Online recruitment activity in the UK increased slightly in May, according to the latest figures from the Monster Employment Index.
The index increased by two points last month to a score of 181, following two months of decline. However, annual growth is at its lowest level in more than a year.
Online hiring in the healthcare and social work sector saw the highest demand, rising to 28 points on the index and recovering from a significant drop in April. By contrast, the banking finance and insurance industry fell by 23 points, following three consecutive months of steady growth.
Hugo Sellert, head of economic research at Monster Worldwide, said: “With the UK economy expanding at its slowest pace in three years in the first quarter of 2008, it is not surprising that employers are cautious about adding staff right now.
“Still, the index remains significantly higher than last year, suggesting that more companies choose to advertise their vacancies online.”
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The Monster Employment Index UK is a monthly analysis of millions of online job opportunities taken from a large selection of corporate career sites and job boards across the UK.
For more employment statistics and indicators, see our Yardstick Indicators.
