College Seniors Start the School Year Prepared to Begin a Long Job Search, According to MonsterTRAK Poll

Polls Show Converging Paths in a Tight Job Market, as 93 Percent of Recent College Grads Say They Are Still Looking for a Job

Education, Administrative and Support Services, and Non-Profit Among Most Abundant Job Categories for Entry-Level Jobs

MAYNARD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 22, 2003-- As the new school year begins, over one million seniors enter their final year of college facing an unemployment rate hovering at its highest levels in nearly a decade. According to recent polls by MonsterTRAK, a leading career resource for college students and alumni, and a product of Monster(R), the leading global online careers site and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST), the road ahead will be challenging for entry-level job seekers poised to enter an already tight job market.

According to the MonsterTRAK polls, 44 percent of current college seniors plan to immediately begin their job search, and 81 percent plan to start before they graduate. However, the daunting task of finding a job after graduation for the Class of 2004 is compounded by the fact that a vast majority of the Class of 2003 - 93 percent of poll respondents - are still struggling to find that coveted first job out of college.

The Monster Meter asked MonsterTRAK users:

2003 Graduates

"If you're a recent 2003 college graduate, are you still looking for a job?"(a)

  • 93% (1,436 votes) said: "Yes."
  • 7% (103 votes) said: "No."

2004 Graduates

"How far in advance of graduation do you plan to start your job search?"(b)

  • 44% (627 votes) said: "8+ months - I need to begin as soon as school starts."
  • 19% (278 votes) said: "4-7 months - It can wait until second semester."
  • 19% (277 votes) said: "0 months - I can't think about it until after graduation."
  • 18% (254 votes) said: "1-3 months - It's my top priority after Spring Break."

"Although the job market is still tight for many entry-level job seekers, there are many great opportunities for recent and upcoming college graduates. Among MonsterTRAK job postings, the Accounting and Finance, Business and Management, and Advertising/Marketing/PR categories are currently hot sectors for entry-level opportunities across the nation, as they have shown strong growth from 2002 to 2003," said Michelle Forker, senior vice president, MonsterTRAK. "In the months ahead, it is important for college students to begin their job searching as early as possible by investigating all resources available to them: including networking with friends and family; seeking internships and informational interviews; visiting their college career center; as well as writing a professional resume and honing their interviewing skills."

Current Top Job Categories on MonsterTRAK:

1. Education

2. Administrative and Support Services

3. Non-Profit, Social, and Community

4. Accounting and Finance

5. Sales

According to the Spring 2003 Student Monitor(R) Lifestyle & Media study(c), 45 percent of students with a resume posted online have posted their resume on Monster/MonsterTRAK, more than double its nearest competitor. Student Monitor's Spring 2003 Lifestyle & Media Study also revealed that Monster/MonsterTRAK remains the number one most visited career website for students, as 20 percent of college students visited Monster/MonsterTRAK since the start of the Spring 2003 semester. Since its inception in 1988, more than 500,000 employers have utilized MonsterTRAK to post full-time, part-time and internship opportunities. MonsterTRAK partners with over 1,500 college and university career centers, MBA programs, alumni associations and student groups to provide more entry-level jobs than any other career management entry - on or offline.

(a) The results of the this MonsterTRAK poll are based on votes cast by MonsterTRAK users from August 18th to August 25th, 2003 on the homepage of MonsterTRAK (http://www.monstertrak.com/).

(b)The results of the this MonsterTRAK poll are based on votes cast by MonsterTRAK users from August 25th to September 8th, 2003 on the homepage of MonsterTRAK (http://www.monstertrak.com/).

(c)The Spring 2003 STUDENT MONITOR(R) Lifestyle & Media study findings were based on the results of one-on-one intercept interviews among 1,200 four year fulltime undergraduate students enrolled in 100 nationally representative four-year colleges nationally between March 10th and March 23rd, 2003. Additional information is available at www.studentmonitor.com.

Only one vote per user is counted toward the final tabulation. The content of the MonsterTRAK site is targeted specifically to college students and is a password-protected site. Users may review the results of past polls by visiting http://content.monstertrak.monster.com/polls. These polls are not scientific and reflect the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate.

About Monster

Monster, headquartered in Maynard, Mass., is the leading global careers website, recording over 49.1 million visits during the month of August 2003, according to independent research conducted by I/PRO. Monster connects the most progressive companies with the most qualified career-minded individuals, offering innovative technology and superior services that give them more control over the recruiting process. The Monster global network consists of local content and language sites in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Scotland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Luxembourg, India, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, and Finland. Monster is the official online career management services sponsor of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team. More information about Monster is available at www.monster.com or by calling 1-800-MONSTER.

About Monster Worldwide

Founded in 1967, Monster Worldwide, Inc. is the parent company of Monster(R), the leading global online careers property. The company also owns TMP Worldwide, the world's largest Yellow Pages and Recruitment Advertising agency network and provider of direct marketing services. Headquartered in New York with approximately 4,500 employees in 19 countries, Monster Worldwide's clients include more than 90 of the FORTUNE 100 and more than 490 of the FORTUNE 500 companies. Monster Worldwide (NASDAQ: MNST - News) is a member of the S&P 500 Index. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at www.monsterworldwide.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 the company's strategic direction, prospects and future results. Certain factors, including factors outside of our 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 we operate, risks associated with acquisitions, competition, seasonality and the other risks discussed in our Form 10-K and our other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which discussions are incorporated in this release by reference.

CONTACT: Monster
Kevin Mullins, 978-461-8751
kevin.mullins@monster.com
or
Weber Shandwick Worldwide
Jackie Pigliucci, 617-520-7066
jpigliucci@webershandwick.com

SOURCE: Monster