Companies curtailed hiring in April

(CNN)– Job seekers in the U.S. have had less options over the past few weeks.

According to the ADP National Employment Report, private sector businesses added 62,000 positions in April.

That’s a sharp drop from the 147,000 that were added in March, and much less than what many analysts had expected.

Among the areas that experienced layoffs; education and health services, information, and professional and business services.

On Friday, the April jobs report will be released and economists are predicting a slow-down in employment gains.