September Sees Further Decline in UK Online Recruitment, According to the Monster Employment Index
September 2008 Index Highlights:
- The Index dropped below year-earlier levels for the first time since inception following a fourth consecutive decline in UK online job availability
- Sharply reduced recruiting was seen in the banking, finance and insurance sector while HR fell to a two-and-a-half year low in the Index
- Moderate rises were noted in the public, defence, community; and legal sectors
- For the second straight month, demand across all occupational groups declined. Craft and related workers were hit hardest
- Northern Ireland saw strong regional growth in online hiring. There was also a moderate rise in the Midlands. Job demand fell in all other regions
Summary Overview
The Monster Employment Index UK fell by eight points in September to reach a level of 159. This is the fourth consecutive decrease and the first time that the Index has shown a year-on-year decline. The Index is now at its lowest level since April 2007. Hiring fell the most in the environment, architecture and urbanism; and HR sectors but significantly fewer offerings were also noted in banking, finance and insurance. In contrast, there was a moderate increase in public sector, defence and community and legal positions, suggesting government and related hiring is helping offset lessening job demand in the private sector.
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.
Index results for the past 13 months are as follows:
Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07
159 167 174 177 181 179 187 192 160 174 169 160 162
“The latest Index findings suggest that overall job losses are likely to intensify as the troubled financial and housing industries continue to drag down the wider UK economy,”, commented Hugo Sellert, Head of Economic Research, Monster Worldwide. “However, while the private sector is growing ever more cautious about adding staff, once again the public sector is showing that it less affected by a struggling economy. Government recruitment is largely sticking to pre-determined programmes and is providing some stability to the job market in these shaky times.”
Demand for environment, architecture and urbanism workers plummets
Online hiring in the environment, architecture and urbanism sector fell by 39 Index points in September. Demand is now at a 12 month low, suggesting that the troubled real estate market has impacted heavily on hiring in these industries. The dip reflects decreased hiring of professionals; and technicians and associate professionals. Regionally, Wales saw the steepest decline and demand in Scotland fell for the sixth consecutive month. Year-on-year growth was 17 points, or 10%.
There was also a further significant fall in job vacancies in the HR sector in September. Hiring activity among staffing companies is easing as overall labour demand continues to drop. There was markedly lower demand among professional occupations. Regionally, offerings dipped the most in Wales. By contrast, demand in Northern Ireland rose again in September. Year-on-year, demand in the HR industry was down 62 points, or 32%, the steepest among sectors.
By contrast, there was an increase in hiring in the public, defence, community sector as government hiring increased to partly offset a continued drop in job opportunities in the private sector. This growth was led by higher demand for clerks and service workers. Regionally, Wales, the Midlands and North England showed higher job demand. The most significant decline was in Northern Ireland. Year-on-year growth was 13 points, or 13%.
Online hiring of craft and related workers declines further
Online job availability for craft and related workers dropped steeply again in September, for the fourth month in a row. This dip was largely caused by a downturn in opportunities in the construction and extraction sector. However, demand bounced back in the production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair sector, following three months of decline. The South East saw the sharpest fall, while Wales fell for the fourth consecutive month. Year-on-year, the category was down 121 points, or 41%, the most among occupational groups.
There was also a strong decrease in legislators, senior officials and managers in September for the second straight month. As in August, job availability fell most in the hospitality and tourism sector. Regionally, East Anglia saw the sharpest fall, following two months of growth, although opportunities in Northern Ireland increased. Year-on-year, the category was down 22 points, or 13%.
Sharp drops in job demand in Wales and East Anglia
Wales saw a 22 point drop in September, reversing two months of moderate growth. Major declines were seen in the banking, finance, insurance; construction and extraction; and environment, architecture and urbanism sectors. Among occupational groups, demand fell for legislators, senior officials and managers; clerks; craft and related workers; and plant and machine operators and assemblers for the fourth consecutive month. Year-on-year growth for the region was 4 points, or 2%.
Online job availability in East Anglia also dropped sharply in September, for the second month in a row. Hiring in arts, entertainment, sports, leisure dipped furthest, following two months of growth. Of the occupational groups, legislators, senior officials and managers fell most, while clerks dropped for the six successive month. Year-on-year, demand in the region dipped 35 points, or 21%, the sharpest among regions.
