Benefits August 31, 2006

Monster Index Rebounds Eight Points in August

August 31, 2006 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Online recruiting rebounded from its seasonal July lull to reach 173 points in August, with education, training and library occupations making the greatest increase as schools move into the fall session, according to the Monster Employment Index.
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The July dip in the index, which measures online job demand in the US, follows two months of strong growth (See Monster Employment Index Climbs Four Points in June ). Monster attributed the fall to seasonal slowdowns in online recruitment that are common for the mid-summer months.

The index for August also showed an increased demand for workers in the transportation and warehousing industry, which climbed 14 points after a dip the month before. Job demand in public administration spiked from 127 in July to 139 in August, and retail also went up to 173 from 166.

For 18 of the 23 occupational categories that Monster tracks, personal care and service occupations posted the greatest increase, jumping 13 points to 170. Also, opportunities for white-collar workers increased with management and business and financial operations showing increased demand.

On a regional basis, seven out of the nine US Census Bureau regions saw an upturn in recruitment activity. The Mountain region registered the greatest growth of 10 points, with New Mexico helping to drive the growth, according to the index.

The index also ranked states in order of online job availability, with Delaware, Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Wyoming, Colorado and New Jersey.

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