During the first half of this year we heard a lot of forecasts stating that the economy would be in recovery during the second half of this year, but we are now in the second half of this year and we are still not out of the recession just yet.

We are, however, seeing some signs that things are starting to rebound. The housing market is still very weak, but appears to be starting to improve, and manufacturing also seems to be stabilizing.

Despite the flickers of good news that we are seeing regarding the economy, the rise in unemployment is not expected to ease any time soon. The national average is sitting at 9.5% currently, and it is expected to move through the 10% mark over the next few months.

The complete list of states where unemployment is greater than 10% include: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee.

For anyone living in those states it will take a lot more than a couple of positive news stories to convince them that the recession is nearing its end.

There are some isolated pockets in the country where unemployment figures are still good. North Dakota boasts an impressive 4.2 percent unemployment rate, followed by Nebraska at 5 percent and South Dakota at 5.1 percent.

Have you found yourself out of work due to the recession? After losing your job, were you able to find new employment, or still looking to find another job? Share your experiences and any tips that you may have for people that are currently looking for work.