Ryan FowlerActive job postings in December 2024 totalled 1,415,574, according to the latest Labour Market Tracker from the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Lightcast. This marks a 5.5% decrease from November 2024 but reflects a return to the pre-pandemic benchmark of December 2019.
The number of new job postings stood at 550,982, down 16.8% from the previous month, which is typical of the seasonal slowdown over Christmas. REC chief executive Neil Carberry noted, “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.”
While active postings were stable year-on-year, certain sectors and occupations showed resilience. Childminders saw a 106.3% increase in postings, with optometrists and train drivers also experiencing significant growth. Conversely, roles in hospitality, retail, and IT faced the sharpest declines, particularly for bar staff, coffee shop workers, and IT support technicians.
The South East saw mixed results, with some local areas like East Sussex and East Surrey recording increases in job postings, while the region as a whole experienced a 4.0% decline.
Looking back at 2024, the labour market’s resilience was tested by economic stagnation and a slow return to low inflation. IT and accounting roles faced steep declines in demand, reversing the trends of the pandemic era. In contrast, hospitality and medical roles held steady, underscoring sector-specific variances.
Carberry commented on the outlook for 2025: “The labour market’s strength and resilience mean businesses must seize the opportunity as it shifts rapidly this year. With a shrinking domestic workforce and intense competition for talent, strategic partnerships with recruiters will be key to unlocking value and navigating hiring challenges.”
