- The number of overall active job postings in December 2024 was 1,415,574 – a decrease of 5.5% on the number of job postings in November 2024. This continues a trend of moderation back to pre-pandemic levels. In December 2019, the number of active job postings was 1.41m.
- Four of the top 10 local areas that had the highest increase in job postings were in the South East: East Sussex (4.5%), East Surrey (2.8%), Portsmouth (2.3%) and West Sussex (North East) (1.3%). Despite some pockets of growth like these, the South East as a region saw a 4.0% decline overall in job postings.
- The number of new job postings in the UK was 550,982– down by 16.8% on last month. This is not unusual for December.
- We reveal the occupations that were most in demand in 2024.
There were more than 1.4m active job postings in December 2024, according to the latest Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Lightcast Labour Market Tracker.
The number of overall active postings in December 2024 was 1,415,574. The number of new job postings in the UK was 550,982 – down by 16.8% on last month, reflecting the annual Christmas slowdown.
REC Chief Executive Neil Carberry said:
“December is always a recruitment low point, so we will have to wait for January and February figures to judge where we are as firms return to the market in 2025. Despite a long slowdown in demand, the fact that we are only returning to pre-pandemic norms now shows that there are still opportunities out there for jobseekers, who skilled recruiters are ready to help with their next step.
“A new job is the best way to build wage growth and opportunity into someone’s career. We anticipate that a return to growth this year will drive business confidence to hire and invest. Firms will be looking to the Chancellor to underpin this confidence in her interventions later in the month. At the moment, government policy feels like more of a hindrance than a help in getting employment rates up.
“The UK’s labour market is one of the most competitive in the world – and our labour supply is only getting tighter over time. As recruitment specialists, we can see that the approach firms take needs to change to ensure that we make the best of our people and the new tech that is available for us. For any firm, hiring should be a strategic activity – too many businesses aren’t there yet.”
Today’s Labour Market Tracker shows an increase in job postings this month for Childminders (106.3%), once again ranking as the highest increase in job postings compared to the previous month. Job postings more than doubled from 430 to 887 in December 2024.
After seeing a 22.0% drop from October to November 2024, Optometrist postings increased by 88.9% in December 2024. Authors, Writers and Translators (51.9%) and Train and Tram Drivers (49.5%) both saw increases in the number of postings.
Bar Staff (-26.6%), Coffee Shop Workers (-26.7%) and Hairdressers and Barbers (-27.6%) all showed a similar decline of around a quarter from November to December 2024.
Central Bedfordshire (26.3%), Devon CC (4.5%) and East Sussex CC (4.5%) showed the highest increase in job postings.
Four of the top 10 counties that had the highest increase in job postings were based in the South East: East Sussex CC (4.5%), East Surrey (2.8%), Portsmouth (2.3%) and West Sussex [North East] (1.3%).
Despite some pockets of growth, the South East as a region saw a 4.0% decline overall in job postings.
Whereas Dudley (-14.6%), East Dunbartonshire (-15.1%) and Ealing (-15.5%) all accounted for the sharpest decline in job postings.
Sectors:
As expected, and as the industry has seen for the past few years December is the slowest month for postings jobs roles. This happens as most industries wind down in December for the festive period.
Driving and Logistics:
Overall, the sector had an 8.1% decrease in the number of job postings in December 2024 as compared to November 2024.
The most in demand roles when we compare November 2024 to December 2024, are the 49.5% increase in job postings for Train and Tram Drivers, 14.4% increase for Crane Drivers, and 6.2 % increase in Directors in Logistics, Warehousing and Transport job postings.
Hospitality and Catering
There were nearly 79,000 job postings in hospitality and catering in December 2024. This is a 15.7% decline from November 2024. Overall, all retail jobs saw a decline in December as compared to November 2024. The following were among the least affected by the decline:
- Catering and Bar Managers (2.5%)
- Restaurant and Catering Establishment Managers and Proprietors (-4.1%)
- Hotel and Accommodation Managers and Proprietors (-4.2%)
Retail
In December 2024 there were over 156,000 job postings in the retail sector. This is a decline of 12.1% as compared to November 2024. Most roles in the retail sector saw a marginal decline in job postings, including Managers and Proprietors in Other Services n.e.c. (-2.0%) and Managers and Directors in Retail and Wholesale (-2.6%). Whilst there is still a decrease, this is well below the sector average of -12.1%.
But the biggest decreases were found in Sales and Retail Assistants (-24.7%) and Retail Cashiers and Check-out Operators (-25.5%).
An ‘advertus horribilis’ for some occupations in 2024 – but others remained robust
It was a tough year of trading for recruiters last year because the economy all but stagnated, not helped by a slow return to low inflation in the UK and political uncertainty of elections here and across much of the world. This is reflected in the new job postings data for 2024 in which less than a handful of occupations actually saw an increase in new job postings in 2024 compared to 2023 – and many saw major reductions in new job postings.
The story of 2024 was new job postings for IT and some accounting-related occupations down dramatically in 2024, compared to 2023. In contrast, hospitality and leisure occupations new job postings were down only a little in 2024, compared to 2023.
The story for medical work was varied with only a small decline in new job postings in 2024, compared to 2023, for roles such as some types of psychologists, roles in specialist medical tasks such as surgery, anaesthetisation and diagnostic or interventional radiology, and dental nurses, Whereas there was a far more dramatic decline in new job postings in 2024, compared to 2023, for registered mental health nurses, some registered nursing professionals and generalist medical practitioners.
Top ten: new job postings that saw the highest increase and lowest fall in 2024 compared to 2023 were:
- Train and Tram Drivers (54.5%)
- Road Transport Drivers n.e.c. (19.1%)
- National Government Administrative Occupations (2.4%)
- Beauticians and Related Occupations (-0.7%)
- Leisure and Sports Managers and Proprietors (-1.1%)
- Large Goods Vehicle Drivers (-1.4%)
- Sports Coaches, Instructors and Officials (-2.8%)
- Window Cleaners (-3.3%)
- Solicitors and Lawyers (-4.6%)
- Clergy (-4.8%)
Bottom ten: new job postings that had the biggest declines in 2024 compared to 2023 were:
- Customer Service Supervisors (-40.4%)
- Painters and Decorators (-40.4%)
- Chemical Scientists (-40.6%)
- IT Network Professionals (-40.7%)
- Management Consultants and Business Analysts (-41.5%)
- Web Design Professionals (-41.7%)
- Programmers and Software Development Professionals (-44.8%)
- IT Quality and Testing Professionals (-45.1%)
- IT Operations Technicians (-45.1%)
- IT User Support Technicians (-47.1%)
Neil Carberry said:
“It’s surprising how few have noticed that the UK has just experienced its longest jobs market contraction since 2000. But the fact that we’ve navigated through it without a complete meltdown really highlights the strength, flexibility, and resilience of our skilled workforce – and how our economy just finds a way to keep turning.
“It was a particularly difficult year for IT professionals looking for new jobs – a complete reverse of demand during and just after the pandemic, which was very high. These roles will bounce back quickly as companies invest in IT transformation during an economic recovery. Meanwhile, hospitality job postings held up reasonably well in 2024, despite tight household budgets and concerns about the sector.
“As the labour market shifts this year, it will happen rapidly – and businesses must be ready to seize the opportunity. With a shrinking domestic workforce and intense competition for talent, businesses can only unlock the best opportunities through a deeper, more strategic partnership on talent. This means businesses should look to get more bang for their buck from recruiters in 2025 by asking for more strategic and high value support. As specialists, recruiters are best positioned to adopt new hiring tech, and to advise firms.”
