Dashing hopes buoyed by preliminary reports on Thursday, the official Labor Department jobs report on Friday said the economy only added 18,000 jobs last month. This brought the unemployment number up to 9.2% from 9.1%. But one man’s gloom is another’s boon…

If you’re looking for a job, how about a lucrative career in the pawnshop biz? Two of the biggest operators, First Cash Financial Services and Cash America International have risen 43% and 54% this year. Maybe you can bring in an application along with grandmother’s locket.

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION — JUNE 2011 [Bureau of Labor Statistics]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.