Online recruitment stabilising

No change for July’s online recruitment, with The Monster Employment Index UK holding steady – it has remained largely unchanged for the fourth consecutive month now. However overall, the index is down 37 percent year-on-year.

Opportunities in transportation, HR and healthcare rose while management and media fell. Geographically, the results indicated more demand in Northern Ireland. Job availability also rose in London and Scotland. The South West was hit hardest with a decline of three percent.

It appears the rate of annual decline has levelled off since February. July saw increased hiring activity in the transport, post logistics, and production, manufacturing, maintenance, repair sectors, suggesting job prospects in the hard-hit goods-producing sector may be improving.

“It is encouraging that overall online job demand has stabilized and that recruiting in the goods-producing sector is picking up, but there is still little indication that hiring has resumed in the much-larger service sector,” commented Hugo Sellert, Head of Economic Research at Monster Worldwide. “The UK economy’s sustained contraction in the second quarter means labour market conditions will remain challenging in the foreseeable future. Competition for top talent is still fierce, however, as companies seek to attract the most qualified workers from the growing pool of unemployed workers.”

Public-driven sectors continued to perform strongly, with opportunities in healthcare and social work up 22 points (seven percent), reaching a new index high. The sector also performed well year-on-year, up 57 percent. The public, defence and community sector also rose five points (five percent) in July and 14 percent year-on-year. Despite a moderation of 16 points (five percent) in July, education, training and library showed continued strong performance year-on-year, up 26 percent. Private-driven sectors also saw continued growth. Production, manufacturing, maintenance and repair also logged a third consecutive upturn, adding six points (six percent) to reach its highest index reading in twelve months.
Online job demand for plant and machine operators, and assemblers registered the highest rate of increase in July, rising six points (11 percent). Although demand for these workers has picked up considerably since its February trough, offerings remain down by 59 points (49 percent) from year-ago readings.

Job availability for service and sales workers fell by nine points (12 percent) in July. This occupation saw the steepest decline of all groups from an annual perspective, reflecting weak retail trends and weakened demand for professional services workers. Year-on-year, demand fell by 96 points (58 percent).

By contrast, hiring of management and consulting workers fell 19 points (ten percent) in July and showed a continued annual decline of 26 percent. A significant decrease in job availability was also recorded in the marketing, PR and media sector, which fell by five points (five percent) in July.
 

 Recruitment news brought to you by theHRDIRECTOR magazine

 
11 August 2009