Online Job Availability Dips Top Markets

New York, February 23, 2007--Online job availability dipped in a majority of the top 28 U.S. metro markets in January, suggesting that a seasonal slowdown in local online recruitment activity during the year-end holidays may have extended into the early weeks of the first month of 2007, according to the latest findings of the Monster Local Employment Index.

"The Index showed only marginal changes in a majority of the top 28 metro areas between December and January, and although a number of markets have shown signs of slowing from the rapid pace of growth seen through most of last year, every market except Tampa is registering greater online job availability for workers compared to January 2006," said Steve Pogorzelski, Group President, International at Monster Worldwide. "In fact, unemployment rates in 22 of the 28 markets tracked were lower in December 2006 than a year earlier, demonstrating continued labor market improvement in most of the nation's largest cities."

Baltimore, Cleveland and Denver registered the steepest declines during the month of January, as each shed four points, while Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Sacramento and San Diego each dipped three points. In the West, Denver has seen a deceleration in growth following last year's rapid pace of expansion, mostly due to slowdowns in the area's manufacturing and construction sectors. Miami and Orlando saw more moderate declines last month, as both edged down one point, with Orlando showing fewer online opportunities for workers in healthcare and housing related occupations, offsetting gains in other categories related to the area's important tourism industry.

St. Louis, which had seen two consecutive months of decline, registered the largest increase in online job availability in January, edging up two points. However, Kansas City, Cleveland and Minneapolis remain the leading Midwestern markets in year-over-year improvement. Although overall payroll growth, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, has been limited in both Kansas City and Cleveland, each of the metro areas has noted increased online demand for IT, science and engineering related occupations, possibly suggesting a shortage of technically-skilled workers in each market. Minneapolis, compared to other markets, has seen solid growth in online job opportunities for healthcare occupations.

Over the year, online job recruitment activity increased in all of the top 28 U.S. markets except for Tampa, which despite a slight up-tick in January, remains flat year over year due to softening in blue-collar hiring areas.

Houston, which dipped two points in January, remains the fastest growing major online recruitment market on a year-over-year basis, as the area continues to benefit from favorable energy prices, strong housing demand and steady expansion at the Port of Houston. The Dallas metro area was one of the few markets that edged up in January, reflecting an overall healthy job market with rising demand among services and various blue-collar occupations. The combined momentum of both Houston and Dallas suggests sustained growth for the Texas economy.

The Index for San Francisco maintained pace in January, remaining flat amid tight labor market conditions that have helped bring the Bay Area's unemployment rates down to some of their lowest levels since the technology downturn in 2001. In fact, the San Francisco market continues to climb up in the Index's metro growth rankings, largely due to higher demand for workers in both business and financial operations, as well as in computer and mathematical occupations.

In the Northeast, New York City remains the best performing online recruitment market due to a sharp decline in the unemployment rate. By contrast, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. are mostly flat over the year.

Over the past year, food preparation and serving positions, and protective services related occupations, have registered the fastest pace of growth for the 28 markets combined, reflecting continuous high demand for restaurant and hospitality workers and security and safety professionals. In fact, food preparation and serving is the only occupational category tracked by the Index that continues to show year-over-year growth in all 28 metro areas.