The job market in Budapest
There are so many types of jobs available in Budapest that people from other parts of the country and around the world come here to look for opportunities. But it is not just about the number of jobs. Wages are also higher here, even though the cost of living can be more as well.
Promising fields in Budapest
Hospitality
As Budapest is the leading destination for tourists in Hungary, you can find all kinds of jobs in hospitality and tourism, from working as a waiter in a restaurant to being a tour guide on a segway tour. With good English or other foreign languages, as an expat, you can get these jobs easily, but don't expect high salaries. The average net salary for a tour guide, for example, is around 200 000 HUF/month (625 Euro), slightly more as a receptionist 205 000 HUF/month and around 250 000 HUF/month (758 Euro) as a waiter, but you usually have to work 10-12 hours per day for that
Language teaching
Another typical job for foreigners is teaching English. Native speakers are always welcome. For teaching, you need a college degree and a Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. You can find job opportunities on the websites below:
Angolintezet
Teachaway
British Council
Learn4Good
As a teacher, you won't be rich either. The average salary varies between 160 000 and 250 000 HUF (between 485 and 750 Euros), depending on the school and the hours you work. You can find a job as a private teacher as well, and probably charge more, around 4,000-5,000 HUF/hour, but you might need to travel a lot to your students who can cancel their lesson leaving you without enough money.
Other promising fields in Budapest
You can find higher wages in other areas like IT, finance and business, especially working for a big multinational company such as IBM, Morgan Stanley, Ericson, Vodafone, Tata Consultancy Services, and General Electric, etc. In these fields, salaries will be much higher than the average, but they might ask you for extra hours, and working conditions can be stricter than in a smaller company.
Today, more and more companies are relocating their customer service offices to Budapest. These kinds of jobs are normally taken up by younger people with higher education, entering the local job market for the first time. For them, these places can be perfect for getting experience and practising English or other foreign languages with their customers or just with their colleagues.
Startups in Budapest
Another popular option for young people is working for startups which are getting more and more famous in Budapest, with new, friendly offices, more relaxed working methods and interesting roles. These companies are usually also related to technology, marketing or design, and asking for innovative thinking, good team spirit, and strong English. One of the most famous ones is probably Prezi, which is a cloud-based presentation platform, with offices in Budapest and San Francisco, but if you are really into technology, check out other companies as well.
Finding a job in Budapest
The easiest way to find a job in Budapest is online. There are countless options, but it is worth checking out Indeed, Workania, and social media like LinkedIn and Facebook. But as mentioned earlier, also keep your eyes and ears open. You never know when someone can mention you a new job opportunity.
