Monster Employment Index Dips Slightly in April

Military Related Online Recruitment Activity Declines Sharply, Offsetting Gains in Other Categories

Online Job Availability in the Construction Industry Rises Dramatically, Driven by Higher Spending and Warmer Weather

Job Opportunities for Community and Social Services; and Protective Service Workers Soar in April, Demonstrating Stepped-up Public Sector Recruitment Activity

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

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.

ìThe April findings of the Monster Employment Index show a very slight dip in online recruitment activity last month, which is not surprising given the Indexís 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,î said Steve Pogorzelski, Group President, International at Monster Worldwide. ìGiven the Indexís 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.î

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 Indexís 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 categoryís 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.