Further Fall in Online Recruitment in the UK in December, According to the Monster Employment Index
December 2008 Index Highlights:
- The Index decreased by 11 points in December to reach a 20-month low as online job availability continued to fall from its February peak
- Demand for HR related positions slumped to an Index low and the financial sector fell to its lowest level since January 2007, reflecting the negative impact on hiring from the recent financial crisis
- In contrast, hiring of education workers rose, partly due to demand for training from unemployed workers. Modest increases were also noted in the legal; and R&D sectors
- Demand dropped in all occupational groups except skilled agricultural and fishery workers. Plant and machine operators, and assemblers; and elementary occupations were the hardest hit, suggesting a further drop in industrial activity
- Hiring fell in all regions, with East Anglia showing the largest annual decline in demand
Summary Overview
The Monster Employment Index UK decreased by 11 points in December to reach a level of 141. Online job demand is now at its lowest level since May 2007. Year-on-year, the Index was down 33 points, or 19%, compared to a 10% annual decrease in the previous month, indicating a dramatic slowdown in recruiting at the end of 2008. Demand fell most in the healthcare, social work; and HR sectors. The banking, finance, insurance sector also saw a marked annual decrease in job availability. In contrast, there was a surge in demand for education, training and library workers for the third straight month. Moderate growth was seen in the legal; and R&D sectors.
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:
Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07
141 152 161 159 167 174 177 181 179 187 192 160 174
“The sharp decline in online job demand in the final months of 2008 confirms that the UK labour market has fallen into recession,” commented Hugo Sellert, Head of Economic Research, Monster Worldwide. “In addition, the plummet in demand for HR professionals signals that companies are likely to scale back further on hiring well into next year. The jobs market is unlikely to improve before businesses regain confidence in the struggling economy. Education is one of the few bright areas, with schools and colleges significantly stepping up recruiting efforts to secure staff for 2009.”
Demand for healthcare and HR workers plummets
Online hiring in the healthcare, social work sector decreased by 51 points in December, offsetting two months of strong growth. Offerings dipped the most for professionals. Opportunities for technicians and associate professionals also registered a modest decline. Regionally, Wales registered the steepest fall in demand. Only Northern Ireland saw an upturn in hiring. Year-on-year, demand was up 87 points, or 49%, the strongest among industry sectors.
There was also a notable decrease in online job vacancies in the HR sector for the sixth month in a row. This drop was driven by significantly reduced opportunities for professionals. Hiring declined across all tracked regions, with Northern Ireland showing the steepest fall. Demand in the Midlands and the South East fell for the seventh consecutive month. Year-on-year, demand dipped 127 points, or 63%, the sharpest among industry sectors.
Hiring of marketing, PR and media workers also dropped sharply in December. Online recruitment activity fell across all regions, with South East and London reporting the sharpest declines. Year-on-year, demand was down 58 points, or 26%.
In contrast, there was a surge in online job availability for education, training and library workers as the sector registered a solid increase for the third consecutive month. This growth was led by improved demand for professionals. Regionally, South East saw the strongest increase, while offerings in the Midlands and North England rose for the fourth month in a row. Year-on-year, the category was down 64 points, or 33%.
Job availability for craft and related workers; and professionals falls furthest
Online job availability for craft and related workers fell for the second consecutive month, mainly due to a drop in hiring in the production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair sector. Opportunities in construction and extraction also fell. Offerings dropped across all regions, with Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland registering the sharpest declines. Year-on-year, the category was down 121 points, or 41%, the sharpest among occupational groups.
There was also a significant dip in hiring of professionals for the second month in a row, driven by a decline in demand in the telecommunications; management and consulting; banking, finance, insurance; and arts, entertainment, sports, leisure sectors. Offerings in the construction and extraction; and HR sectors fell for the fifth month in a row. Hiring dropped in all regions, with London and Wales hit hardest. Year-on-year, the category was down 33 points, or 18%.
Demand for skilled agricultural and fishery workers rose for the third month in a row in December. Regionally, job availability rose the most in London and the South East, while opportunities in North England and Scotland increased for the fourth month in a row. Year-on-year, the region was up 49 points, or 31%, the only category noticing increase.
Further decreases in the South West and Wales
For the second successive month, the South West experienced a significant decline in online hiring. The largest decrease in demand was in the HR sector. Demand fell across all occupational groups, with clerical support workers showing the steepest decrease. Year-on-year demand in the region was down 63 points, or 22%.
