Online Labor Demand Down 99,700 in June

June 30, 2011 – Online advertised vacancies were down 99,700 in June to 4,371,500 according to according to The Conference Board’s Help Wanted OnLine Data Series (HWOL). The June drop partially offsets the rise of 148,800 in May. The supply/demand rate stands at 3.11, indicating there were just over 3 unemployed for every online advertised vacancy in May, the latest monthly data available for unemployment. “The national trend in labor demand, while still positive, has definitely slowed in the last few months as gains in one month are partially offset by a pullback in advertised vacancies in the next,” said June Shelp, vice president at The Conference Board. “The pattern over the last few months is beginning to look like the very slow growth in labor demand in 2010. After the large increase of 526,000 in January, average monthly job growth over the next five months has been choppy and has averaged about 33,000/month.” In June, dips in labor demand in 14 of the 22 broad occupational groups more than offset increases in the remaining eight categories. Dips occurred in labor demand in the top five occupation groups averaging more than 450,000 monthly ads. Occupational groups with June increases included construction, personal care & service, and education, training, and library.