After a disappointing two quarters, online labor demand finally increases.
Online labor is on a slow road to the up and up. According to the recent release The Conference Board Help Wanted Online ® (HWOL) Data Series, online advertised vacancies rose 52,900 in June – a modest improvement from the disappointing labor demand in the first half of the year. Despite the bright months of January and April, the first two quarters of 2013 have been characterized by declines or moderate gains, thus stalling the strong upward trend that had continued since 2009.
Despite relatively strong construction and maintenance and repair trades, many of the online demand for higher-wage professional and modest-wage occupations have been weak. This June, however, online labor demand has increased in 33 of the 50 states, and over 60 percent are above last June’s levels. However, these gains, according to HWOL, are still not enough to end the rough first six months of 2013.
State Changes
• Midwest: This June saw the largest increase in online labor demand (up to 25,100)
• Northeast: Increased 24,800 with New York reaching its highest level (7,100) since 2005
• South: Experienced 11,400 gains in June, with the majority of this increase in Florida
• West: Online labor demands rose 1,200 despite California’s losing 2,400 in the month of June
Metro Area Changes
• Since the recession in 2009, a number of large metro areas have posted gains of over 100 percent in labor demand
• This June, 19 of the 20 largest MSAs (with the exception of San Jose) saw increases on the number of advertised vacancies
• Last month, 45 of the 52 metropolitan areas for which data are available have also seen significant increases
Occupational Changes
• Sales and related occupations: rose by 23,300 and saw the largest increase in labor demand
• Office and administrative occupations: gained 18,500 in June alone
• Food preparation and serving related occupations: labor demand rose 10,700
• Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations: fell 25,900
• Computer and mathematical science related occupations: dropped 5,900
