Further Dip in UK Online Recruitment in August, According to the Monster Employment Index
August 2008 Index Highlights:
· Index fell by seven points in August - the fifth dip in the last six months and the first time the Index has showed no annual growth
· The hospitality and tourism; and education, training and library sectors saw the steepest declines due to a seasonal tailing off of hiring
· There were moderate rises in the public sector, defence, community; and healthcare, social work sectors
· Demand across all occupational groups declined. Craft and related workers; and service workers and shop and market sales workers registered the sharpest falls
· Regionally, online hiring declined especially in the Midlands and Scotland. Northern Ireland remains the top annual growth region, whilst East Anglia decreased most
Summary Overview
The Monster Employment Index UK decreased by seven points in August to reach a level of 167. This is the fifth decline in the last six months and the first time on record that the Index did not grow year-on-year, further demonstrating the marked slowdown in recruitment activity and labour demand due to the faltering economy. As in August 2007, hiring in the hospitality and tourism; and education, training and library sectors saw the steepest declines due to seasonal dips in demand for workers. There were moderate increases in the public sector, defence, community; and healthcare, social work sectors.
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:
Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07 07
167 174 177 181 179 187 192 160 174 169 160 162 167
“Previously job seekers had the upper hand in the labour market, but the balance is now shifting. The recent decline in the Index shows jobs are now getting harder to come by as businesses across the UK ease back on their hiring in response to the slowing economy”, commented Hugo Sellert, Head of Economic Research, Monster Worldwide. “Not all sectors are feeling the pinch, though. Advertised vacancies in the healthcare and social work sector continue to rise, indicating mounting demand for nursing and medical care professionals.”
Demand for hospitality and tourism workers drops sharply
Online hiring in the hospitality and tourism sector fell by 45 Index points in August, following four straight months of growth. This mirrors a seasonal correction following escalated hiring in the lead-up to the holiday season. This decrease was mainly driven by reduced demand for legislators, senior officials and managers. There was a decline in job opportunities across all regions with North England dropping most. Despite the decline, year-on-year growth was 47 points, or 36%, the largest among industry sectors.
Job vacancies in the education, training and library sector also fell significantly in August, on the back of three successive months of growth. Opportunities for professionals; and technicians and associate professionals fell furthest. The steepest decline was in London but demand in Wales recovered after three monthly decreases. Year-on-year growth was a solid 46 points, or 33%.
By contrast, there was an increase in hiring in the healthcare, social work sector for the fourth month in a row, resulting in a new Index high for the industry. This surge was led by increased opportunities for professionals. Hiring of technicians and associate professionals fell, suggesting demand is tilted more towards highly skilled workers. Regionally, Northern Ireland and the South East rose most. Year-on-year, the sector was up 43 points, or 23%.
Further decline for craft and related workers
Online job availability for craft and related workers fell sharply again in August, for the third consecutive month. Once again, this decline reflects fewer opportunities in the construction, extraction; and production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair sectors. As in July, vacancies in Northern Ireland dipped most and there was reduced hiring in East Anglia, the Midlands, Scotland and Wales for the third month in a row. Demand showed slight recovery in London and South East. Year-on-year, the category was down 94 points, or 31%, the most among occupational groups.
There was also a significant decrease in service workers and shop and market sales in August, following two months of growth. Job availability dipped in both the hospitality and tourism; and retail sales sectors. Regionally, the steepest decline was seen in Scotland, while London and the Midlands dropped for a second consecutive month. Year-on-year, the category was down 14 points, or 10%.
Steepest drops in Northern Ireland and the Midlands
Northern Ireland fell by 24 points in August, partly offsetting a surge in demand during June and July. The largest declines were reported in arts, entertainment, sports, leisure; construction and extraction; and transport, post and logistics. Despite the dip, Northern Ireland remained the top growth region on an annual basis, up 31 points or 24% year-on-year.
Online hiring dropped sharply again in the Midlands for the second straight month. This decrease was caused primarily by fewer opportunities in hospitality and tourism; and production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair. Craft and related workers registered the steepest fall, while elementary occupations recorded increased job availability.
Wales was the only region that saw an increase in job availability in August. Opportunities rose most in the education, training and library; and environment, architecture and urbanism sectors. Although demand is down considerably since its February peak, the region remains 18 points, or 8%, up from 12 months ago.
