Good help is hard to find

The nation’s small businesses are generally optimistic about the direction of the economy, a new report shows, but the majority report continued difficulty in filling jobs that allow them to take advantage of growth opportunities.

The recently released fourth-quarter MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index recorded an overall score of 69.3, indicating a pause in the upward trend of the Index. The fourth quarter score is down less than one-half point from the third quarter’s record high of 69.7, still reflecting general optimism from the small business community.