Online job demand rises in Sept: Monster

Recruitment activities in India witnessed a significant uptrend in September driven by growth in major sectors such as IT, retail, healthcare and engineering, according to a survey.

The Monster.com's employment index, a monthly gauge of the country's online job demand, rose by 6 points (3.12 per cent) to 132 in September, from 126 points in August.

On year-on-year basis, the index level has risen by 9 per cent from 121 points recorded in September 2011, jobs portal Monster.com said.

"The recent developments in the Monster Employment Index India reflect a relatively encouraging trend driven by growth in major sectors  like IT, retail, healthcare, engineering and construction," Monster.com (India, Middle-East, Southeast Asia) managing director Sanjay Modi said.

A sectoral analysis showed that even amid tough economic conditions, hiring continued in areas including IT, ITeS, engineering, financial services, automobile, telecom healthcare, travel and media.

The survey cautioned however that employers are adopting a cautious path while making new recruitments. "Growth rate continues to remain in the single-digits indicating a continued cautious sentiment," Modi said.

The employment index is an indicator of monthly online demand for jobs. It is based on a real-time review of employer job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of online career outlets, including Monster India.

In September, online job availability improved in as much as 26 of the index's 27 industry sectors. It declined in the oil and gas category.

The month saw an increase in demand for technically qualified professionals in software, hardware, customer service, engineering, finance, business development, HR, healthcare, logistics, hospitality, legal and arts/creative field.

Of the 13 cities under review, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Kochi, Baroda, Coimbatore saw an improvement in online demand for jobs. In Bengaluru and Jaipur, the demand remained unchanged while it decreased in the rest.