- All 28 major metropolitan markets tracked by the Index exhibit positive annual growth
- Manufacturing; and transportation and warehousing slow down hiring in August while annual growth rate also eases in these sectors
- Consumer-driven sectors exhibit mixed trends. Retail trade and accommodation and food services edge up, while arts, entertainment and recreation records slight decline
The Monster Employment Index is a monthly gauge of U.S. online job demand based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large representative selection of corporate career Web sites and job boards, including Monster.com®
“While the Monster Employment Index experienced a marginal contraction in August, several industries, occupations and all 28 metro markets including Cleveland and Detroit continue to record positive annual growth trends,” said Jesse Harriott, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at Monster Worldwide. “The fact that the rate of annual growth has eased from July suggests that employers’ continued cautious outlook is informing their short term hiring activity.”
Utilities and Mining Register Large Increases On Monthly and Annual Basis; Manufacturing, and Transportation And Warehousing Slowdown Year-Over-Year
Online recruitment activity rose in six of the 20 industries between July and August. Compared to year-ago levels, 17 industries are showing positive growth trends, although at decelerated rates from July.
Among the industries, health care and social assistance maintained steady recruitment levels, in-line with seasonal patterns and was one of the few sectors to see annual growth rate accelerate from 16 percent in July to 19 percent in August.
Meanwhile, mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction continued to record strong online demand for jobs in August and remained a top trending sector with the highest annual growth rate in the Index (56 percent). Similar recruitment trends were witnessed in the utilities industry, which saw its annual growth rate edge up from 23 percent in July to 26 percent in August mostly due to increased demand for specialized workers related to infrastructure replacement/upgrades.
In contrast, manufacturing; and transportation and warehousing registered some slowdown in annual growth rates between July and August. Arts, entertainment, and recreation registered the most notable reduction in demand among industries in the Index, with annual growth dropping from +14 percent in July to -7 percent in August, again pointing to an undercurrent of economic uncertainty affecting hiring decisions in a traditionally strong period of recruitment activity. Meanwhile, accommodation and food services edged up 3 points on the month to reflect a weaker than average seasonal rise.
Protective Service; and Legal Occupations Register Largest Gains in August; Healthcare and Community and Social Service Occupations Continue To Grow Year-Over-Year
Overall online demand for workers rose in five and remained flat in four of the 23 occupational categories in August while twenty of the 23 categories are exhibiting positive annual growth rates.
Among occupations, protective services, legal and installation/maintenance recorded the largest monthly increases in online job availability on a monthly basis. Year-over-year sector demand trends remained strongest for healthcare support (up 20 percent), with abundant opportunities for assorted assistant and technician positions. Healthcare practitioners; and community and social services also noted improvement in long-term growth rates in the Index.
In contrast, food preparation and serving; farming/ fishing; and military-specific occupations recorded monthly and yearly declines.
Online Job Availability Declines in Eight U.S. Census Bureau Regions in August; New York Records Highest Annual Growth amongst States
During August, demand contracted in eight of the nine U.S. Census Bureau regions. West South Central was the only region to note a marginal gain, but the gain fell short of seasonal expectations. South Atlantic noted the mildest deceleration in annual growth rate from July to August. Middle Atlantic continued to lead all regions in year-over-year.
Among the 50 states and the District, 5 registered increased online job opportunities in August, while 5 were unchanged from July levels. New York was again the top state by measure of annual growth in the Index. Annual growth rate turned negative for Louisiana, Montana, Mississippi, District of Columbia, and West Virginia.
Twenty Two of 28 Major U.S. Metro Markets Monitored By The Index Rise in August
During August, online recruitment activity rose in 22 of the 28 major metropolitan markets, monitored by the Index. Kansas City recorded the largest monthly growth, gaining six points (7 percent) in August. Transportation and material moving remained the markets fastest growing occupational category, with demand levels doubling what they were a year ago. Healthcare support; and business and financial operations also noted strong gains in demand in the month and annually.
Dallas registered a 4-point (4 percent) gain on the month, exceeding seasonal expectations. Portland gained 3 points on the month, short of its usual seasonal uptick for this time of year. Annual growth for the metro market in the Index slipped from 41 percent in July to 24 percent in August. Demand slipped notably for management; and life, physical, and social sciences. Nonetheless, annual growth remained positive for a majority of the occupational groups in the Portland market.
