The job market in miniature: AT&T's new hirings and new firings

On Tuesday, AT&T announced plans to hire roughly 3,000 new employees this year to help enhance its wireless and broadband networks. The news excited investors, leading the stock to a gain of six percent.

While this announcement was certainly a ray of light in an exceedingly dark job market, it is worth noting that AT&T's new positions don't offset the company's elimination of 12,000 jobs, which it began in December and will continue through 2009. In this, however, the communications company is more or less in line with current employment trends.