July Monster Employment Index Grows 21% Year-Over-Year, Sixth Consecutive Month of Positive Annual Growth

NEW YORK, Aug 05, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The U.S. Monster Employment Index annual growth rate remained at 21 percent (24-point increase) with the degree of July's seasonal slowdown matching the historical July average seen in the Index, suggesting some stability in underlying job market drivers. The Index declined by three points (two percent) on a monthly basis reflecting a seasonal easing in online recruitment activity seen at this stage of the year as companies reduce hiring activity after meeting their summer requirements.

The Monster Employment Index is a monthly gauge of U.S. online job demand based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large representative selection of corporate career Web sites and job boards, including Monster.com(R).

During July, online job availability rose in 8 of the Index's 20 industry sectors and in 8 of the 23 occupational categories monitored. Index results for the past 13 months are as follows:

"The Monster Employment Index monthly contraction in July was in line with seasonal expectations considering the summer months tend to be a slower period for recruitment activity," said Jesse Harriott, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at Monster Worldwide. "Year-over-year growth remained unchanged between June and July. The fact that hiring is more robust than a year ago points to a general improvement in the nation's hiring conditions as the economy continues its slow but steady recovery."

Online Demand for the Education Services Industry Registers Largest Increase in July; Retail Trade and Finance Edge Down; Mining and Transportation/ Warehousing See Strongest Year-over-Year Growth

Online recruitment activity rose in eight of the 20 industries monitored by the Index between June and July, while 18 are showing positive growth trends on an annual basis.

Among the industries, education and public administration registered large monthly increases in online job availability in July. Both sectors, however, exhibited notably restrained hiring activity during the traditionally stronger springtime recruitment period. Moreover, July's increase in demand was mainly for part-time and contract jobs, possibly providing sector employers more flexibility amid the challenging budgetary climate. Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction also rose in July, extending its growth trend since January, and annual growth for this category was at a robust 53 percent in July, leading all sectors. Manufacturing; and transportation and warehousing each gained 2 percent with both sectors recording fairly robust growth trends since January, coinciding with a consistent rise in manufacturing sector payrolls over the latest 6-month period.

In contrast, real estate remained the weakest trending sector in the Index, reflecting the challenging housing market conditions - with online demand falling 5 percent in July, and remaining flat year-over-year.

On an annual basis, mining; and transportation and warehousing led all industries followed by utilities and professional, scientific, and technical services.

Production and Transportation/ Material Moving Occupations Register Largest Gains in July; Protective Service Declines; Legal Registers Largest Annual Growth Rate

Overall online demand for workers rose in eight and remained flat in 3 of the 23 occupational categories in July.

Among occupations, production; and transportation and material moving registered the strongest monthly increases in online job availability in July. Online demand for healthcare support occupations also continued to edge higher, suggesting that employers may have initiated an early start to their recruiting season, which typically gets underway later in the summer.

Meanwhile, the protective service category registered the steepest decline in online recruitment activity among occupations in July. Business and financial operations; and military- specific also showed substantially fewer online opportunities.

Legal led all occupational categories in terms of year-over-year growth with a 29 percent annual rise in opportunities; this was closely followed by business and financial operations. The annual growth rates for computer and mathematical; architecture and engineering; and life, physical, and social science all accelerated in July, mirroring the trend seen in the general professional, scientific, and technical services industry sector. Meanwhile, transportation and material moving also continued its upward trend in annual growth rate.

Online Job Availability Declines in All U.S. Census Bureau Regions in July; New York Records Highest Annual Growth amongst States

During July, demand contracted in all U.S. Census Bureau regions with Middle Atlantic registering the most moderate reduction in demand. However this region continues to lead all regions from an annual growth perspective. South Atlantic was the only region to record a slowdown in annual growth rate from 17 percent to 15 percent in July.

Among the 50 states and the District, only 2 registered increased online job opportunities in July, while 6 remained flat. New York was the top state by measure of annual growth in the Index. With the exception of Alaska, annual growth was positive for every state in the Index.

All 28 Major U.S. Metro Markets Monitored By The Index Register Positive Annual Growth

During July, online recruitment activity fell in 26 of the 28 major metropolitan markets, monitored by the Index. Philadelphia was the only market to exhibit growth in online job demand with a majority of the occupational categories registering expanded opportunities. Over the year, demand trends have developed notably for production, transportation, management, and office and administrative support; however, a majority of the occupational groups continue to remain below baseline levels in the Index.

In contrast, Washington, DC registered its steepest monthly fall in the Index with online recruitment levels contracting more notably than recorded typically for this time of year, especially for technical occupations like IT, architecture and engineering, and the sciences. Nonetheless, the demand for workers appears stronger than it was a year ago for the market as a whole. The major metropolitan markets of Florida also showed an unseasonal moderation in online recruitment activity. Occupationally, recruitment trends were generally similar across Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, with largest monthly declines centered around business and financial operations, the healthcare occupations, and construction.

To obtain a full copy of the Monster Employment Index report for July 2010, and to access current individual data charts for each of the 28 metro markets tracked, please visit http://about-monster.com/employment-index. Data for the month of August 2010 will be released on September 2, 2010.

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. Based on a real-time review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of corporate career sites and job boards, including 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 periodically by Research America, Inc. The audit validates the accuracy of the online job recruitment activity measured within a margin of error of +/- 1.05%.

About Monster Worldwide

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), parent company of Monster(R), the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to bring people together to advance their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers. Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 Index. To learn more about Monster's industry-leading products and services, visit www.monster.com. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at http://about-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.

SOURCE: Monster Worldwide, Inc.

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