Tight Job Market Clouds Career Confidence for Class of 2003 Graduates, According to MonsterTRAK.

Business Editors

MAYNARD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2003

MonsterTRAK Survey and Research Reveals Hiring Plans and Expectations from Leading Nationwide Companies and College Students

Sales and Healthcare Hottest Sectors for Graduates in 2003; Los Angeles and

With the economic boom that many of this year's college graduating class entered into in 1999 at the onset of their freshman year, 2003 paints a far different picture. Despite the traditional excitement that soon-to-be college graduates show this time of year, many college seniors are more anxious than ever about entering the real world and finding a job. According to recent MonsterTRAK research, 53 percent of college seniors don't expect any job offers when they graduate (compared to just 23 percent when the same question was asked in 2001), while 61 percent plan to move back in with their parents upon receipt of their diplomas(a). MonsterTRAK, a leading career resource for college students and alumni, is a product of Monster(R), the leading global online careers site and flagship brand of TMP Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: TMPW).

"The current job market is certainly not what this year's graduating class envisioned when they started as freshmen during the dot-com boom, but it's not as disheartening as some might think," said Jeff Taylor, founder and chairman of Monster. "In fact, a third of employers we've surveyed are actively hiring entry-level candidates for all different types of positions. Students need to actively research which industries are hiring - such as Healthcare and Government - and differentiate themselves from other entry-level candidates."

A recent Monster/MonsterTRAK survey(b) of employers and students collectively reveals that students need to be more proactive in taking the necessary steps to become more desirable candidates. Following are a few tips for entry-level job seekers in their job search:

-- Gain experience: 56 percent of employers consider relevant

work experience the most important factor when evaluating

recent college graduates. 70 percent of students agree, yet

only 46 percent of students have taken the initiative to

complete an internship during their college career.

-- Consider your options: While the current job market may not

offer up a dream job immediately after finishing school,

post-graduate internships are a great opportunity for students

to make their initial foray into the world of work. However,

only 6 percent of students surveyed plan to pursue internship

positions after graduation, while 16 percent plan to delay the

job market and enter graduate school.

-- Say thank you: It may sound old-fashioned, but 69 percent of

employers expect to receive a thank you note--whether

hand-written or emailed--following an interview. Less than

half (48 percent) of students regularly obliged their

prospective employers in this manner.

-- Network: Students may be under the impression that networking

is for established professionals and won't land them a job, as

evidenced by the mere 15 percent of students currently

exercising this option. But one of the best ways to secure an

initial interview and get a foot in the door is through a

personal contact.

-- Be prepared: 53 percent of employers consider insufficient

research about the company/industry and focusing too much on

the pay/benefits of a job the most common mistakes recent

college graduates make during the first interview.

-- Anticipate questions: Employers believe the interview

questions that most often stump recent college graduates are

"What are your strengths and weaknesses?" and "Tell me about

yourself." One-third of students agree that the first question

is most challenging, but "Why do you want to work here?" is a

close second. Practice interviewing is a helpful way to be

ready for such questions on real interviews.

-- Be flexible: Students are clearly following this longstanding

principle, with 77 percent indicating that they're willing to

relocate for a job.

Where are the Job Opportunities?

Hot Sectors

Based on a comprehensive analysis of Monster job postings in the United States, entry-level job opportunities are most abundant in Sales, which accounts for 23 percent of all current entry-level jobs, followed by Healthcare with 10 percent, and Administrative and Support Services with 8 percent of all nationwide entry-level jobs. Other strong categories include Restaurant and Food Service, Customer Service, and Retail/Wholesale.

Hot Regions

The analysis of Monster job postings also revealed the top geographic regions for entry-level job opportunities. Topping the list is California with 15.6 percent of all entry-level jobs nationwide, followed by Texas (7.0 percent), Florida (6.2 percent), New York (6.0 percent), and Illinois (5.7 percent). For the top cities nationwide for job opportunities, Los Angeles is first with 4.1 percent of all entry-level jobs nationwide, followed by Chicago (2.8 percent), Orange County (2.6 percent), Philadelphia (2.5 percent), and New York City (2.5 percent).

For additional information, detailed survey findings or to learn where your state falls in the data, please contact Kevin Mullins at 978-461-8751.

(a) Results of the MonsterTRAK polls are based on votes cast by

MonsterTRAK users from March 17th, 2003 to March 31st, 2003, on

the homepage of MonsterTRAK (http://www.monstertrak.com). Only one

vote per user is counted toward the final tabulation. The content

of the MonsterTRAK site is targeted specifically to college

students and is a password-protected site. Only students and

alumni who have a password from their career center can go further

than the homepage. Anyone interested in voting in MonsterTRAK's

current online poll may do so by logging onto MonsterTRAK at

www.monstertrak.com. Users may review the results of past polls by

visiting http://content.monstertrak.monster.com/polls.

(b) The Monster 2003 graduation survey was conducted through targeted

online distribution to nationwide companies and college students,

recording results from over 400 respondents.

About Monster

Monster, headquartered in Maynard, Mass., is the leading global careers website, recording over 51.4 million unique visits during the month of March 2003 according to independent research conducted by I/PRO. Monster connects the most progressive companies with the most qualified career-minded individuals, offering innovative technology and superior services that give them more control over the recruiting process. The Monster global network consists of local content and language sites in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Scotland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Luxembourg, India, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, and Finland. Monster is the official online career management services sponsor of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and 2002 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Teams. More information about Monster is available at www.monster.com or by calling 1-800-MONSTER.

About TMP Worldwide

Founded in 1967, TMP Worldwide Inc., with 4,500 employees in 22 countries, is the online recruitment leader and the world's largest Recruitment Advertising agency network. Headquartered in New York, TMP is also the parent company of Monster, the leading global careers website, the world's largest Yellow Pages advertising agency and a provider of direct marketing services. The Company's clients include more than 90 of the Fortune 100 and more than 490 of the Fortune 500 companies. TMP Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 Index. More information about TMP Worldwide is available at www.tmp.com.

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