CBS News (02/06/12) Dan Burrows

Although the January jobs report generally is disappointing as companies lay off temporary workers hired for the holidays, the most recent jobs report surpassed expectations. Ed Yardeni, economist and president of Yardeni Research, believes a shift has occurred from a “jobless recovery,” in which there is economic growth but no increase in hiring, to a “job-full expansion.”

Not only did payroll employment post its biggest month-over-month gain since April 2011, but household employment jumped 847,000 in January—the largest increase in nine years. Yardeni says the recovery may have begun months ago, as payroll employment increased by an average of 183,400 per month over the past five months, but January’s report was the first one to show across-the-board improvement.