July 2009 Index Highlights
- Index edges down three points in July, reflecting mild seasonal lull in U.S. online recruitment activity
- Year-over-year rate of decline of 27 percent most moderate since
February
- Offerings in the retail trade industry pick up again, while healthcare and
social assistance exhibits downward trend
- Demand bounces back for military-specific occupations, showing least
decline on annual basis
- Portland, OR notches higher for fourth consecutive month, indicating
stabilization in local job market
Summary Overview
The Monster Employment Index edged down three points in July, as U.S. online
recruitment activity eased slightly and inline with seasonal hiring patterns. Year-over-year,
however, the Index fell by the least in four months, indicating additional
improvement in underlying employer demand for workers at the outset of the third
quarter.
“The decline in U.S. online recruitment activity at the beginning of the third
quarter is likely due to a seasonal summer slowdown that is typical this time of year,
with most industry and occupational categories experiencing reduced demand,” said Jesse Harriott, Vice President of Research at Monster Worldwide.“Although the Index is down 27 percent year-on-year, an encouraging take-away and
potential sign of stability is the fact that the Index is now showing its most moderate
pace of annual contraction since February.”
For the full report, please click on the link provided above.
MEI Local Reports
In addition to national, industry, occupation and regional data, the Monster Employment Index presents a snapshot of employer online recruitment activity in the 28 largest U.S. metro markets in terms of working population. The local results are broken down by occupation and are published at the same time as the national Index. Use the links below to see specific local market findings from the Index:
About the Monster Employment Index
Launched in April 2004 with data collected since October 2003, the Monster Employment Index is a broad and comprehensive monthly analysis of U.S. online job demand conducted by Monster Worldwide, Inc. Based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of online career outlets, including Monster®, the Monster Employment Index presents a snapshot of employer online recruitment activity nationwide. The Monster Employment Index’s underlying data is validated for accuracy by Research America, Inc. – an independent, third-party auditing firm – to ensure that measured online job recruitment activity is within a margin of error of +/- 1.05%. Data for the month of August will be released on September 3, 2009.