Workers Value Experience over Education, According to New Monster.com U.S. Poll

MAYNARD, Mass., Oct 21, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

With the cost of education increasing each year, many Americansmay beasking themselves if furthering their education is worth the expense. To dig deeper into this topicMonster.com(R), the leading job matching engine and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), recently polled its U.S. visitors to gauge their feelings about whether additional education is necessary to advance in the workplace. The polls' findings show that although most respondents are specifically educated for their job, workers value more experience over additional education in order to advance their career. Monster's September polls posed the following questions, and yielded quite interesting results.

  • Many workersfeel they do not need additional education to advance their careers. According to the poll, "Do you need more education or training to advance your career?," 48 percent said they either already have what they need to meet their career objectives or experience is more valuable than additional training. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents said that additional education was key to meeting their career goals.
  • Most people have trained specifically for their job. Another September poll asked, "Does your education relate directly to your job?" Monster found that 47 percent of respondents trained specifically for their career, while 22 percent of workers said their education has some relevance but is not directly vocational. Only four percent said they went back to school for their current job and 27 percent said their job did not require specific training.

"We've been seeing a trend for awhile now where skilled jobs are on the rise," said Jeffrey Quinn, senior director, Monster Intelligence. "As the economy starts to get back on its feet, we believe that skilled jobs will continue to be in demand and that solid education and training will play a critical role."

The Monster U.S. Polls are an ongoing series of online polls that gauge users' opinions on a variety of topics relating to careers, the economy and the workplace. This poll is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those internet users who have chosen to participate. Polls remain on the web site for one week at a time.

About Monster Worldwide

Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: MWW), parent company of Monster, the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire people to improve 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://www.about-monster.com.

SOURCE: Monster Worldwide, Inc. 

Monster Worldwide, Inc
Matthew Henson, 978-823-2627
Matthew.Henson@monster.com
or
Zora Falkowski, 617-897-8247
Zora.Falkowski@porternovelli.com