Monster Local Employment Index for October Shows Higher Online Job Demand

Monster Local Employment Index for October Shows Higher Online Job Demand in 24 of Top 28 US Metro Markets; Demand for Sales Positions Surges in 26 of 28 Markets, as Retailers Staff Up for Holiday Shopping Season

- Dallas and Houston Show First Signs of Increased Online Recruitment Activity Since May, as Hurricane-related Reconstruction Efforts Ramp Up

- Minneapolis and Seattle Extend Five-month Upward Growth Trend

- Phoenix Remains Fastest Growing Market in Overall Online Opportunities

Online job recruitment activity and related employment opportunities increased in 24 of the top 28 U.S. metropolitan areas in October, according to the latest findings of the Monster Local Employment Index. The broad rise in online job availability in major metro areas nationwide was largely driven by sharply higher demand for sales and sales-related positions in 26 of 28 markets, suggesting that the nation’s retailers are actively staffing up for the fast-approaching holiday shopping season.

Despite recent hurricanes in the Southeast, higher energy prices and uncertainty regarding U.S. household spending intentions for the upcoming holiday season, the Index’s findings indicate that employer demand for workers in the country’s largest metropolitan areas remains strong. October saw growth in online job availability for a wide range of occupational categories, led by arts, design, entertainment, sports and media; IT positions and production jobs, which all showed solid increases across a majority of the markets tracked by the Index.

Demand for IT professionals rose in 23 local markets, demonstrating continued improvement in the job outlook for workers with technical skills, as the IT sector begins to add workers again, and improved company balance sheets have enabled many to resume investments in new technology and expand their IT support staffs.

Of the 28 markets, Dallas, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento and Tampa registered the sharpest increases in online job demand in October, with each rising three points over the previous month’s level. Minneapolis and Seattle continued to demonstrate robust hiring environments, as both extended a five-month growth trend, while Phoenix continued to show the greatest rate of growth in online job availability among all markets since the inception of the Index.

The broad rise of the Monster Local Employment Index in October extends a largely upward growth trend for a majority of major U.S. cities over the past six months, and suggests a steadily improving business climate nationwide, despite concerns over energy prices, inflation and consumer sentiment, said Steve Pogorzelski, Group President, International at Monster Worldwide. With the Index showing strong employer demand for workers, including a sharply increased number of online opportunities for sales, IT and production workers in 20 or more of the markets we track, the fourth quarter hiring climate is clearly off to a very strong start.

In another encouraging development, Dallas and Houston, which had previously remained unchanged since May, showed their first signs of growth during the past month, likely spurred by the ramping up of hurricane-related reconstruction efforts. Only Cleveland and Orlando showed slight declines in online job demand. Cincinnati and Miami were the only two markets that remained unchanged from September.

All but two markets showed increased online job availability for sales and related occupations in October (Cleveland and Orlando were unchanged), which is likely due in part to seasonal hiring activity as wholesalers and retailers typically expand their sales force (as well as stockroom, shipping, inventory staff) in preparation for the holiday shopping season. Sales and related was the occupational category with the largest volume of job postings for most markets, with Denver registering the sharpest rise (a seven-point surge) among all 28 markets.

Twenty-five of the 28 markets saw a boost in online demand for arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations, led by Cincinnati, Detroit and Houston. This surge in demand is likely due to a number of factors including playhouses, museums and movie theaters adding staff for the busy holiday entertainment season; design and marketing firms staffing up for seasonal advertising campaigns and anticipated new business wins; the return of the NHL to cities across the country; and the start of the NBA basketball season - all of which have contributed to creating greater demand for workers to fill support positions. Online job availability for production workers also increased in 20 markets, with Seattle, Boston and Denver topping the list in terms of growth.