July job activity shows some positive signs

Despite a seasonal slowdown, online job activity picked up steam in some U.S. markets in July.

Detroit topped the list of metropolitan markets that bucked the trend, according to findings released on Thursday by online job careers company Monster Worldwide. Online job activity in the motor city rose 3 percent for the month, following a similar rise in June.

Out of 28 markets studied in the Monster Local Employment Index, nine (including Seattle and Washington, D.C.) edged higher in July from the preceding month and five (including Boston and Chicago) remained unchanged. Fourteen cities saw declines of varying degrees during the month, including Miami, Orlando, Indianapolis and San Francisco.

Given that July is typically a slow month for hiring, Monster saw the findings as an encouraging economic sign. The study "speaks to the growing strength and stability of the broader U.S. job market, which added 207,000 new jobs in July," Steve Pogorzelski, president of Monster, North America, said in a statement.

Most of the 28 markets studied showed higher online demand for military-specific occupations, reflecting an increase in recruitment efforts by the U.S. Army, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard, Monster said. Online demand for production workers remained weak, reflecting broader weakness in manufacturing.