April 2006 Index Highlights:
Index edges down one point to 163 in April, following three consecutive months of growth, but remaining well above its year-ago level
Online demand for construction workers surges as weather warms up
Protective service and community and social services workers see surge in online job availability in April, as recruitment for government workers expands
Online demand for military-related workers falls dramatically, following heavy recruitment in first quarter
Nationwide online demand remains strong, as 44 states and the District of Columbia show higher online job availability
NEW YORK, May 4, 2006 - The Monster Employment Index dipped slightly in April, reflecting a mild downturn in U.S. online recruitment activity following a strong three-month upward growth trend during the first quarter. While many of the industry and occupational categories tracked by the Index actually rose last month, the increases were not enough to overcome significant declines in several key areas. Nevertheless, the overall Index remains up 32 points, or 24 percent over the past year.
The Index registered growth across all but one of nine U.S. regions in April while a majority of industries and occupations showed higher levels of online recruitment activity. The construction industry, in particular, showed a strong surge in online demand, as did protective service and community and social services occupations. In contrast, online demand for military-related; office and administrative support; and architecture and engineering occupations fell during the month.
The Index's overall results for the past 13 months are as follows:
Apr. 06 Mar. 06 Feb. 06 Jan. 06 Dec. 05 Nov. 05 Oct. 05 Sept. 05 Aug. 05 Jul. 05 Jun. 05 May 05 Apr. 05
163 164 157 151 145 149 143 140 142 134 136 134 131
"The April findings of the Monster Employment Index show a very slight dip in online recruitment activity last month, which is not surprising given the Index's strong 19-point rise during the first quarter. The mild decline in online job demand measured in April is more than likely an indication that online hiring activity is just shifting to a more sustainable growth pace," said Steve Pogorzelski, Group President, International at Monster Worldwide. "Given the Index's sharp year-on-year rise and recent government data showing healthy U.S. economic growth, the hiring outlook across a majority of industries and occupations remains very positive."
Construction Industry Recruitment Surges as Warmer Weather Allows for Outdoor Building Activity
The construction industry showed a marked rise in online demand for workers in April, continuing a solid three-month growth trend. This is potentially due to a number of factors, including warm spring weather allowing for an increase in outdoor building activity. The Index's findings also are consistent with a recent report showing that construction spending in the U.S. in March increased twice as much as forecast, due to strong residential and public building. Overall, online job demand for workers rose in 14 of 20 industries during April, with strong growth measured in:
Management of companies and enterprises, which jumped in April, as corporate profits and the stock market surged;
Accommodation and food services, which rose sharply for the fifth consecutive month; and
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, which also grew for the third month in a row.
Industries that showed a decline in overall online demand for workers during April include agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting; wholesale trade; and transportation and warehousing.
Online Opportunities for Protective Service and Community and Social Services Workers Jump in April, Demonstrating Higher Overall Demand for Government Workers
Online demand for protective service and community and social services workers rose sharply in April as recruitment for counselors, social workers, law enforcement and security officers increased. Overall online demand for workers rose in 17 of 23 occupational categories in April, with particularly strong growth noted in the following occupations:
Legal, which jumped sharply during April, continuing a strong three-month growth trend as business expansion continued to provide attorneys with more career choices in areas such as intellectual property, real estate and litigation;
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry, which rose for the fourth consecutive month in advance of the spring/summer season; and
Food preparation and serving, which surged during the month, and extended a three-month growth trend.
In contrast, online demand for military-specific occupations dropped significantly during April, following a strong recruiting spree during the first quarter of 2006. The category's sharp decline during the last month contributed largely to the slight decline in the overall Index. Other occupational categories that also dipped during April include office and administrative support; and architecture and engineering.
Mid-Atlantic Region Soars in April, Boosted by Stepped-up Recruitment Growth in New York and New Jersey
The Mid-Atlantic region registered the sharpest growth in online job availability during the month due to sharp up-ticks in New York and New Jersey and among business and financial operations; and architecture and engineering occupations. Overall, 44 U.S. states and the District of Columbia registered higher online demand for employees during April, with Utah, Louisiana, Montana and Wyoming among those registering the greatest gains.
To obtain a full copy of the Monster Employment Index report for April 2006, including all charts and tables, please visit http://www.monsterworldwide.com/Press_Room/MEI.html. Data for the month of May 2006 will be released on June 1, 2006.
About the Monster Employment Index
Launched in April 2004 with data collected since October 2003, the Monster Employment Index is a broad and comprehensive monthly analysis of U.S. online job demand conducted by Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST), the parent company of the leading global online careers and recruitment resource, Monster?. Based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from more than 1,500 Web sites, including a variety of corporate career sites, job boards and Monster, the Monster Employment Index presents a snapshot of employer online recruitment activity nationwide. All of the data and findings in the Monster Employment Index have been validated for their accuracy through independent, third party auditing conducted on a monthly basis by ARC Research. The audit validates the accuracy of the online job recruitment activity measured within a margin of error of +/- 1.05%.
About Monster Worldwide
Founded in 1967, Monster Worldwide, Inc. is the parent company of Monster?, the leading global online careers property. The company also owns TMP Worldwide, one of the world's largest Recruitment Advertising agency networks. Headquartered in New York with approximately 4,800 employees in 25 countries, Monster Worldwide (NASDAQ: MNST) is a member of the S&P 500 Index and NASDAQ 100. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at www.monsterworldwide.com.
About Monster
Monster? is the leading global online careers property. A division of Monster Worldwide, Monster works for everyone by connecting quality job seekers at all levels with leading employers across all industries. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Maynard, Mass., Monster has 26 local language and content sites in 24 countries worldwide. More information is available at www.monster.com or by calling 1-800-MONSTER. To learn more about Monster's industry-leading employer products and services, please visit http://recruiter.monster.com.
Special Note: Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the statements made in this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding Monster Worldwide, Inc.'s strategic direction, prospects and future results. Certain factors, including factors outside of Monster Worldwide's control, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward- looking statements, including economic and other conditions in the markets in which Monster Worldwide operates, risks associated with acquisitions, competition, seasonality and the other risks discussed in Monster Worldwide's Form 10-K and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which discussions are incorporated in this release by reference.
Contacts:
General Information:
David Rosa
(212) 351-7067
david.rosa[at]monsterworldwide.com
Media Inquiries:
Cary Barbour
Weber Shandwick
(212) 445-8037
cbarbour[at]webershandwick.com
Lauren McDonald
Weber Shandwick
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