Online job availability in Wales also dropped sharply, largely due to markedly fewer opportunities for telecommunications workers. There were also considerable falls in the accounting, audit, taxes; IT; and transport, post and logistics sectors. Among occupational groups, demand for professionals eased the most. Year-on-year, demand in the region was down 21 points, or 9%.
The Midlands also saw a significant drop in online hiring, led by reduced opportunities in telecommunications; construction and extraction; and HR. Among occupational groups, the largest drop was among elementary occupations workers. Year-on-year, the region was down 50 points, or 27%.
Top Industries Looking for Employees
Industries showing the greatest rate of increase in online job availability included:
Industry Dec Nov Oct
08 08 08
Education, training and library 256 224 217
Legal 163 162 183
Research and development 151 150 146
Most Wanted Occupational Category
The occupational category registering most significant increases in online job demand:
Occupation Dec Nov Oct
08 08 08
Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 209 205 191
Monster Employment Index UK findings across industry sectors for the past 13 months are as follows:
Industry Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07
Accounting, audit, taxes 108 119 121 123 123 132 145 137 128 131 142 118 122
Administrative, organisation 132 160 178 173 184 182 203 204 220 212 220 182 199
Arts, entertainment, sports, leisure 144 151 178 175 185 180 197 198 194 201 191 182 201
Banking, finance, insurance 148 167 173 158 168 165 162 166 189 178 168 152 178
Construction and extraction 108 114 125 134 156 152 157 167 155 179 174 156 161
Education, training and library 256 224 217 167 185 220 204 188 162 180 195 167 192
Engineering 188 196 202 197 203 205 197 211 199 218 206 166 180
Environment, architecture and urbanism 124 134 146 180 219 196 219 232 217 252 235 195 218
Healthcare, social work 263 314 255 201 226 213 182 168 140 185 202 156 176
Hospitality and tourism 150 159 165 162 178 223 200 172 158 141 148 130 133
HR 74 111 127 131 162 173 193 188 175 198 233 193 201
IT 96 103 108 110 108 116 120 126 130 138 150 130 127
Legal 163 162 183 186 179 176 221 232 220 234 196 204 229
Management and consulting 169 193 196 207 204 219 240 236 215 235 242 200 192
Marketing, PR and media 163 196 204 199 207 208 204 232 223 238 241 209 221
Production, manufacturing, maintenance, Repair 103 108 109 110 111 119 124 117 110 115 121 114 109
Public sector, defence, community 108 112 108 113 105 97 101 104 97 108 109 98 102
Research and development 151 150 146 143 147 152 160 156 154 171 181 146 143
Sales 110 121 133 133 137 147 142 149 153 156 158 129 142
Telecommunications 89 102 92 92 99 96 98 106 115 122 112 110 120
Transport, post and logistics 110 126 136 140 146 160 180 172 160 158 159 136 149
Monster Employment Index UK findings across occupational categories for the past 13 months are as follows:
Occupation Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07
Managers 130 140 151 145 158 162 157 164 161 167 161 133 148
Professionals 152 169 172 164 173 180 182 191 188 201 202 173 185
Technicians and associate professionals 134 147 153 158 160 162 168 167 170 173 175 150 165
Clerical support workers 105 119 135 135 141 147 165 166 159 164 172 141 146
Service and sales workers 90 105 102 119 126 165 161 139 142 162 155 132 145
Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 209 205 191 167 196 202 230 220 195 208 197 199 160
Craft and related workers 171 194 204 176 205 246 275 307 273 307 322 299 292
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 72 82 88 95 107 121 127 122 109 123 129 113 114
Elementary occupations 76 90 98 104 106 124 101 100 100 100 94 119 121
Monster Employment Index UK findings across UK regions for the past 13 months are as follows:
Region Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07
Midlands 133 154 165 163 162 182 189 186 180 197 209 168 183
North England 155 171 177 179 181 190 194 202 196 199 210 168 187
London 113 124 128 131 135 141 145 146 147 152 155 142 147
South East 120 124 128 126 132 132 133 135 134 137 137 126 132
South West 223 250 276 260 265 273 287 290 291 301 308 264 286
Wales 211 235 257 217 238 237 234 245 241 266 273 231 232
Scotland 133 139 149 149 154 172 167 175 177 197 187 147 160
East Anglia 119 136 148 131 150 155 153 155 147 185 193 164 172
Northern Ireland 143 151 147 185 160 184 164 147 163 173 175 149 166
Monster Employment Index UK for January will be released on February 10, 2009.
