Monster Employment Index

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Monster Employment Index edged down three points in June, as U.S. online recruitment activity eased slightly following the typically elevated early-springtime hiring period. The Monster Employment Index is a monthly gauge of U.S. online job demand based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large representative selection of corporate career Web sites and job boards, including Monster®.

Online job availability rose in four of the Index’s 20 industry categories and in six of the 23 occupational categories measured during the month of June. Despite the slight dip overall last month, the Index’s year-over-year growth rate held steady at -12 percent, suggesting no further erosion in U.S. online job demand. “From a seasonal view, the Monster Employment Index’s contraction in June was relatively mild and in keeping with historical trends showing a more moderate recruitment environment heading into the slower summer months,” said Jesse Harriott, Vice President of Research at Monster Worldwide. “While online hiring activity is clearly less robust than a year ago, an encouraging take-away and potential sign of stability is the fact that the Index’s year-over-year growth rate in June remained unchanged from May.”

Retail Trade Industry Registers Largest Monthly Increase in Online Job Demand in June
Online labor demand in the retail trade industry jumped sharply in June, rising for the fourth time in five months. The category’s mostly upward growth trend correlates with other reports showing recent gains and continued year-over-year growth in retail sales, and may point to growing optimism among retailers that consumers will spend at least a portion of their stimulus checks on purchases over the coming months. The transportation and warehousing; healthcare and social assistance; and management of companies industry categories also edged higher in June.
In contrast, several industry categories registered declines last month, including construction; professional, scientific and technical services; leisure and hospitality; and public administration.
On an annual basis, agriculture and public administration are the two industry categories showing greater online job availability compared to a year ago. Arts, entertainment and recreation; utilities; and finance and insurance have seen the steepest declines in online recruitment activity over the last 12 months.