Top Industries Looking for Employees
Industries showing the greatest rate of increase in online job availability included:
Industry Aug Jul Jun
08 08 08
Public sector, defence, community 105 97 101
Arts, entertainment, sports, leisure 185 180 197
Construction and extraction 156 152 157
Telecommunications 99 96 98
Banking, finance, insurance 168 165 162
Main Decreases in Occupational Categories
Occupational categories registering most significant decreases in online job demand included:
Occupation Aug 08 Jul08 Jun08
Craft and related workers 205 246 275
Service workers and shop and market sales workers 126 165 161
Elementary occupations 106 124 101
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 107 121 127
Professionals 173 180 182
Monster Employment Index UK findings across industry sectors for the past 13 months are as follows:
Industry Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07 07
Accounting, audit, taxes 123 132 145 137 128 131 142 118 122 111 113 119 123
Administrative, organisation 184 182 203 204 220 212 220 182 199 192 204 188 195
Arts, entertainment, sports, leisure 185 180 197 198 194 201 191 182 201 195 163 180 172
Banking, finance, insurance 168 165 162 166 189 178 168 152 178 157 177 149 158
Construction and extraction 156 152 157 167 155 179 174 156 161 176 163 147 153
Education, training and library 185 220 204 188 162 180 195 167 192 192 166 141 139
Engineering 203 205 197 211 199 218 206 166 180 177 161 153 165
Environment, architecture and urbanism 219 196 219 232 217 252 235 195 218 203 203 163 175
Healthcare, social work 226 213 182 168 140 185 202 156 176 196 182 177 183
Hospitality and tourism 178 223 200 172 158 141 148 130 133 139 144 134 131
HR 162 173 193 188 175 198 233 193 201 196 189 193 200
IT 108 116 120 126 130 138 150 130 127 125 114 117 124
Legal 179 176 221 232 220 234 196 204 229 210 185 186 195
Management and consulting 204 219 240 236 215 235 242 200 192 184 178 186 185
Marketing, PR and media 207 208 204 232 223 238 241 209 221 198 185 178 185
Production, manufacturing, maintenance, Repair 111 119 124 117 110 115 121 114 109 112 107 112 114
Public sector, defence, community 105 97 101 104 97 108 109 98 102 107 102 100 99
Research and development 147 152 160 156 154 171 181 146 143 136 134 145 142
Sales 137 147 142 149 153 156 158 129 142 141 136 173 171
Telecommunications 99 96 98 106 115 122 112 110 120 134 122 116 119
Transport, post and logistics 146 160 180 172 160 158 159 136 149 140 139 143 142
Monster Employment Index UK findings across occupational categories for the past 13 months are as follows:
Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07 07
Occupation
Legislators, senior officials and managers 158 162 157 164 161 167 161 133 148 148 142 167 166
Professionals 173 180 182 191 188 201 202 173 185 178 165 168 174
Technicians and associate professionals 160 162 168 167 170 173 175 150 165 150 153 144 151
Clerks 141 147 165 166 159 164 172 141 146 158 148 157 157
Service workers and shop and market sales workers 126 165 161 139 142 162 155 132 145 147 143 138 140
Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 196 202 230 220 195 208 197 199 160 190 153 158 137
Craft and related workers 205 246 275 307 273 307 322 299 292 294 257 297 299
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 107 121 127 122 109 123 129 113 114 161 129 114 113
Elementary occupations 106 124 101 100 100 100 94 119 121 89 88 87 87
Monster Employment Index UK findings across UK regions for the past 13 months are as follows:
Aug Jul Jun May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov Oct Sep Aug
08 08 08 08 08 08 08 08 07 07 07 07 07
Region
Midlands 162 182 189 186 180 197 209 168 183 177 172 170 176
North England 181 190 194 202 196 199 210 168 187 183 171 172 178
London 135 141 145 146 147 152 155 142 147 146 140 142 145
South East 132 132 133 135 134 137 137 126 132 132 127 127 128
South West 265 273 287 290 291 301 308 264 286 264 250 266 281
Wales 238 237 234 245 241 266 273 231 232 207 209 213 220
Scotland 154 172 167 175 177 197 187 147 160 142 146 156 161
East Anglia 150 155 153 155 147 185 193 164 172 163 159 166 174
Northern Ireland 160 184 164 147 163 173 175 149 166 135 137 151 129
Monster Employment Index UK for September will be released on October 14, 2008.
