Though off from year-ago totals, online recruiting remains quite strong
John Clinkard
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Seed Newsvine |
Employment fell in Canada by 5,000 jobs in June 2008, the first time it has done so since December of 2007. However, a number of recent hiring surveys suggest that Canadian hiring plans, while down from a year ago, are still reasonably strong. According to Monster Canada’s just-released Employment Index, hiring plans strengthened slightly in the second quarter (+2.6%), following a 3.3% increase in the first quarter.
However, the fact that the index is still 4% below year-ago levels suggests that recent financial market volatility and weak growth have rendered U.S.-owned firms more cautious about adding staff.
This view is reinforced by the most recent Manpower Employment Outlook Survey and by the Bank of Canada’s latest (June) Business Outlook Survey.
In the second quarter, hiring plans strengthened in six of the 10 major occupational categories tracked by the Monster Index. Leading the list was the “construction trades, transport and equipment operators” category, which saw online job availability rise by +8.3% quarter over quarter.
In manufacturing and processing, online hiring plans increased by +8.2% quarter over quarter. In management occupations, they were up by +4.0%.
Sectors that saw lower online recruitment in the second quarter included health services (-12.8%) and natural and applied sciences (-3%).
Across the country, online recruitment was up sharply quarter over quarter in three of the four Atlantic provinces: Prince Edward Island (+40%), Nova Scotia (+28%) and Newfoundland (+8.6%).
In Western Canada, online recruitment was stronger in Saskatchewan (+4.7%), little changed in Alberta and Manitoba and down slightly in British Columbia.
In Central Canada, online job availability jumped sharply in Québec, due to increased demand for construction trades and transportation services staff. In Ontario, online hiring retreated slightly due to weakness in business, finance and administration, health services and sales and services.
Given the chill that has descended on the U.S. economy, it is not surprising that firms in Canada are cautious about adding staff. However, given evidence of continuing labour shortages in several parts of the country and a recent modest increase in online recruitment, employment should gain strength by the end of the year.
