The UK saw 663,814 new job postings in November, marking a 6% decline over the prior month as businesses shift their focus toward planning hiring strategies for 2025, according to the latest Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and Lightcast Labour Market Tracker.

At the same time, the number of overall active postings in November 2024 was 1,500,910, a decrease of 2.8% from the number of job postings in October 2024. This continues a trend of moderation back to pre-pandemic levels.

The volume of postings emphasises that while there have been some headwinds for businesses this autumn on the costs of employment and the economic path ahead, the underlying picture is ‘still good’, the Tracker noted.

November’s Labour Market Tracker showed an increase in job postings this month for childminders (109.3%), delivery drivers and couriers (101.1%) and collector salespersons and credit agents (33.4%).

Electrical service and maintenance mechanics and repairers (-20.9%), optometrists (-22.0%) and probation officers (-24.8%) all showed the largest decline in roles from October to November 2024.

Four of the top 10 counties that had the highest increase in job postings were based in London: Wandsworth (13.0%), Haringey and Islington (12.6%), Hackney and Newham (4.6%), and Ealing (4.5%). Despite some pockets of growth, London as a region saw a 1.9% decline overall in job postings. Lisburn and Castlereagh (13.6%) saw the highest increase in job postings.

Camden and City of London (-16.3%), Dumfries and Galloway (-21.2%) and Scottish Borders (-21.6%) all accounted for the sharpest decline in job postings.

REC Chief Executive Neil Carberry said in a press release, “Today’s numbers emphasise the scale and relative good health of the UK’s labour market. Despite a weakening trend on vacancies as the post-pandemic normalisation draws to an end, there are still more than 1.5 million jobs out there and plenty of opportunity for job seekers who get in touch with their local agency.”

“It’s true that many employers are concerned by the headwinds on costs that the budget and the employment rights bill may bring if poorly implemented,” Carberry said. “But the economy is bigger than policy, and the relative health of household balance sheets and growing confidence amongst employers in their own business can shift the scales in the other direction. With political stability and lower inflation, businesses are well-positioned to head into the jobs market and trading next year with more confidence.”

The Tracker noted that overall, Christmas hiring is more modest this year than it was last year, which reflects the challenging economy, but also that more employers are getting better at forecasting staff needs ahead of Christmas without needing to rush to the job market.

In driving and logistics, there was a total of 104,840 job postings in November 2024. Some driving roles featured the highest overall rise in job postings in the UK between October and November 2024. Overall, the sector had a 2.0% increase in the number of job postings in November 2024 as compared to October 2024

In hospitality and catering, there were 93,661 job postings in November 2024, ahead of the festive period. There was an overall fall of 3.6% in job postings from October 2024 to November 2024.

In retail, there were 178,048 job postings in retail roles in the UK in November 2024. There was a marginal overall 3.4% drop in the number of retail job postings from October 2024 to November 2024.

Carberry said, “We are seeing lower and longer spikes in Christmas hiring in recent years because employers are getting better at planning their workforce needs, such as extending temporary contracts rather than hitting the job market late in the year.”