February marked a month of widespread increase for the Index, a seasonal trend that is typical during this month, following the record declines that kicked off the New Year. Online opportunities rose 9 points in February as online recruiting activity rallied in most key markets except the Netherlands.

Despite the uptick, the Index remained down year-on-year for the fourth straight month, in a sign that employer recruitment activity remains muted compared to year-ago levels. The Monster Employment Index Europe is a monthly analysis of millions of online job opportunities culled from a large, representative selection of corporate career sites and job boards across Europe, including Monster.

The Monster Employment Index Europe rose by nine points or eight percent in February, as online recruitment activity edged up for the first time since July, reflecting a typical seasonal pattern seen during February

- The Index reported a negative annual growth rate for the fourth consecutive month, falling short of year-ago levels by 50 points, or 30 percent

- Most key European markets - including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK - saw more online recruitment activity; the Netherlands saw a slight decline

- Industry sectors reporting strong upswings in online recruitment activity included marketing, PR and media; healthcare and social work; hospitality and tourism; and environment, architecture and urbanism

- All occupational groups saw increased online recruitment activity throughout February, with skilled agricultural and fishery workers; and service and sales workers registering the steepest rises