A study examined barriers to employment for rural Michigan residents, especially during an economic boom. Four focus groups conducted in four nonmetropolitan growth counties in Michigan indicated that educated, skilled workers were seeking to enter the labor force or to work more hours, even though community leaders, newspapers, and job developers felt there was a shortage of local workers. The foremost factor contributing to this situation was an inadequate and seasonal demand for most goods and services produced in the counties studied. As a result, both employers and employees faced risks and uncertainties about the future. Due to lack of formal channels of finding jobs, job seekers had to rely on word-of-mouth, which is not an efficient means of finding employment. There was no public transportation system in nonmetro areas. Because workers could not find full-time jobs, they took multiple part-time jobs, and the transportation costs of driving large distances to work and day care made minimum wage jobs even less attractive than in urban areas. The high cost of licensed child and elder care centers created disincentives for taking low-paying jobs. The high collateral requirement to get loans minimized the opportunity for entrepreneurs to start home-based businesses. Discrimination based on sex, age, and disability, and the failure of schools to require computer literacy were also factors. Participants felt that local government officials could exercise more foresight in attracting certain kinds of businesses and support systems for workers. (TD)