NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2006--Monster Worldwide, Inc.
(NASDAQ: MNST)
-- Drop in Online Recruitment Activity Very Similar to Index
Readings in December of 2004 and 2003
-- Fewer Online Opportunities for Workers in Business,
Construction, and Manufacturing Likely Due to End-of-year
Seasonality
-- Index Shows Higher Online Demand for Workers in Transportation
and Accommodation Industry, As Winter Travel and Tourism
Season Begins
December 2005 Index Highlights:
-- Index falls four points to 145, as a majority of occupations,
regions and states register declines in online job demand
-- Business occupations show seasonal decline, reflecting
slowdown in recruitment for white-collar positions
-- Index shows fewer online opportunities in construction
occupations as winter weather inhibits building in many areas
of the country
-- Strong online job availability measured in the transportation
and accommodation industries, likely due to growing strength
in the U.S. hotel industry and anticipation of the winter
travel and tourism season
-- Online recruitment activity in Louisiana continues three-month
growth trend as post-hurricane recovery efforts in Gulf Coast
area continue
The Monster Employment Index declined in December, as a majority
of occupations, states and all U.S. Census Bureau regions registered
lower levels of online job availability during the month. The Index
fell four points, from 149 in November to 145 in December, ending a
four-month growth trend, but remaining 32 points higher than its
year-ago level of 113. As in the declines measured in 2003 and 2004,
December's drop in online recruitment activity is likely due to
seasonality, as many employers have already filled holiday-related
temporary positions and are awaiting the finalization of budgets for
2006. The Index's overall results for the past 13 months are as
follows:
Dec. Nov. Oct. Sept. Aug. Jul. Jun. May Apr. Mar. Feb. Jan. Dec.
05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 04
----------------------------------------------------------------------
145 149 143 140 142 134 136 134 131 130 122 120 113
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Monster Employment Index has shown strong, steady, upward
growth throughout most of 2005, with a noteworthy growth trend over
the past four months, ending in an expected seasonal dip in December.
The past month's decline indicates the slowdown in online hiring
registered in December of 2003 and 2004, as employers typically wrap
up their seasonal hiring activity and await approval on 2006 budgets,"
said Steve Pogorzelski, Group President, International at Monster
Worldwide. "Despite this anticipated seasonal slowdown, almost all
industries, occupations, regions and states show much higher levels of
online job availability than a year ago, demonstrating solid growth
over the course of 2005. This certainly bodes well for job seekers as
we enter 2006."
Accommodation and Transportation Industries Show Higher Online
Demand for Workers, as Winter Travel and Tourism Season Approaches
Online recruitment activity in the accommodation and food services
industry, as well as the transportation and warehousing sector, rose
sharply in December, reflecting growing strength in the U.S. hotel
industry and higher demand for workers to support winter travel and
tourism business. Overall, online job demand for workers rose in just
eight of 20 industries during December, with strong growth measured in
the following:
-- Educational services, which saw a surge in demand during
December driven by hiring demand from colleges and
universities for the upcoming spring semester; and
-- Retail trade, which edged up during the month, continuing a
four-month growth trend and suggesting that the U.S. retail
industry is looking to build upon the upward momentum of
recent sales results.
In contrast, online demand for workers in the manufacturing
industry saw a noticeable decline during December, indicating a still
cautious outlook among employers regarding long-term growth. This is
likely due in part to strong growth in labor-replacing technology and
the negative spillover effects from the waning domestic automobile
industry.
Online Demand for Workers in Construction Occupations Shows a
Seasonal Dip in December
Online job demand for business-related occupations declined in
December, reflecting a seasonal easing back in demand for white-collar
workers, as budgetary constraints likely resulted in a slower pace of
worker recruitment. Occupations showing fewer online opportunities
last month include management, legal, business and financial, and
office and administrative. Online demand for construction workers also
fell in December, ending a six-month growth trend, as winter
conditions hindered building, construction and development activity in
many parts of the country. The slower pace of growth in this category
over the past two months is consistent with other recent economic
indicators suggesting a possible cooling off in the U.S. housing
sector.
Overall online demand for workers declined in 20 of 23
occupational categories in December, indicating a seasonal slowdown in
online job availability across a wide spectrum of positions. The only
two occupations that registered increases in online job availability
during the month include:
-- Healthcare support, which continued a three-month growth trend
as nurses, medical technicians, pharmacists and home care
specialists remained in high demand; and
-- Personal care and service, which demonstrated a second month
of strong growth after dipping in October.
All Nine U.S. Regions Register Declines in December, with the West
South Central Region Showing the Smallest Dip, Likely Buoyed by Gulf
Coast Reconstruction Efforts
Online job demand for workers declined in all nine U.S. Census
Bureau regions in December. The West South Central region registered
the smallest dip as Louisiana continued to grapple with hiring needs
for demolition, cleanup and repair work in the New Orleans area.
Forty-four U.S. states registered declines of varying degrees during
December, with Hawaii, Idaho, North and South Dakota among those
seeing the sharpest drops. Alaska, Louisiana, Arizona and Washington
saw the strongest gains.
To obtain a full copy of the Monster Employment Index report for
December 2005, including all charts and tables, please visit
http://www.monsterworldwide.com/Press_Room/MEI.html. Data for the
month of January 2006 will be released on February 2, 2006.
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.
(NASDAQ: MNST), the parent company of the leading global online
careers and recruitment resource, Monster(R). Based on a real-time
review of millions of employer job opportunities culled from more than
1,500 Web sites, including a variety of corporate career sites, job
boards and 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 on
a monthly basis by ARC Research, a Cranford, New Jersey-based provider
of innovative click and brick market research solutions. The audit
validates the accuracy of the online job recruitment activity measured
within a margin of error of +/- 1.05%. Data for the month of January
2006 will be released on February 2, 2006.
About Monster Worldwide
Founded in 1967, Monster Worldwide, Inc. is the parent company of
Monster(R), the leading global online careers and recruitment
resource. The company also owns TMP Worldwide, one of the world's
largest Recruitment Advertising agency networks. Headquartered in New
York with approximately 4,800 employees in 26 countries, Monster
Worldwide (NASDAQ: MNST) is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the
NASDAQ-100 Index. More information about Monster Worldwide is
available at www.monsterworldwide.com.
About Monster
Monster(R) is the leading global online careers and recruitment
resource. A division of Monster Worldwide, Monster was founded in 1994
and is headquartered in Maynard, Massachusetts, USA. Monster has 26
local language and content sites in 24 countries worldwide. Monster is
known for connecting quality job seekers at all levels with leading
employers across all industries and offers employers innovative
technology and superior services that give them more control over the
recruiting process. More information is available at www.monster.com
or by calling 1-800-MONSTER. To learn more about Monster's
industry-leading employer products and services, please visit
http://recruiter.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.
CONTACT: General Information:
Monster Worldwide, Inc.
David Rosa, 212-351-7067
david.rosa@monsterworldwide.com
or
Media:
Weber Shandwick
Christian Harper, 212-445-8135
charper@webershandwick.com
Lauren McDonald, 617-520-7116
lmcdonald@webershandwick.com
SOURCE: Monster Worldwide, Inc.
