HR Jobs Opportunities Increase

Unemployed workers or recent college graduates looking for HR jobs may now have a fighting chance.

The October Monster Employment Index found that HR job opportunities increased by 7 percent to 63 points. While that number is a big improvement from September, when job opportunities decreased by 8 percent, it is still well below the rating of 127 points measured during October 2008.

Unfortunately, experts say the recent increase in job opportunities merely offsets the September decline, making for a relatively flat overall employment picture in the HR industry.

"We haven't really seen the start of the upturn in the HR sector yet," Hugo Sellert, head of economic research at Monster Worldwide, told Personnel Today. "There's not much happening in the HR sector, employers are still cautious about adding HR staff as they are not convinced that they will resume mass hiring yet as the economy is not good enough."

At the same time, it is expected that college graduates will still face tough competition when searching for an HR job.

"(New) graduates in HR might find it difficult to get in to the profession, especially when vacancy levels haven't started rising yet," Sellert said. "It will be tough but it will turn; this sector can turn very quickly.

"I think we are at such a low point in the business cycle that when the recovery comes there's going to be a lot of opportunities, as right now HR departments are really trimmed and slimmed down," he added. "A little bit of patience should be sufficient."

Overall, the Monster Employment Index saw a 7 percent increase across all industries to 114 points, which is the highest level the index has reached since February, but still a 29 percent decrease from last year. The education and training and hospitality and tourism sectors saw the biggest increases during October, edging up 22 percent to 281 points and 14 percent to 141 points, respectively.