NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Monster Employment Index rose eight points in April as a number of industries initiated springtime recruitment efforts. The annual growth rate further accelerated, rising by 11 percent, the highest rate of increase since July 2007.

"While most industries and occupations are showing increased demand for workers, public administration remains muted and below seasonal expectations as several state and local governments continue to face budgetary pressures."

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.

During April, online job availability rose in 17 of the Index's 20 industry sectors and in 21 of the 23 occupational categories monitored. Index results for the past 13 months are as follows:

"The positive momentum in the Index is consistent with other economic indicators suggesting that we may be in the early stages of an economic recovery," said Jesse Harriott, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer at Monster Worldwide. "While most industries and occupations are showing increased demand for workers, public administration remains muted and below seasonal expectations as several state and local governments continue to face budgetary pressures."

Online Demand in Mining; Construction Industry Sectors Register Largest Increases in April; Agriculture; and Information Edge Down

Mining, quarrying, oil and gas registered the largest gain among industries in April, as online demand jumped to its highest level in 18 months. This rise coincides with a rise in commodity prices for energy and raw materials as the economy recovers and demand for these products increases. Construction also rose notably, partly reflecting seasonal trends but also suggesting an improvement in the underlying demand for labor in this industry. Consumer-driven sectors like retail trade; and accommodation and food services continued to report large gains. The magnitude of increased demand for workers at this time of the year suggests that employers anticipate a continued positive trend for consumer spending in the near-term. Management of companies and enterprises; and professional services, two industries with relatively stagnant demand in March, registered month-over-month gains in April.

Meanwhile, public administration registered a marginal rise in April, far short of historical precedent, further emphasizing the budgetary challenges faced by agencies at all levels of government. In contrast, real estate; information; and agriculture edged down in April.

On an annual basis, mining; as well as real estate and rental and leasing led all industries. Construction was also up by 15 percent year-over-year but remains below pre-recessionary levels.

Personal Care; Social Service; and Construction Occupations Register Largest Gains in April

Overall online demand for workers rose in 21 of 23 occupational categories in April, with personal care; social service; and construction occupations registering the largest gains on a month-over-month basis.

The rise in construction and extraction occupations, potentially fueled by increased demand for select blue-collar workers and skilled tradesmen, coincides with the rise in online recruitment efforts for the construction industry as a whole. Management, engineering and legal occupations also registered a notable increase in April, contributing to the rise in the professional services industry.

In contrast, demand fell in the military specific category, offsetting the expansion in hiring activity for public sector-related community and social service; and protective service workers.

Arts and design led all occupational categories in terms of year-over-year growth with a 20 percent annual rise in opportunities closely followed by transportation and warehousing which continued its uptrend. Sales and related; education; and production occupations also reported more online job offerings than a year ago.

Online Job Availability Rises in All U.S. Census Bureau Regions in April

During April, demand rose in all U.S. Census Bureau regions with Mid Atlantic and New England registering the largest gains, both climbing 11 percent month-over-month.

Meanwhile, East South Central registered the slowest expansion in demand among all regions in terms of three-month and annual growth rates, weighed down by muted recruitment in Mississippi. On an annual basis, Middle Atlantic continued to exhibit the most improvement.

Among the 50 states and the District, 46 registered increased online job opportunities in April, with notable gains in Northeast states like Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York. Pennsylvania and New York led all states by measure of year-on-year growth in online job demand, while California's annual growth rate continued to improve in April. In contrast, the Dakotas exhibited the steepest annual declines.

Twenty Seven of The 28 Major U.S. Metro Markets Monitored By The Index Register Increases in April; Orlando Remains Flat

During April, online recruitment activity rose in 27 major metropolitan markets, with Philadelphia registering the largest gain mostly due to expanded demand for white-collar professionals in management, the sciences, and education. Demand for blue-collar workers also improved in Philadelphia, with all occupational groups edging higher in April.

Boston also expanded notably in April and opportunities have now grown by 50 percent, over a three-month period. This rise was largely fueled by expanding for a variety of occupational categories, but most notably for blue-collar and service workers in production; installation, maintenance, and repair; and food preparation and serving.

Year-over-year, all 28 markets reported positive growth. Portland continued to exhibit the most substantial gains in online demand on an annual basis, while Houston exhibited the mildest annual rise.

To obtain a full copy of the Monster Employment Index report for April 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 May 2010 will be released on June 3, 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, 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.

Contacts:
Monster Worldwide
Media Inquiries:
Matthew Henson. 978-823-2627
Matthew.Henson@monster.com
or
General Information:
Deepika Murty, 978-461-8765
Deepika.Murty@monster.com

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