CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 167,082	$ 179,591	$ 507,694	$ 550,257
Salaries and related	79,787	95,800	254,500	291,868
Office and general	43,638	50,376	131,430	152,196
Marketing and promotion	30,044	33,383	91,091	108,508
Restructuring and other special charges	2,780	0	28,787	0
Total operating expenses	156,249	179,559	505,808	552,572
Operating income (loss)	10,833	32	1,886	(2,315)
Gain on partial sale of equity method investment	0	0	8,849	0
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiaries, net	0	0	0	11,828
Interest and other, net	(3,674)	(1,930)	(10,289)	(5,123)
Income (loss) before income taxes and income in equity interests	7,159	(1,898)	446	4,390
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes	(2,361)	841	(14,487)	6,915
Income in equity interests, net	249	75	321	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	9,769	(2,664)	15,254	(2,525)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	2,163	2,313	6,005	6,909
Net income (loss)	11,932	(351)	21,259	4,384
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,512	1,318	3,712	3,954
Net income (loss) attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc.	$ 10,420	$ (1,669)	$ 17,547	$ 430
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc.:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ (0.03)	$ 0.17	$ (0.03)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.01	0.01	0.03	0.03
Basic (loss) earnings per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc. (in dollars per share)	0.12	(0.02)	0.20	0.00
Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc.:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.10	(0.03)	0.16	(0.03)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax (in dollars per share)	0.01	0.01	0.02	0.03
Diluted (loss) earnings per share attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ (0.02)	$ 0.19	$ 0.00
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	90,340	86,576	89,853	88,236
Diluted (in shares)	96,839	86,576	94,573	88,236
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net	$ (4,925)	$ (27,563)	$ (11,096)	$ (26,925)
Comprehensive income (loss)	7,007	(27,914)	10,163	(22,541)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,701)	(14)	421	4,712
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Monster Worldwide, Inc.	$ 8,708	$ (27,900)	$ 9,742	$ (27,253)