In December 2024, the number of job offers in Bulgaria saw a significant decrease of 39% compared to November, with nearly 15,000 fewer positions advertised. The total number of job listings at the end of the month stood at approximately 23,200. When compared to the same period in 2023, the decline was 23%, which translates to around 7,000 fewer job offers.

The drop in job advertisements can largely be attributed to the combination of holiday weekends and the reduced number of working days at the end of the month. With nearly a third of the month consisting of vacation periods, both employers and job seekers were less active, contributing to the sharp decrease in job postings.

Each sector experienced a decline, with the largest drop seen in "Trade and Sales," which saw 3,560 fewer listings, reflecting a 37% decrease. This was followed by the "Manufacturing" sector, which experienced a 44% decline with 2,760 fewer offers, and the "Hotel and Restaurant Management" sector, which saw a 36% drop with 1,770 fewer listings. Other sectors, including Logistics and Transport, Administrative and Support Activities, Construction, IT, Healthcare and Pharmacy, Accounting and Auditing, and Marketing, also reported double-digit declines in job postings.

The distribution of job advertisements in December largely mirrored other months, with "Trade and Sales" accounting for 26% of the total job listings, followed by "Manufacturing" with 15% and "Hotel and Restaurant" at 13%. The remaining sectors, including IT, Administrative and Service Activities, and Logistics and Transport, made up smaller portions of the job market.

Job offers for remote work or work-from-home positions also saw a notable decline of 34% from the previous month, totaling 2,100 listings. This was a 34% decrease compared to earlier in the year and a 17% drop compared to December 2023. Remote job listings made up 10% of the overall job advertisements in December. The IT sector dominated the remote work offerings, making up 55% of the listings, followed by Administrative and Service Activities (16%), the outsourcing (BPO) industry (15%), and Trade and Sales (8%).

Regional cities also saw a decline in job offers, with Sofia reporting a 38% drop, Plovdiv a 43% drop, and Varna, Burgas, Ruse, and Stara Zagora all experiencing decreases in the 40% range. Sofia maintained the highest share of job listings at 45%, with other cities contributing smaller proportions, including Plovdiv (10%), Varna (7%), and Burgas (3%).

Looking ahead to 2025, job offers are expected to increase as the new year and working season begin. Factors to watch include the ongoing trends in various sectors, the continued reduction in job postings compared to the previous year, and the performance of the IT sector, along with the availability of remote work opportunities.

Sources:

• JobTiger
• econ.bg