Online Recruitment Activity in the UK Rises in December

Online Job Availability in Northern Ireland Sees Marked Increase during Final Month of 2007

Online recruitment activity in the UK rose sharply in December, as the Monster Employment Index added five points, continuing a two-month upward growth trend. 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 Europe, including Monster.co.uk.

The Index increased to a level of 174 points last month, partly due to greater online job availability in the marketing, PR and media; and banking, finance, insurance sectors – the latter bouncing back from a significant dip in November. The Index also showed notably higher demand for elementary occupations; and technicians and associate professionals. Overall, the Index is up 45 points, or 35 percent, compared to December 2006.

"It is encouraging to see that online job opportunities expanded strongly in the fourth quarter of 2007 despite early signs of a slowing global economy,” said Andrea Bertone, Regional Director, Monster Worldwide Europe. "The Index’s stepwise growth since October suggests that the majority of UK industries are still recruiting, although a tight labour market is also a key driver of online recruitment. The UK’s low unemployment rate indicates that competition is high for top talent and employers are looking online to source the best candidates.”

Monster Employment Index UK results over the past 13 months are as follows:

Dec-07 Nov-07 Oct-07 Sep-07 Aug-07 Jul-07 Jun-07 May-07 Apr-07 Mar-07 Feb-07 Jan-07 Dec-06
174 169 160 162 167 165 170 162 141 150 140 121 129

Online Demand in Marketing, PR and Media Sector Registers Strong Monthly Gain in December

A third consecutive increase in online job availability in the marketing, PR and media sector was a key factor in the Index’s expansion in December. Opportunities for professionals; and legislators, senior officials and managers jumped the most. Regionally, East Anglia and London experienced the strongest increases. Year-on-year growth for the sector stands at 81 points – a record 58 percent annual growth rate.

Banking, finance, insurance bounced back from a marked decline in November, largely due to increased opportunities for professionals; and technicians and associate professionals. The Index showed an upturn in hiring across all regions last month, with Northern Ireland reporting the highest growth rate. Year-on-year growth is now 21 points, or 13 percent.

“Recruiting increased in the majority of industries in the UK in December as employers began preparing for the year ahead, mirroring similar growth in December 2006. However, the Confederation of British Industry has warned that the twin shocks of the credit crunch and high commodity prices will likely slow the UK economy and that the UK job market will undergo a gradual softening next year,” added Bertone.

In contrast, online recruitment for healthcare, social work dipped significantly as it did in December 2006, suggesting a seasonal downturn in job availability. Service workers and shop and market sales workers saw the strongest decline. Demand in the sector decreased in all regions except East Anglia and Wales.

Construction and extraction also declined following two months of growth, as a result of lower demand for plant and machine operators and assemblers.

Industry Dec-07 Nov-07 Oct-07 Sep-07 Aug-07 Jul-07 Jun-07 May-07 Apr-07 Mar-07 Feb-07 Jan-07 Dec-06
Accounting, audit, taxes 122 111 113 119 123 121 122 121 106 129 124 125 125
Administrative, organization 199 192 204 188 195 181 209 205 184 196 179 134 148
Arts, entertainment, sports, leisure 201 195 163 180 172 137 131 135 132 161 137 124 121
Banking, finance, insurance 178 157 177 149 158 173 210 193 187 202 182 146 157
Construction and extraction 161 176 163 147 153 146 141 146 138 138 134 124 129
Education, training and library 192 192 166 141 139 152 143 142 130 129 128 105 114
Engineering 180 177 161 153 165 160 147 149 141 142 137 123 131
Environment, architecture and urbanism 218 203 203 163 175 169 155 157 164 157 148 118 137
Healthcare, social work 176 196 182 177 183 182 171 184 162 149 156 121 133
Hospitality and tourism 133 139 144 134 131 141 140 151 112 139 113 117 113
HR 201 196 189 193 200 187 183 199 195 194 182 157 150
IT 127 125 114 117 124 132 125 124 108 118 114 105 108
Legal 229 210 185 186 195 201 248 215 195 248 217 181 201
Management and consulting 192 184 178 186 185 177 198 163 156 157 154 130 145
Marketing, PR and media 221 198 185 178 185 181 186 175 171 177 154 124 140
Production, manufacturing, maintenance, Repair 109 112 107 112 114 113 106 105 98 99 97 99 99
Public Sector, defence, community 102 107 102 100 99 101 96 102 97 98 99 98 96
Research and development 143 136 134 145 142 129 141 129 123 129 125 96 108
Sales 142 141 136 173 171 170 179 158 119 123 117 107 113
Telecommunication 120 134 122 116 119 119 123 125 117 120 122 101 113
Transport, post and logistics 149 140 139 143 142 133 127 129 118 115 110 98 102