Contrastingly, there was a surge in job demand in Northern Ireland in September as the Index increased by 25 points to reach a new historical high. This growth was driven by major increases in the arts, entertainment, sports, leisure; education, training and library; environment, architecture and urbanism; IT; and construction and extraction sectors. Among occupational groups, legislators, senior officials and managers noted the highest rate of increase. Year-on-year growth was 34 points, or 23%, the highest among regions.
Top Industries Looking for Employees
Industries showing the greatest rate of increase in online job availability included:
Industry Sep Aug Jul
08 08 08
Public sector, defence, community 113 105 97
Legal 186 179 176
Management and consulting 207 204 219
IT 110 108 116
Accounting, audit, taxes 123 123 132
Main Decreases in Occupational Categories
Occupational categories registering most significant decreases in online job demand included:
Occupation Sep Aug Jul
08 08 08
Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 167 196 202
Craft and related workers 176 205 246
Legislators, senior officials and managers 145 158 162
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 95 107 121
Professionals 164 173 180
Monster Employment Index UK findings across industry sectors for the past 13 months are as follows:
Industry Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07
Accounting, audit, taxes 123 123 132 145 137 128 131 142 118 122 111 113 119
Administrative, organisation 173 184 182 203 204 220 212 220 182 199 192 204 188
Arts, entertainment, sports, leisure 175 185 180 197 198 194 201 191 182 201 195 163 180
Banking, finance, insurance 158 168 165 162 166 189 178 168 152 178 157 177 149
Construction and extraction 134 156 152 157 167 155 179 174 156 161 176 163 147
Education, training and library 167 185 220 204 188 162 180 195 167 192 192 166 141
Engineering 197 203 205 197 211 199 218 206 166 180 177 161 153
Environment, architecture and urbanism 180 219 196 219 232 217 252 235 195 218 203 203 163
Healthcare, social work 201 226 213 182 168 140 185 202 156 176 196 182 177
Hospitality and tourism 162 178 223 200 172 158 141 148 130 133 139 144 134
HR 131 162 173 193 188 175 198 233 193 201 196 189 193
IT 110 108 116 120 126 130 138 150 130 127 125 114 117
Legal 186 179 176 221 232 220 234 196 204 229 210 185 186
Management and consulting 207 204 219 240 236 215 235 242 200 192 184 178 186
Marketing, PR and media 199 207 208 204 232 223 238 241 209 221 198 185 178
Production, manufacturing, maintenance, Repair 110 111 119 124 117 110 115 121 114 109 112 107 112
Public sector, defence, community 113 105 97 101 104 97 108 109 98 102 107 102 100
Research and development 143 147 152 160 156 154 171 181 146 143 136 134 145
Sales 133 137 147 142 149 153 156 158 129 142 141 136 173
Telecommunications 92 99 96 98 106 115 122 112 110 120 134 122 116
Transport, post and logistics 140 146 160 180 172 160 158 159 136 149 140 139 143
Monster Employment Index UK findings across occupational categories for the past 13 months are as follows:
Occupation Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07
Legislators, senior officials and managers 145 158 162 157 164 161 167 161 133 148 148 142 167
Professionals 164 173 180 182 191 188 201 202 173 185 178 165 168
Technicians and associate professionals 158 160 162 168 167 170 173 175 150 165 150 153 144
Clerks 135 141 147 165 166 159 164 172 141 146 158 148 157
Service workers and shop and market sales workers 119 126 165 161 139 142 162 155 132 145 147 143 138
Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 167 196 202 230 220 195 208 197 199 160 190 153 158
Craft and related workers 176 205 246 275 307 273 307 322 299 292 294 257 297
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 95 107 121 127 122 109 123 129 113 114 161 129 114
Elementary occupations 104 106 124 101 100 100 100 94 119 121 89 88 87
Monster Employment Index UK findings across UK regions for the past 13 months are as follows:
Region Sep Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07
Midlands 163 162 182 189 186 180 197 209 168 183 177 172 170
North England 179 181 190 194 202 196 199 210 168 187 183 171 172
London 131 135 141 145 146 147 152 155 142 147 146 140 142
South East 126 132 132 133 135 134 137 137 126 132 132 127 127
South West 260 265 273 287 290 291 301 308 264 286 264 250 266
Wales 217 238 237 234 245 241 266 273 231 232 207 209 213
Scotland 149 154 172 167 175 177 197 187 147 160 142 146 156
East Anglia 131 150 155 153 155 147 185 193 164 172 163 159 166
Northern Ireland 185 160 184 164 147 163 173 175 149 166 135 137 151
Monster Employment Index UK for October will be released on November 11, 2008.
