Monster.com's latest employment index shows that online recruitment for IT jobs is in decline.

The recruitment firm said that its index, which analyses job adverts posted across a wide range of sites, showed a marked slowdown in new hirings across all sectors.

"Previously job seekers had the upper hand in the labour market, but the balance is now shifting," said Hugo Sellert, head of economic research at Monster Worldwide.

"The recent decline in the index shows jobs are now getting harder to come by as businesses across the UK ease back on their hiring in response to the slowing economy."

Sellert added that not all sectors are feeling the pinch. Areas where jobs are rising include skills such as marketing and PR, transport, engineering and healthcare.

However, the number of new roles in telecoms jobs, for example, has fallen from 119 in August last year to 99 in the past month.

The number of new vacancies being advertised for IT jobs as a whole has also dropped. In August last year it was 124, but in August 2008 it was 108.

The current decline is in contrast to early 2008, when the number of advertised IT jobs rose to 150. However, that has been followed by a steady decrease since February this year.