SHERMAN, TX--Across the United States, nearly 290,000 jobs were added last month. However, with so many people re-entering the labor force those positive figures aren't taking the spotlight, because the jobless rate also increased from 9.7 to 9.9 percent. We talked to experts to find out why.

Texas and Oklahoma have faired far better than the nation as a whole when it comes to unemployment numbers, but it's still taking its toll on many Texomans.

"You just deal with it day by day, and do the best you can, like everybody else," Vicky Gibbs, said.

Gibbs has been looking for jobs through Workforce Solutions Texoma since she was laid off last June.

While staff say they see hundreds of jobseekers everyday, analysts say, Texoma has survived the recession relatively well.

"Overall, our region is holding its own, as compared to the state, and compared to the country. We're in better shape than a lot of areas and with employers hiring, I think we're headed in the right direction," Bob Rhoden with Workforce Solutions Texoma, said.

Recent numbers show an influx of new job seekers which has increased the national unemployment rate from 9.7% to 9.9%.

But locally, numbers remain far lower, shown in the most recent statistics for Fannin, Grayson, Cooke, Love, Bryan and Carter Counties that range from 5% to 9.4%.

Analysts say many factors play a roll in the rising unemployment rate, one of which might be that more people are now actively looking for work.

A person is considered unemployed, when they are out of work, able to work and actively looking for a job.

Something that experts say more people are doing now, which is a positive sign.

"If someone is looking for a job, or wants to go back to work, I would encourage them to get out and start looking right now, because a lot of employers are really getting back to that point where they're ready to start increasing the number of folks that they have," Rhoden, said.

One local business is currently looking for several employees, and staff say even a summer job can turn into a career.

"We really promote within, if we have somebody that's really good, we teach them all the right skills and knowledge, and we'd rather promote them up," Area Director of Braums, Chuck Geddes, said.