed.
Others say some good news is what they've been waiting for. It gives them hope and decreases their competition.
"It's a positive," said Johnny Wang, who is unemployed. "That's what we need, positivity, not like everything is still slipping and sliding."
September's unemployment rate fell to 11.9 percent, down from 12.1 in August. A year ago the state unemployment rate was 12.5. The state added $140,000 new jobs this year.
California still has the second highest unemployment rate in the country. But those who help find people work say companies are starting to feel more secure hiring again.
"About three months ago, it was taking eight (months) to maybe even a year and a half for some of the higher paid positions to be placed, but I've noticed just recently, the last couple of weeks, that those who have been very aggressive, being here early in the morning, have been able to find placement within three to six months," said Carlene Gepner, a business service coordinator at Metro North Work Source.
One of the companies hiring is the University of Southern California's Eisner Pediatric & Family Medicine Center, which just hired five new employees in the past couple of months and is still interviewing applicants.
"I'm very grateful now, extremely grateful. I don't take anything for granted anymore," said Darlene Duarte, a medical assistant who just got hired. "Just keep trying, regardless how hard it is, and how depressing and frustrating, even after you go to one after another interview, continuous interviews, maybe they may not call you, but you just have to keep trying."
