Online Job Demand Dips in August

September 2, 2010 – Online advertised vacancies dropped 57,100 in August to 4,236,200, following an increase of 139,200 in July, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine Data Series. The gap between the number of unemployed and advertised vacancies (supply/demand rate) stood at 3.40 unemployed for every advertised vacancy in July (the last available unemployment data) but is down from its peak of 4.73 in October 2009. “Labor demand continues to struggle to post gains month after month,” said June Shelp, VP at The Conference Board. “During the last few months, gains in online job demand one month have been partially offset by dips in the following month. But the good news is that overall job demand is still maintaining a modest upward trend for both the nation and most States.” Among the top 10 occupation groups with the largest numbers of online advertised vacancies, Management occupations posted the largest August increase, up 8,300 to 588,800 and followed a gain of 40,200 in July. The August rise was largely due to increases in demand for financial managers (branch or department), sales managers, marketing managers, postsecondary education administrators, and human resources managers. Labor demand for healthcare practitioners and technical occupations dropped for the second month in a row; demand was down 31,500 in August to 542,500. The drop was largely due to decreases in advertised vacancies for family and general practitioners, physicians and surgeons, general internists, and obstetricians and gynecologists.