Monster Employment Index Rises in June

Increased Opportunities for Management, Finance and IT Occupations

Help Push Index Higher for Second Consecutive Month

Majority of Occupations and all Nine U.S. Census Bureau Regions

Register Growth, Demonstrating Broad Strength in Overall U.S. Online Job Demand

June 2006 Index Highlights:
Index rises four points to 171 in June, showing solid growth for the second consecutive month

Higher demand for white-collar occupations such as management, finance and IT suggests continued momentum of U.S. economy amid increasingly tight labor market

Military-related online recruitment rebounds, indicating stepped-up hiring efforts in the defense, security and aerospace industries

Mining, healthcare and community and social services occupations also show sharply higher demand, suggesting continued shortage of qualified workers

The Monster Employment Index rose four points to 171 in June, marking a second consecutive month of solid growth and demonstrating continued strength in U.S. online recruitment activity. The Indexís broad growth across all nine U.S. Census Bureau regions was largely driven by higher demand for white collar occupations such as management, finance and IT, as well as stepped-up efforts to recruit military related, healthcare, mining, and community and social services workers. Year over year, the overall Index is up 35 points or 26 percent.

During June, the Index rose by varying degrees in nine of the 20 industries tracked, led by sharply increased demand for workers in the mining; transportation and warehousing; and wholesale trade industries. Management of companies and enterprises also edged higher, showing the strongest three-month growth trend among all industry groups. In contrast, construction; accommodation and food services; and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting were among the eight industry sectors that declined during the month.

Eighteen of 23 occupational categories saw greater online job availability last month, with military specific occupations registering the strongest rate of growth. Other occupations that registered growth last month include management; business and financial operations; computer and mathematical (IT); community and social services; and sales and related.

ìThe June findings of the Monster Employment Index show continued solid growth in online recruitment activity through the first half of 2006, while greater employer demand for workers in key areas such as management, finance and IT suggests a further tightening in the U.S. job market,î said Steve Pogorzelski, Group President, International at Monster Worldwide. ìThe fact that nearly all occupations and all nine regions of the country showed greater online job availability last month, points to broad, continued momentum in the economy heading into the third quarter.î

Mining Industry Boosts Online Recruitment Efforts, Reflecting Shortage of Qualified Workers
Online hiring efforts across the booming mining industry surged last month, rising 12 points and registering the sharpest rate of increase among industries. The significant jump in available mining positions reflects the rapid growth of the energy and natural resources industry and its struggle to find qualified mining engineers and extraction workers to keep up with rising demand. Other industries showing greater online job availability in June include:

Transportation and Warehousing (up 10 points), which continues to struggle to overcome a nationwide shortage of truck drivers;

Wholesale Trade (up five points), suggesting an improved outlook for commerce and trade going into the peak summer season; and

Management of Companies and Enterprises (up one point), which has shown the strongest overall rate of growth among industries over the last three months.

Online Demand for Military Related Workers Rebounds, Reflecting Stepped-up Defense, Security and Aerospace Hiring
Online recruitment activity for military related occupations rose sharply last month, rebounding from a two-month period of flatness and suggesting stepped-up hiring efforts in the defense, security and aerospace industries. The significant 11-point increase in June may also point to a new recruitment drive within the Armed Forces as the war in Iraq entered its 39th month. Other occupational categories that saw particularly strong growth in online demand last month include:

Community and Social Services (up eight points), which surpassed personal care and service as the fastest growing occupational category over the last 12 months;

Management, and Business and Financial Operations, which both rose seven points, reflecting higher demand for senior managers and finance/accounting staff;

Computer and Mathematical (IT), which rose six points and extended a six-month upward growth trend amid growing demand for IT professionals across a range of industry sectors; and

Sales and Related (up five points), which saw strong hiring activity in the retail/wholesale trade sector as well as on the corporate sales and business development side.

Online Recruitment in Pacific Region Rebounds Sharply in June; West North Central also Rises

Online recruitment activity increased in all nine U.S. Census Bureau regions for the first time since March, suggesting broad growth across the country. The Pacific region jumped 12 points, registering the sharpest month-to-month rate of growth and snapping a two-month downward trend. The West North Central region rose six points, extending a six-month upward growth trend driven by heightened online recruitment activity in Minnesota. Overall, 43 U.S. states, along with the District of Columbia, showed greater online demand for employees in June, with Alaska, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana and Minnesota among those registering the sharpest gains.

To obtain a full copy of the Monster Employment Index report for June 2006, including all charts and tables, please visit www.monsterworldwide.com/Press_Room/MEI.html. Data for the month of July 2006 will be released on August 3, 2006.