Further Dip in Online Recruitment in the UK in July, According to the Monster Employment Index
July 2008 Highlights:
· Index decreased by three points in July, following a four point drop in June, but the year-on-year growth rate was largely unchanged at 5%
· The legal sector saw the steepest decline, but offerings also dropped significantly in the environment, architecture and urbanism sector
· Demand rose sharply in hospitality and tourism while opportunities in healthcare and social work soared in July for the third successive month
· Among occupational groups, opportunities for craft and related workers; and skilled agricultural and fishery workers declined most in July
· Regionally, online hiring declined furthest in the South West. Northern Ireland surged, however, showing the highest monthly and annual growth rate in demand
Summary Overview
The Monster Employment Index UK decreased by three points in July to reach a level of 174, following a similar drop in June. This partly reflects a seasonal decrease in online recruitment activity during the early summer months, but also suggests loosening conditions in the jobs market. Hiring in the legal sector fell most, while there was a significant upturn in demand for healthcare and social workers. The Monster Employment Index UK 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.
Index results for the past 13 months are as follows:
Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07 07 07
174 177 181 179 187 192 160 174 169 160 162 167 165
“The UK economy continues to slow and the outlook for the rest of 2008 remains gloomy, meaning tougher conditions in the labour market. Given this backdrop, it is not surprising that online recruitment is now moderating, with fewer job offerings than a year ago in areas such as finance, retail and technology,” commented Hugo Sellert, Head of Economic Research, Monster Worldwide. “Still, it should be noted that advertised vacancies remain well above last summer’s levels and that demand in the education, healthcare and tourism sectors, and overall in Northern Ireland, remains elevated.”
Demand in the legal sector drops furthest
Online hiring in the legal sector fell by 45 Index points in July, following a moderate dip in June. A similar seasonal trend was seen in previous years. The decrease was mainly driven by lower demand for professionals. Most regions registered a decline in online job opportunities, with demand in London falling for the third consecutive month. Meanwhile, availability in Northern Ireland rose for the third month in a row. Year-on-year, the sector was down 25 points or 12% - the largest annual decline on record.
Opportunities for workers in the environment, architecture and urbanism sector also fell sharply in July. This drop was principally led by reduced demand for technicians and associate professionals, while hiring of professionals rose slightly after three months of decline. Regionally, Scotland decreased the most, falling for the fourth successive month. Year-on-year growth was 27 points, or 16%.
By contrast, the healthcare, social work sector grew by 31 points, as online hiring increased for the third month in a row in line with a seasonal pattern. There were considerably increased opportunities for technicians and associate professionals; and professionals. All regions showed increased demand, with Wales registering the strongest rate of increase. Year-on-year growth was 31 points, or 17%.
Significant fall in online hiring of craft and related workers; and skilled agricultural and fishery workers
Online job availability for craft and related workers fell sharply again in July, for the second month in a row. As in June, the decline reflects markedly fewer opportunities in the production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair; and construction, extraction sectors. Regionally, Northern Ireland dipped most following two months of growth. By contrast, hiring increased in the South West and North England, reversing a three month declining trend. Year-on-year, the category dropped 26 points, or 10% - the biggest fall among occupational groups.
There was also a significant decrease in skilled agricultural and fishery workers in July, following two months of large seasonal increases. Regionally, availability dipped most in London, following two months of higher demand. Year-on-year growth, however, was a solid 61 points, or 43%. This was the highest among occupational groups, reflecting increased online hiring in the agriculture, fishing and forestry sector.
Contrastingly, elementary occupations saw strong growth in July, after three months of stability. This surge was driven by higher demand in the production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair sector. North England saw the strongest rate of increase. Year-on-year growth was 37 points, or 43%.
Sharpest drops in South West and the Midlands
The South West fell by 14 Index points in July. Opportunities have dropped in the region for five straight months and are now at its lowest since January. Hiring fell the most in the legal; accounting, audit, taxes; and administrative, organisation sectors. Among occupational groups, clerks saw the steepest decline. Year-on-year growth for the region was 7 points, or 3%, following a sharp decline in the first six months of the year.
Online hiring also decreased in the Midlands, following two months of growth. Major declines were seen in the agriculture, fishing and forestry; production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair; transport, post and logistics; and marketing, PR and media sectors. Among occupational groups, the sharpest decrease was for skilled agricultural and fishery workers.
