Due to the nature of the industry, recruitment in IT is diverse and covers a broad range of Computing and Technology-related disciplines. IT staff can be employed across a multitude of industries and recruitment agencies will typically place permanent, temporary or contract job-seekers into a variety of business types.
Recruitment agencies with expertise in making IT hires are situated across the UK and will include multi-sector and industry specialist employment firms. Nearly 50% of IT jobs are in London, and as a result, the capital city has the highest number of IT agencies. IT, Telecoms and Digital recruiters are also commonly found in other major cities including Manchester, Newcastle, and Edinburgh.
Industry overview and salaries
More than 1.5 million people in the UK are employed within IT jobs and the sector is estimated to contribute in excess of £71 billion each year to the economy. Recruitment in the field can vary and vacancies may include that of a Web Designer, Software Developer, IT Technician or Business Analyst. Entry barriers into the field will depend on the vocation, however an IT degree, HND or BTEC qualification is usually expected of job applicants. Candidates may then specialise in areas such as HTML, Internet, Java, SAP, or Networking.
Salaries in IT will be determined by experience and the job role, however the average earnings in the UK are around £40,000 per annum. This is closer to £60,000 in London and the South East. The highest earnings in the IT sector are commanded by professionals such as Chief Information Officers, IT Directors and Technical Architects, while starting wages for junior staff and graduates have a median average of £30,000.
Key employers
The UK is home to an abundance of global IT firms and recruitment agencies will often be required to source staff for senior and entry-level vacancies. IBM, which has its UK headquarters in Portsmouth, employs around 20,000 people nationwide and commonly lists positions for Software Designers and Interactive Developers. Telecoms giant BT provides jobs for 72,000 IT professionals, while SKY has a workforce of over 24,000. Other significant firms include Carillion, Virgin Media and Cisco. Around 41% of IT staff are employed outside of the IT and Telecoms Sector, often being recruited into Retail and Financial Services.