US employers notched another solid month of hiring in March by adding 215,000 jobs, driven by large gains in the construction, retail, and health care industries.

Despite the jump, the Labor Department said Friday the unemployment rate ticked up to 5 percent from 4.9 percent. But that increase includes some good news: More Americans are looking for work, though not all found jobs.

The figures suggest employers remain confident enough in their business prospects to add staff, even as overall growth has slowed since last winter. Many analysts estimate the economy grew at a 1 percent annual rate or below in the first quarter. Continuing job gains indicate employers may see the slowdown as temporary.