Monster Employment Index Up Big Over 2011

The monthly Monster Employment Index for the U.S. grew by 6 percent year-over-year in August, with the agricultural, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector leading the charge in job growth running neck-and-neck with transportation and warehousing. Retail trade also made headway in August while growth in public administration and educational services declined 16 percent and 3 percent, respectively. Nearly all of the 20 industries tracked by the Index showed positive annual growth.

Finishing on top of sector rankings were agriculture, forestry, fishery, and hunting, and transportation and warehousing, both up 13 percent over-the-year. Also up in August were the administrative support and retail trade sectors, each climbing 10 percent. The biggest declines occurred in public administration (down 16 percent) and educational services (down 3 percent).

Top growth occupations over-the-year include legal (25 percent), building, grounds cleaning, and maintenance (21 percent), architecture and engineering (15 percent), healthcare practitioners and technical (14 percent), and business and financial operations (14 percent). Occupations reporting the lowest growth for the period include protective service (1 percent), personal care and services (0 percent), education, training, and library (-1 percent), military specific (-2 percent), and production (-2 percent).

Geographically, all major metro markets saw positive annual growth with Houston, Texas (up 15 percent) and Orlando, Florida, Chicago, Illinois and Indianapolis, Indiana (all up 14 percent) topping out the rankings. The lowest growth metro markets included San Francisco, California (6 percent), Minneapolis, Minnesota and Cleveland, Ohio (both 5 percent), and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Seattle, Washington (both at 4 percent).