Online recruitment slowed dramatically at the end of 2008, with only the education and skilled agriculture sectors showing positive growth in
December.

The Monster Employment Index, which tracks online advertising, found the number of jobs advertised in December fell 19%, almost doubling November’s 10% decline.

However, year-on-year recruitment trends show positive increases in a number of industries. The highest performers were the healthcare and social work sector, which grew by 49 index points, and the education training and library sector, which grew by 33 index points.

Growth in the healthcare sector hit a blip in December, after November’s year-long peak of 314 index points. Suzanne Kelly, healthcare senior consultant at VMA Group, told Recruiter December’s decrease in advertised positions was caused by the “Christmas effect” and
pharmaceutical companies, which normally plan yearly recruitment spend when projects are announced in January.

Recruiters in the education and training sector experienced a recruitment boon from personnel demand caused by unemployed workers seeking training, according to Monster Worldwide’s analysis. The number of advertised positions in the sector grew by 32 index points in
December and increased by 33.3% year-on-year.

John Dunn, director of Select Education (part of the Verb Group), told Recruiter the company had increased the share of its advertising online, possible skewing the figures, as it became a more effective medium. Dunn added the sector remained resilient, with high turnover
boosting recruiters.

Online hiring of marketing, PR and media workers dropped sharply in December, from 196 index points to 163. December’s results cemented a 25% year-onyear drop.

Paul Farrer, chairman of media recruiter PFJ, told Recruiter the year-on-year results mirrored the company’s fall in placement numbers, which he estimated to be between 15 and 20%. He said the situation had been compounded by marketing revenues dropping in areas which traditionally remained resilient during downturns, such as television and regional news outlets.

“The frustration of a year ago was that we did not have enough candidates to positions, we were waiting for the seesaw to level, but now it is like an elephant sat on the other end,” he said.

Demand for HR-related positions slumped to its lowest levels since January 2007, at 74 index points in December, after starting the year at 201. Monster’s analysis indicated the general glut in hiring had caused the dip, as companies reduce their HR function.

Bill Thomas, managing director of HR Practice Europe & Asia at EquaTerra, told Recruiter: “All companies are talking cost and cash requirements associated with all operations and HR is by no means immune. Reduction in demand for new hires reflects that.”

The highest drop in demand in terms of occupational group was in plant and machine operators and assemblers, as the manufacturing sector is battered by falling consumer demand.

A recent study by the British Chambers of Commerce found the manufacturing sector was at its worst position since the study began in 1989 in terms of sales orders, sales expectations and investment, in a situation it described as “frightening”.

The number of job placements advertised fell significantly in the Midlands, led by reduced demand for telecoms, construction and extraction, and HR personnel. In December the region dropped 24 index points and the number of jobs advertised online dropped by 27% year-on-year.

Every region monitored by the index faced a decline in December. The smallest contraction, in terms of advertised positions, was in the
South-East, which dropped four index points and Scotland, which dropped six.

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