This article, published by the Onion, details how a previously unemployed man has been hired, but makes 20K less than when he was laid off in 2009.  While the article is written by the Onion and is not factual in any manner, it does lend an idea of how we can tell if the US economy is improving and will soon move out of the recession.  More employed workers means that more consumer debt that has been accrued can be paid off and consumer confidence can increase.  The paying off of debt will add ballast to the housing sector and potentially catalyze banks to lend money.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/the-recovery-is-here-reports-underemployed-man-mak,27760/