Summer slow-down affects online recruiting

But other indicators support an overall calming of Canadian business expansion

July marked the third consecutive month of declining online recruitment in Canada, which may signal an overall slow-down in job creation, according to online recruitment company Monster Canada.

"The sharp decline in online recruitment activity in July, as reflected in the Monster Employment Index Canada findings, can partly be attributed to a seasonal fluctuation, as hiring activity typically slows down during the vacation-heavy summer months," said Gabriel Bouchard, vice-president and general manager of Monster Canada.

"However, the most recent report from Statistics Canada reported no overall job creation during July, and with the annual GDP growth rate slowing, the latest index findings are consistent with other economic indicators suggesting that Canadian Business expansion may be shifting to a more moderate level of growth at the outset of the third quarter."

The index is a monthly analysis of online job demand conducted by Monster Worldwide. In July, the index fell six points to 118.

Online recruitment for seven of 10 job classifications tracked by the index fell in July. The hardest hit were government services, trades, transportation and sales sector jobs. Opportunities for workers in the health-care sector remained steady while demand for workers in primary industry jobs in agriculture, forestry and fishing rose.

Online job demand dropped in eight of 10 provinces, with Saskatchewan posting the biggest drop at eight points, followed by Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island. Online job demand rose the most in Newfoundland and Labrador with seven points, followed by New Brunswick, the Northwest Territories and Yukon.

Saskatoon, with a two-point increase, was the only city of the 13 covered by the index that experienced an increase in online job demand. Halifax experienced the sharpest drop in online recruitment at nine points, followed by Hamilton and Ottawa/Gatineau at eight points.

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