Online Job Demand Remains Broadly Stable in August

The latest edition of the Monster Employment Index UK, which provides monthly insight into online recruitment trends, was released earlier today.

• The index dipped to 109 in August, one point lower than July’s 110 and 35% lower than the 167 of August 2008.
• Marketing, PR and media showed the largest uptick, increasing by 6 points (6%) from July’s 99 to 105 in August. Still 49% lower than the 207 measured in August 2008.
• Education, training and library had the steepest monthly decline, falling 38 points (14%) to 240 in August from 278 in July. However, the sector is still up 55 points (30%) year-on-year, being one of three industries to experience increased demand on an annual basis.
• Health care, social work was up 103 points (46%) to 329 in August 2009 from 226 in August 2008. Though still down 5 points from the 334 recorded in July 2009.
• Public sector, defence, community was up 7 points (7%) from 105 in August 2008 to 112 in August 2009. Which is also 1 point up from the 111 recorded in July 2009.
• Opportunities for skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers saw a sharp downturn, falling by 20 points (12%) from 173 in July 2009 to 153 in August.
• Plant and machine operators and assemblers was the worst hit occupational group year-over-year, dropping 49 points (46%) from 107 in August 2008 to 58 in August 2009.

Commenting on the release, Stephen Rose director and debt counsellor at debtadvicebureau.org.uk and author of 2007’s ‘Recession 2008: The First of Many’, said,

“The picture emerging seems to be one of a private sector which, having suffered a sharp contraction, has spent the last 6 months convalescing. However, the excessive employment levels, stoked by the debt-fuelled phony boom of the Noughties, are fading in to memory as lower employment requirements ensure there is no stampede to begin re-hiring.

“On the other hand, those sectors which are geared to the public sector appear to have weathered the storm better. In fact, many have seen increased job vacancies as a combination of both the non-cyclicallity of government hiring patterns and the need to find staff to implement a raft of knee-jerk policies.

“Unfortunately for the UK’s balance sheet, the relentless increase in the number of tax consumers (public sector workers), whilst the actual number of tax payers (private sector workers) declines, does not bode well for any future uplift in the economy. In fact, it portends badly for any potential recovery as ever-greater swathes of productive resources are diverted from the private sector, the only source of new tax revenue, to feed an insatiable public sector”.

Data: Monster Worldwide Employment Index UK August 2009 [PDF]

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