Monster Employment Index Inches Up

New York, NY, May 3, 2007--The Monster Employment Index rose one point in April, as U.S. online recruitment activity and demand for workers eased following two previous months of sharper growth. Overall, 16 of 20 industries and 19 of 23 occupational categories tracked by the Index registered increases of varying degrees in April. The Index is now up 14 percent year-over-year, but is still showing a modest annual growth pace compared to a year ago.

"The Monster Employment Index edged slightly higher in April, but its pace of growth reflects a moderating U.S. economy," said Steve Pogorzelski, Group President, International at Monster Worldwide. "Nevertheless, the Index's three-month upward growth trend could be an encouraging sign of stability in the U.S. labor market," added Pogorzelski.

Educational Services; Wholesale Trade Industries Register Strong Monthly Increases in April

The educational services industry category registered the largest rate of increase in April from the previous month, closely followed by the gains in opportunities in the wholesale trade sector. Online job availability in the construction industry also rose, gaining nine points last month, as milder weather in April created a resumption of building projects, yet overall construction demand has been mostly flat during the first quarter. Meanwhile, online demand in the management of companies and enterprises industry edged up two points last month, making it one of the top performers among industries on a year-over-year basis.

Overall, 15 industry categories posted growth on a year-over-year basis, with transportation and warehousing recording the fastest growth pace between April 2006 and April 2007. By contrast, the finance and insurance industry has dipped 10 points from a year ago, more than any other non-agriculture industry category.

Demand for Personal Care and Service Occupations Rises Sharply in April

During April, online job availability for personal care and service occupations surged, suggesting an intensified, earlier hiring effort for seasonal workers ahead of the summer vacation and resort months. The category, which jumped 41 points last month, registered the highest rate of increase among occupations for the month of April, as well as year-over-year. The significant gain of 37 percent from a year ago places the category at the top of the list in terms of highest annual growth rate.

Online demand for food services-related occupations also continued to grow, pushing the category up 22 points last month, and extending a four-month growth streak. The category is up 32 percent higher than a year ago, and is now second in terms of annual growth rate. The four-month upward trend in online demand for food services occupations reflects the underlying strength of the restaurant and hospitality sector.

Online opportunities for management occupations also grew in April, as the category gained 12 points, and increased its year-on-year growth rate to eight percent. The rise in demand for management workers may reflect improved levels of overall business confidence in the U.S. corporate sector, as witnessed by the strong first quarter earnings results at many S&P 500 companies.

All occupational categories are now showing positive growth of online job availability year-over-year, with the construction and extraction category registering the slowest annual growth pace.

Education and Healthcare Sectors Register Continued Strong Expansion in April

Online recruitment activity in the educational services industry rose 10 points in April, registering the highest monthly increase for the category in more than three years. Meanwhile, the education, training, and library category gained eight points last month, registering its strongest annual growth rate in two years. The Index's findings suggest that demand for teachers and school administrators remains high, mirroring recent data released by the U.S. Department of Labor that reported education payrolls are expanding at a brisk pace. In healthcare, online demand for support occupations rose nine points last month, while the practitioners and technical category edged up one point, demonstrating strong demand for a range of healthcare workers including physicians, hospital staff, nurses and residential care professionals.

New England Region Registers Highest Increase in April

The New England region registered the highest monthly increase in online job availability among U.S. Census Bureau regions in April, gaining nine points. In addition to weather-related factors, tighter labor market conditions may be a key factor behind the surge in online recruiting activity as New England's unemployment rate dipped from 4.7 percent in February to 4.2 percent in March. This may be an indication that the pool of idle workers in the five-state region is shrinking - which traditionally has created difficulty for recruiters and employers to find qualified candidates across many sectors.

A total of 49 U.S. states, plus the District of Columbia, registered increased online job demand in April, with New Hampshire reporting the highest rate of growth in online job availability between April 2006 and April 2007 amid strong demand from the rebounding technology industry in that state.