Online Demand for Elementary Occupations Soars in December

Online job availability for elementary occupations jumped 32 points in December – the fifth successive monthly increase. The strongest gain was in the construction and extraction sector, while London saw the biggest upturn in online job offers. However, year-on-year growth for the category is just a modest two points, indicating slower than average growth for unskilled labour.

The technicians and associate professionals category rebounded from a dip in November, rising 15 points. Online job offerings increased mainly in IT; and transport, post and logistics. The strongest growth was seen in Northern Ireland.

Plant and machine operators and assemblers experienced the most significant decline last month, dropping 47 points following a temporary surge in demand in November and October. The decrease was principally due to fewer opportunities in the construction and extraction; and production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair sectors. All regions registered fewer opportunities for these occupations, except Northern Ireland and Scotland.

There was also a downturn in demand for clerks in December after a notable increase during the previous month. The IT; and public sector, defence, community sectors were most responsible for the dip, offsetting a greater number of opportunities in arts, entertainment, sports, leisure. Overall, year-on-year growth for the clerks category remains strong at 32 percent.

Occupation Group Dec-07 Nov-07 Oct-07 Sep-07 Aug-07 Jul-07 Jun-07 May-07 Apr-07 Mar-07 Feb-07 Jan-07 Dec-06
Legislators, senior officials and managers 148 148 142 167 166 164 168 148 115 120 110 101 107
Professionals 185 178 165 168 174 178 180 170 148 161 152 131 139
Technicians and associate professionals 165 150 153 144 151 150 164 161 150 160 149 126 135
Clerks 146 158 148 157 157 137 136 147 129 129 124 106 111
Service workers and shop and market sales workers 145 147 143 138 140 143 142 159 121 141 119 120 126
Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 160 190 153 158 137 141 147 165 154 126 130 114 106
Craft and related workers 292 294 257 297 299 272 246 245 225 213 218 176 184
Plant and machine operators and assemblers 114 161 129 114 113 115 112 115 114 114 115 111 107
Elementary occupations 121 89 88 87 87 87 101 116 113 116 110 111 119

Northern Ireland Leads Regional Online Recruitment Growth in December

Online recruitment activity in all UK regions either grew or remained constant in December. Northern Ireland reversed a two month decline, registering the strongest monthly rate of increase due to expanded opportunities in the IT; and arts, entertainment, sports leisure sectors. Job availability for technicians and associate professionals also rose significantly. Year-on-year growth for the Northern Ireland region stands at 42 percent.

Wales also saw a sizeable increase in online job demand last month, following a three-month downward trend. More opportunities in the IT; education, training and library sectors were key to this increase, and offers for technicians and associate professionals rose sharply.

The South West also registered a significant jump in December, led by strength in the banking, finance, insurance; IT; and education, training and library. Overall, the South West was the Index’s top growth region in the UK during 2007, registering a 91 percent annual rate of increase.

Region Dec-07 Nov-07 Oct-07 Sep-07 Aug-07 Jul-07 Jun-07 May-07 Apr-07 Mar-07 Feb-07 Jan-07 Dec-06

Midlands 183 177 172 170 176 171 168 170 151 162 157 126 136
North England 187 183 171 172 178 168 176 177 156 164 156 148 145
London 147 146 140 142 145 144 150 142 131 139 133 115 126
South East 132 132 127 127 128 129 135 129 119 123 119 110 116
South West 286 264 250 266 281 266 221 226 180 179 163 131 150
Wales 232 207 209 213 220 211 216 211 172 178 173 177 166
Scotland 160 142 146 156 161 162 150 153 135 141 122 162 114
East Anglia 172 163 159 166 174 177 175 167 162 177 168 139 139
Northern Ireland 166 135 137 151 129 142 146 140 132 129 143 128 117

Monster Employment Index UK data for January will be released on February 12, 2008.