What are the 15 highest paying jobs in Hungary now?

English2021. júl. 30.Péter Harsányi

By the beginning of the summer, the labour market had returned to its pre-epidemic state: we can see labour shortages again, just like in 2019, Imre Tüzes told növekedés.hu. The business development director of Profession.hu pointed out that a lot of new job advertisements had appeared on the market. In May, approximately 18,000 vacancies were waiting to be filled on Hungary's leading job portal, which is the largest number ever. He added that in May there was a twenty-fold increase in the number of catering jobs advertised around Lake Balaton compared to the first quarter of the year.

What professions are most in demand now? Which are the most sought-after professions? 

At the start of the summer season and the reopening, finding waiters and chefs is a great challenge - especially around Lake Balaton - but the labour shortage is much more diverse: it has once again become one of the most pressing problems for businesses in several areas. 

As far as the number of applicants is concerned, finding new employees is the greatest challenge in the following professions: physician and medical specialist jobs have attracted very few candidates in the last three years, just like jobs as panel beaters.

Skilled worker positions are among the ones least sought after by applicants: such as bricklayer, panel beater, turner, welder or locksmith, but apart from doctors, there is also a shortage of engineers, tax consultants and IT specialists. 

What areas and positions are not in demand now? 

From the jobseeker’s perspective, the three categories that show the biggest decline in the average number of applicants per ad were in management training programs, financial services, and freight forwarder, driver, and courier positions.

In what positions can you see the largest increase in wages? What is the extent of this? 

In an annual comparison, we can’t see a significant increase. Comparing the wage requirements given by jobseekers in May 2021 and November 2020, the following subcategories show the largest, 3-5 percent increase: healthcare, beauty manager, enterprise resource planning, SAP, host, hostess, system integrator, agricultural work, legal trainee, other science, laboratory technician, healthcare professional, librarian, telesales, housekeeper, caretaker, housecleaner, healthcare assistant, market analyst, market researcher, HACCP expert, banking law, financial sector, accounts receivable manager, business analyst, babysitter, financial support, transportation engineer, building maintenance and animator . 

Which are the best paid areas and types of jobs? What positions can make the list of the TOP 15? 

Agreements on salaries are made independently of job portals. During the period of job seeking, only salary requirements are revealed, although our experience has shown that these are in line with the salaries offered by employers.

Top subcategories with the highest net payment requirements

IT manager

652 500 Ft

production manager

645 000 Ft

financial manager

637 000 Ft

interim manager

631 000 Ft

IT consultant, analyst, auditor

597 500 Ft

strategic consultant

611 000 Ft

IT, telecom manager

569 000 Ft

sales and marketing manager

571 000 Ft

engineer manager

550 000 Ft

managing director

539 000 Ft

IT support, helpdesk

521 500 Ft

HR manager

511 000 Ft

system designer

480 000 Ft

business developer

481 500 Ft

financial and accounting manager

480 000 Ft

Source: Profession.hu

Many players in the hospitality sector speak of a remarkable increase in wages. Do your data support this trend? How much can you earn today in various hospitality jobs? 

There appears to be a slight increase, in general, but it is hard to draw conclusions from the data because at the beginning of the year there were not many open positions advertised in the sector.

At present, the average net salary of waiter and bartender positions is 269 thousand forints, while the same is 320 thousand for chefs. 

The average net salary is 265 thousand forints in restaurants, 198 thousand in hotel receptionist positions, 223 thousand in tourism and tour organization, and 255 thousand in the case of hospitality and tourism managers. 

The average wage for the entire catering sector is 289 thousand forints. 

In May, the wage requirements of the sector were as follows: Employees in the hotel industry set an average wage requirement of 268 thousand forints, and the same was 261 thousand for chefs, 258 thousand for tourism and tour operators, and 240 thousand for tour guides. The average wage requirement of those working in restaurants was 231 thousand forints, that of animators was 219 thousand, while hotel receptionists, waiters and bartenders, hostesses and animators expected an average of 213 thousand, 210 thousand, and 192 thousand forints, respectively.

How did salaries in hospitality and catering change at Lake Balaton? How much do people working in restaurants or cafés earn? 

There is a greater demand for skilled hospitality staff. In terms of advertised vacancies in the counties around Lake Balaton, the increase is particularly spectacular: as the restrictions were gradually lifted, the catering and tourism sector started to prepare intensively for the summer season. 

In terms of the number of vacancies advertised in the sector, Veszprém, Zala and Somogy counties were among the five counties with the highest growth rates, where the number of advertised posts in May was 9, 12 and 20 times higher than in the first quarter, respectively. 

The most positions in the sector were advertised in Budapest, almost 8 times as many by May as the average number advertised in the first quarter of the year. 

As far as wages are concerned, there is not yet enough data available to come to any conclusion.

Has the number of vacancies increased in recent months? Has the labour market recovered from the pandemic yet? 

This year we saw a clear consolidation: as the restrictions were being lifted and the sectors that were closed started to reopen, the labour market also appeared to be stabilizing.

As a result, a lot of new job advertisements appeared in the market: in May, Hungary's leading job portal had approximately 18,000 job advertisements, which is the largest number of vacancies ever. 

The last 18 months have been characterized by an exceptionally large number of jobseekers, with significantly more people applying for each advertised position than usual, but this wave seems to be fading now. 

By the beginning of the summer, the labour market had returned to its pre-pandemic state: there is a labour shortage again, just like in 2019. 

At the same time, seasonality and the distortion resulting from it also has to be considered: jobseekers are generally less active in their search of jobs in the summer season, and this year this trend is even more noticeable, as people haven’t had the chance to go on holiday or travel for a long time.

In what areas are there labour shortages? 

At the start of the summer season and the reopening, it is a great challenge to find waiters and chefs, of course, especially around Lake Balaton. However, labour shortages are much more diverse: it has once again become one of the most pressing problems for businesses in several areas. 

From the point of view of employers, electrical engineers, electricians, programmers and program developers, maintenance and service workers, other skilled workers, mechanical engineers, machine operators and accountants are the most sought after. In these professions, there are a significant number of vacancies, while the average number of applicants per ad is lower than the category average.

So, going back to the very first question, it is a great challenge to hire physicians and medical specialists, just like panel beaters. Among the professions least sought after by jobseekers, skilled workers are in the highest demand: bricklayers, panel beaters, turners, welders, locksmiths are all wanted, but there is also a shortage of engineers, tax consultants and IT specialists.