Further Dip in Online Recruitment in March, According to Monster Employment Index UK
March 2009 Index Highlights:
• The UK Index fell by seven points in March as online demand dropped from the seasonally-elevated level seen in February
• Year-on-year, the Index fell by 41%, or 77 points. This is the fifth straight month that the Index has fallen on a yearly basis
• In March, the dip was driven by fewer job opportunities in the legal; marketing; and healthcare sectors
• Online recruitment activity increased most for education workers and the sector showed positive year-on-year growth. Opportunities in production also grew in March
• Demand fell for most occupational groups, with skilled agricultural workers; professionals; and craft and related workers hit hardest
• The majority of UK regions suffered a decline. Scotland experienced the greatest decline; all regions saw an annual fall in demand
Summary Overview
The Monster Employment Index UK decreased by seven points in March, reversing the seasonal increase in online recruitment seen in February. Year-on-year, the Index was down 77 points, or 41 percent – the steepest annual decline on record. This drop was driven by fewer job opportunities in the legal; marketing, PR, media; and healthcare and social work sectors. By contrast, there was growth in hiring of workers in education, training and library; and production, manufacturing, maintenance. The Monster Employment Index Europe is a monthly analysis of millions of online job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of corporate career sites and job boards across the UK, including Monster.co.uk.
Monster Employment Index UK results for the past 13 months are as follows:
Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar
09 09 09 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08
110 117 111 141 152 161 159 167 174 177 181 179 187
“Overall, online recruitment in the UK has fallen once again,” commented Hugo Sellert, head of economic research, at Monster Worldwide. “There is cause for optimism however, in some sectors. Hiring of education and production workers rose in March and healthcare has shown encouraging annual growth.”
Demand lowers for marketing, PR, media workers
Online job demand in the marketing, PR, media sector fell in March, offsetting growth in February. Of the occupational groups, opportunities for managers declined most. Regionally, hiring fell furthest in London and the South East. Year-on-year, job availability was down 117 points, or 49%.
Job availability in the healthcare, social work sector fell for the second month in succession. Online demand fell most for professionals. Regionally, there were drops in demand in the Midlands, North England and the South East in March. Year-on-year, though, demand was up 106 points, or 57%.
The education, training, library sector demonstrated the strongest monthly growth among all sectors for the second straight month. This growth was principally driven by increased demand for professionals. Hiring in the sector grew in all UK regions with the exception of London. Year-on-year, availability increased by 87 points, or 48%.
Demand decreases for craft and related workers
Of all occupational groups, hiring of craft and related workers was hit hardest in March. Demand fell, reversing the substantial seasonal rise seen in February. Year-on-year, hiring has declined 159 points, or 52%.
Job availability for service and sales workers also dropped in March and demand is approaching the occupation’s record Index low, despite strong growth in February. This latest monthly decline stems from decreased demand in the service sectors in the UK, such as hospitality and tourism; and retail. Year-on-year, demand has declined 83 points, or 51%.
By contrast, there was a solid increase in demand for elementary occupations in March. This was largely due to openings in the production and manufacturing sector across all UK regions. Year-on-year, however, demand has decreased 29 points, or 29%.
Scotland and the Midlands fall furthest as all regions drop
Scotland fell by 14 Index points in March, offsetting seasonal growth in job availability in February. This decline was caused by fewer regional job opportunities for clerks; and professionals in the engineering; healthcare, social work; and banking, finance, insurance sectors. Year-on-year, demand declined 97 points, or 49% – the largest annual regional drop.
Online job opportunities in the Midlands also fell in March, reflecting a recent rise in unemployment in the region. Year-on-year, online recruitment in the Midlands fell by 95 points, or 48%.
Hiring in London fell by four Index points in March – the eleventh monthly decrease in the last year. Job availability fell most in the engineering; HR; marketing, PR and media; and IT sectors. Of the occupational groups, managers; and professionals saw the steepest falls in demand.
