Why record job growth in America hides a troubling reality

High employment rates gloss over a 'much more complicated story' of stagnant wages and vanishing mid-level jobs

January marked the 100th consecutive month of job creation in the United States - a record breaking streak of job creation that has left employers scrambling to find workers and dragged the long-term unemployed back into the market.

Yet even now, 20m jobs later, there are some parts of the US economy that have yet to reflect the positive image projected by the continuous job growth and low unemployment rate.

Related: US economy adds jobs for record 100th consecutive month

Employers think they should be able to get whoever they want at those lower wages