The Monster Employment Index (MEI) — a monthly review of millions of job opportunities posted on online job boards and corporate career sites in the United States — showed strong hiring in November: The year-over-year growth trend from November 2010 was measured at 10 percent, with all metro markets tracked by the MEI showing positive annual growth. This is despite the slight decrease in activity measured monthly (a 2 percent decline from October), which is typical of seasonal patterns. Transportation and warehousing continued to be a top growth market, while retail slowed significantly afterits notable increase in October.
“The (MEI) continues to remain positive and in-line with typical mid-autumn recruitment trends recorded in recent years,” says Jesse Harriott, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at Monster Worldwide. “While recruitment activity continues across a broad range of sectors, the current outlook on hiring as we approach 2012 remains cautious with continued business and economic uncertainty.”
(For tips on continuing your job search’s momentum, read “Keep Your Job Search Going Through the Holidays.”)
This positive report came on the same day that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a significant drop in the national unemployment rate: to 8.6 percent in November (with many analysts calling this a positive sign for continued growth — ompared with a year ago, 1.878 million more people had payroll jobs in November — while acknowledging that the labor market had shrunk in November).
Fifteen of the 20 industries monitored by the MEI showed positive annual growth trends:
• Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (up 39 percent) replaced Mining, Quarrying, Oil and Gas Extraction (up 35 percent) as the top growth sector in November.
• Transportation and Warehousing (up 31 percent) exhibited notable expansion in online recruitment, indicating an increase in commerce activity.
• Retail Trade (up 13 percent) and Manufacturing (up 16 percent) continued to register positive annual growth, albeit at an eased pace from the seasonal expansion recorded in October.
• Educational Services (down 9 percent) fell into negative growth with reduced opportunities across all levels, from elementary to university.
• Public Administration (down 21 percent) continued to record the steepest decline in November.
Annual online demand for workers rose in 20 of 23 occupational categories in November.
• Personal Care and Service (up 65 percent) recorded the highest growth in November.
• Computer and Mathematical (up 19 percent) saw continued demand for software engineers and network technicians.
• Protective Service (down 29 percent) continued to record the weakest long-term trend among occupations