Top Industries Looking for Employees
Industries showing the greatest monthly rate of increase in online job availability included:
Industry Mar Feb Mar
09 09 08
Production, manufacturing, maintenance 97 86 115
Education, training and library 267 253 180
Construction and extraction 83 81 179
Research and development 149 146 171
Public sector 104 104 108
Most Wanted Occupational Category
The occupational category registering most significant monthly increase in online job demand:
Occupation Mar Feb Mar
09 09 08
Elementary occupations 71 60 100
Plant and Machine Operators 48 44 123
Monster Employment Index UK findings across industry sectors for the past 13 months are as follows:
Industry Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar
09 09 09 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08
Accounting, audit, taxes 84 91 90 108 119 121 123 123 132 145 137 128 131
Administrative, organisation 89 98 87 132 160 178 173 184 182 203 204 220 212
Arts, entertainment, sports, leisure 108 120 113 144 151 178 175 185 180 197 198 194 201
Banking, finance, insurance 116 123 117 148 167 173 158 168 165 162 166 189 178
Construction and extraction 83 81 81 108 114 125 134 156 152 157 167 155 179
Education, training and library 267 253 215 256 224 217 167 185 220 204 188 162 180
Engineering 138 149 143 188 196 202 197 203 205 197 211 199 218
Environment, architecture and urbanism 68 74 74 124 134 146 180 219 196 219 232 217 252
Healthcare, social work 291 305 321 263 314 255 201 226 213 182 168 140 185
Hospitality and tourism 123 129 115 150 159 165 162 178 223 200 172 158 141
HR 59 72 52 74 111 127 131 162 173 193 188 175 198
IT 82 85 82 96 103 108 110 108 116 120 126 130 138
Legal 120 139 127 163 162 183 186 179 176 221 232 220 234
Management and consulting 156 162 135 169 193 196 207 204 219 240 236 215 235
Marketing, PR and media 121 138 128 163 196 204 199 207 208 204 232 223 238
Production, manufacturing, maintenance, Repair 97 86 91 103 108 109 110 111 119 124 117 110 115
Public sector, defence, community 104 104 103 108 112 108 113 105 97 101 104 97 108
Research and development 149 146 130 151 150 146 143 147 152 160 156 154 171
Sales 85 86 82 110 121 133 133 137 147 142 149 153 156
Telecommunications 74 80 80 89 102 92 92 99 96 98 106 115 122
Transport, post and logistics 89 97 94 110 126 136 140 146 160 180 172 160 158
Monster Employment Index UK findings across occupational categories for the past 13 months are as follows:
Occupation Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar
09 09 09 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08
Managers 103 107 101 130 140 151 145 158 162 157 164 161 167
Professionals 111 122 118 152 169 172 164 173 180 182 191 188 201
Technicians and associate professionals 107 109 110 134 147 153 158 160 162 168 167 170 173
Clerical support workers 84 87 83 105 119 135 135 141 147 165 166 159 164
Service and sales workers 79 86 72 90 105 102 119 126 165 161 139 142 162
Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 197 214 195 209 205 191 167 196 202 230 220 195 208
Craft and related workers 148 158 133 171 194 204 176 205 246 275 307 273 307
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 48 44 51 72 82 88 95 107 121 127 122 109 123
Elementary occupations 71 60 60 76 90 98 104 106 124 101 100 100 100
Monster Employment Index UK findings across UK regions for the past 13 months are as follows:
Region Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar
09 09 09 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08
Midlands 102 110 110 133 154 165 163 162 182 189 186 180 197
North England 133 136 126 155 171 177 179 181 190 194 202 196 199
London 96 100 98 113 124 128 131 135 141 145 146 147 152
South East 104 107 104 120 124 128 126 132 132 133 135 134 137
South West 189 190 176 223 250 276 260 265 273 287 290 291 301
Wales 192 174 179 211 235 257 217 238 237 234 245 241 266
Scotland 100 114 108 133 139 149 149 154 172 167 175 177 197
East Anglia 111 112 101 119 136 148 131 150 155 153 155 147 185
Northern Ireland 93 96 96 143 151 147 185 160 184 164 147 163 173
Monster Employment Index UK for April will be released on May 12, 2009.