Online recruitment rose significantly in Northern Ireland for the second consecutive month, reaching an Index high for the region. Major rises were seen in the accounting, audit, taxes; administrative, organisation; and banking, finance, insurance sectors. All occupational groups registered higher demand, with the exception of craft and related workers. Year-on-year growth, in this region, was the highest of all UK regions at 42 points, or 30%.
Top Industries Looking for Employees
Industries showing the greatest rate of increase in online job availability included:
Industry Jul Jun May
08 08 08
Healthcare, social work 213 182 168
Hospitality and tourism 223 200 172
Education, training and library 220 204 188
Engineering 205 197 211
Sales 147 142 149
Most Wanted Occupational Categories
Occupational categories registering most significant increases in online job demand included:
Occupation Jul Jun May
08 08 08
Elementary occupations 124 101 100
Legislators, senior officials and managers 162 157 164
Service workers and shop and market sales workers 165 161 139
Monster Employment Index UK findings across industry sectors for the past 13 months are as follows:
Industry Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07 07 07
Accounting, audit, taxes 132 145 137 128 131 142 118 122 111 113 119 123 121
Administrative, organisation 182 203 204 220 212 220 182 199 192 204 188 195 181
Arts, entertainment, sports, leisure 180 197 198 194 201 191 182 201 195 163 180 172 137
Banking, finance, insurance 165 162 166 189 178 168 152 178 157 177 149 158 173
Construction and extraction 152 157 167 155 179 174 156 161 176 163 147 153 146
Education, training and library 220 204 188 162 180 195 167 192 192 166 141 139 152
Engineering 205 197 211 199 218 206 166 180 177 161 153 165 160
Environment, architecture and urbanism 196 219 232 217 252 235 195 218 203 203 163 175 169
Healthcare, social work 213 182 168 140 185 202 156 176 196 182 177 183 182
Hospitality and tourism 223 200 172 158 141 148 130 133 139 144 134 131 141
HR 173 193 188 175 198 233 193 201 196 189 193 200 187
IT 116 120 126 130 138 150 130 127 125 114 117 124 132
Legal 176 221 232 220 234 196 204 229 210 185 186 195 201
Management and consulting 219 240 236 215 235 242 200 192 184 178 186 185 177
Marketing, PR and media 208 204 232 223 238 241 209 221 198 185 178 185 181
Production, manufacturing, maintenance, Repair 119 124 117 110 115 121 114 109 112 107 112 114 113
Public Sector, defence, community 97 101 104 97 108 109 98 102 107 102 100 99 101
Research and development 152 160 156 154 171 181 146 143 136 134 145 142 129
Sales 147 142 149 153 156 158 129 142 141 136 173 171 170
Telecommunication 96 98 106 115 122 112 110 120 134 122 116 119 119
Transport, post and logistics 160 180 172 160 158 159 136 149 140 139 143 142 133
Monster Employment Index UK findings across occupational categories for the past 13 months are as follows:
Occupation Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sept Aug Jul
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07 07 07
Legislators, senior officials and managers 162 157 164 161 167 161 133 148 148 142 167 166 164
Professionals 180 182 191 188 201 202 173 185 178 165 168 174 178
Technicians and associate professionals 162 168 167 170 173 175 150 165 150 153 144 151 150
Clerks 147 165 166 159 164 172 141 146 158 148 157 157 137
Service workers and shop and market sales workers 165 161 139 142 162 155 132 145 147 143 138 140 143
Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 202 230 220 195 208 197 199 160 190 153 158 137 141
Craft and related workers 246 275 307 273 307 322 299 292 294 257 297 299 272
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 121 127 122 109 123 129 113 114 161 129 114 113 115
Elementary occupations 124 101 100 100 100 94 119 121 89 88 87 87 87
Monster Employment Index UK findings across UK regions for the past 13 months are as follows:
Region Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sept Aug Jul
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07 07 07
Midlands 182 189 186 180 197 209 168 183 177 172 170 176 171
North England 190 194 202 196 199 210 168 187 183 171 172 178 168
London 141 145 146 147 152 155 142 147 146 140 142 145 144
South East 132 133 135 134 137 137 126 132 132 127 127 128 129
South West 273 287 290 291 301 308 264 286 264 250 266 281 266
Wales 237 234 245 241 266 273 231 232 207 209 213 220 211
Scotland 172 167 175 177 197 187 147 160 142 146 156 161 162
East Anglia 155 153 155 147 185 193 164 172 163 159 166 174 177
Northern Ireland 184 164 147 163 173 175 149 166 135 137 151 129 142
Monster Employment Index UK for August will be released on September 9, 2008.
