Finding Work as an IT Professional

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Corrina Pinsent

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London IT Professional

London is a central hub of all business and information technology is booming. There is no lack of job opportunities when it comes to information technology. If you were to look for an IT job in London right now, reed.co.uk would show you 7,701 open vacancies, indeed.co.uk would feature 9,102 new jobs, and jobsite.co.uk would share a list of 4,902 openings. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Relocating to London presents exciting opportunities for career and cultural exploration.

The IT industry in the Big Smoke is colossal. Microsoft, Apple, Google, Cisco, Ubisoft, Rockstar, Virgin Media, and IBM are all hiring and so are countless other companies as London is one of the largest tech hubs in the world.

We can give Silicon Valley a run for their money. The combination of the above factors leads to a misleading conclusion that getting a tech job here is easy.

 

Just look at the numbers for the UK as a whole:

  • 408,000 Programmers and Software Engineers
  • 154,000 IT Business Analysts
  • 27,000 Web Designers
  • 775,000 In the Software and Computer Services Industry

Yes, qualified IT professionals are in high demand right now, but the competition is jawbreaking. 931 thousand IT professionals were working in London in 2015. The numbers must have doubled or even tripled by now. Imagine being noticed and being offered a great job in that crowd!

5 Major Sections to be Aware of

While there are countless sectors and sub-sectors and other variances, there are generally five sectors that most of the IT jobs are categorized as.

  • Software Development

  • This includes companies which develop software for customers to use across any number of devices. This could be companies that develop apps or operating systems – either traditional software companies like Apple or smaller startups of which there are countless thousands.

  • FinTech

  • This is one of the fastest growing sections in the UK. This sector’s focus is on banking and finance and is in incredible high demand.

  • Public Sector

  • This area involves working with the local government and their associated IT needs. It could be to develop user friendly tourist apps, commuting algorithms, and other customer centric applications.

    The local government is trying to stay up-to-date with the solutions they release for everything from tourist apps to sophisticated computing algorithms and Smart City elements. Experience with IoT will give you a head start in the Public Sector.

  • Manufacturing

  • Rising rapidly, manufacturing is one sector which continues to rise year over year. This encompasses consumer goods, electronics, and oil products just to name a few. Those engineers who have a demonstrable experience in both software and software experience are in very high demand.

  • Retail and eCommerce

  • This sector rules shopping and trade. Major brands like Amazon and Tesco are looking for professionals in the niche right now.

Salaries

So, with this kind of demand the pay must be considerable, right? Wrong.The overall entry level salary for graduates entering the job market is £32,500. For IT professionals it’s slightly higher at £35,700. Most of those jobs are not for slackers either. IT professionals can work long hours to meet deadlines.

While this might be discouraging to hear, take heart, the tides can ebb and flow quickly within the IT world. There are plenty of opportunities for those willing to stick it out. Information technology grows and changes quickly. Yesterday’s desktop support tech could be a junior developer in a few months and a senior manager within a year.

Working in the IT field there is a lot of flexibility. Many young professionals are self-employed and are their own bosses choosing when and where to work. Those in the corporate sector of IT get to travel extensively around the world for their job. Most London-based tech companies have a global presence to consider.

How to get an IT job in London?

With plenty of opportunity in London, why not roll the dice and take a job here? So, how can this be done? There are several different ways in which it might work.

  • Step 1

  • This option only works for those who have an office in London but it still warrants mentioning. If your current employer has an office in London, simply ask the HR department for a transfer. Take the chance. This is likely the easiest method and takes the least amount of effort from you.

  • Step 2

  • While this might be a longshot, it still needs to be done. Do a job search for positions available in London. There are a few local sites to try as mentioned in the opening of this blog post. Give them a shot and send out your CV to find that job.It is best if this is done while you are still employed. Since the chances are pretty slim that you’ll get an answer right away, it’s best to be patient while sending out applications.

  • Step 3

  • I can’t stress this enough. Be creative. Recruiters are viewing hundreds of CVs with the same qualifications as yours. Make yours stand out. Try clever ways to deliver your message. Showcase your skills. Create an impressive portfolio of work. Don’t just click the send button and pray.

  • Step 4

  • Have patience. Things take time. You’ll likely receive a number of rejections before receiving any offers. Don’t lose faith. Keep sending out the CVs and be patient.

  • Step 5

  • There is no shame in getting professional help from someone who gets jobs for people on a professional basis. They know the ins and the outs and the know what it takes to get someone hired. These folks don’t get paid unless they find you a job. There is no shame in giving them a try.

OK, now we know where to work, but what is it like to work in London’s IT hub?

  • You are not here for the money. According to the 2018 Graduate Market Report, the salaries in the IT industry are kicking off at 30,000 pounds, which isn’t a dime higher than the median for the city.
  • You are not here to slack, either. Professionals tend to work longer hours, or they can even have an unlimited workday in a startup because of tight deadlines.
  • The opportunities outshine the disadvantages. IT grows and scales quickly, and young engineers grow with it. The road from a junior developer to a senior manager or even the CEO of an independent startup can take a year to five years. Imagine becoming the bank president five years after you’ve started your internship.
  • It offers a lot of flexibility. Many young professionals are self-employed and get to be their bosses. Those who work in the corporate sector often get the chance to travel all around the globe as the majority of London-based tech companies have a global presence.

In order to land the job of your dreams in London, you’ll have to pull out all the stops. Leave no stone unturned in searching for your job. The right job is there. You’ll just have to find it.

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