Online job demand dips

Online advertised vacancies declined by 101,800 to 3.363 million in September, according to The Conference Board Help-Wanted OnLine Data Series.

The online series measures the number of new, first-time online jobs and jobs reposted from the previous month on more than 1,200 major Internet job boards and smaller job boards that serve niche markets and smaller geographic areas.

September losses offset the August gains ( up 169,000), leaving labor demand up by 67,000 during the past two months. Since the low point in April 2009, online labor demand is up by 201,000, showing a “modest upward trend” following a five-month period of steep losses.

"While the trend has been modestly upward and averaged 40,000 per month over the last five months, the labor market continues to have a hard time gaining momentum," Gad Levanon, senior economist at The Conference Board, said in a statement. "With a growing consensus of a weak recovery, businesses seem to be slow to boost advertising for vacant or new positions."

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
• In the South, September online advertised vacancies fell by 45,400 following a 60,800 August gain. Texas dropped by 18,700 in September, partially offsetting the state’s gain of 21,900 in August. Florida, which in August had risen 15,700 to 181,400, declined by 9,400. The only large Southern state with an increase in job demand in September is Georgia, up 3,300. Among the less populous states in the South, West Virginia decreased by 7,900, Louisiana decreased by 1,200, Alabama decreased by 1,100, and Arkansas and Oklahoma decreased modestly (500 and 400 respectively). Kentucky increased very modestly (100) in September.

• The Supply/Demand rate for the U.S. in August (the latest month for which job numbers are available) was at 4.31, down slightly from 4.39 in July and indicating that there are now about 4.3 unemployed workers for every online advertised vacancy.

• Advertised vacancies in Healthcare professions continue to increase. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical occupations, the largest category in terms of volume, rose 28,000 in September to 605,900.

• In August, the last month for which unemployment data are available, for every unemployed person looking for work in a practitioner or technical occupation, there were 2.9 advertised vacancies and the average wage in these occupations is $32.64/hour. In healthcare support occupations, where the average wage is $12.66, there were more than two unemployed for every advertised vacancy.

• Advertised vacancies in Management occupations had trended upward since May, but in September dropped 12,900 to 414,800. In August there were almost two unemployed (1.8) for every online advertised vacancy in the management field.

• Among the top 10 occupations in September with online advertised vacancies, Computer and Mathematical Science dropped 4,000 to 402,300; Sales and Related occupations declined 14,300 to 366,400; and Office and Administrative Support decreased by 12,200 to 333,900.