There was a slight fall in UK online recruitment in May, according to the Monster Employment Index.

After a rise in April, May’s Index fell by 2%.  Overall online recruitment remains in the doldrums, with the Index 40% down year-on-year.

Online job opportunities in May dipped most in healthcare (-16%)  and marketing and PR (-13%). 

However, job offerings rose in hospitality (+12%); production and manufacturing (+12%); and management (+6%).

The North of England was the hardest hit region, with the Index declining by 8%.

There were also steep declines in Scotland and the South East, with both regions registering a 5% drop. However, East Anglia saw an increase of 5%.

In addition, the pace of job shedding is to slow during the quarter, according to research from multi-sector recruiter Manpower.

The Employment Outlook Survey found a seasonally adjusted net balance of -6% of firms who plan to cut jobs between July and September.

However, the utilities, community and social sectors plan to hire staff in the next three months and hiring intentions were flat in the agriculture sector.

In the US, Manpower’s data suggested the employment downturn may level off during the third quarter. Jeffrey Joerres, chief executive of Manpower, says: “While the numbers may not be as optimistic as we would like, it is positive to see no further deterioration.”