The UK’s tech industry is booming. While other sectors have struggled since the Covid-19 pandemic, many tech startups are thriving – and it’s not hard to see why.
In recent years, UK tech companies have attracted huge investments. According to government figures, £29.4bn was invested into UK tech in 2021 alone. That is a 2.3x increase from 2020. This was also double the figure raised in Germany (£14.7bn) and almost three times that raised by French companies (£9.7bn).
The tech sector has always been at the forefront of remote working. The fact that companies were easily able to pivot to work from home in 2020 meant that they were in a much stronger position. Plus, it gave employees the option to work from where they wanted.
This led to a decentralisation of the UK tech scene. Almost £9bn of all venture capital investment went into startups and scaleups outside London and the South East. When you combine all these factors with great earning potential, autonomous culture, and unlimited growth possibilities, it’s not surprising that people are moving to tech startups located across the UK in their droves.
If you’re thinking about joining the club, or perhaps you want to prepare to move up the tech career ladder, look no further.
Here are some tips for landing a job at a UK tech startup.
Explore different careers
The tech field is hugely varied. You can work in a range of different departments, from HR to accounting. However, there are a few key tech roles that are in high demand in 2022.
These include software developers, information security analysts, cloud engineers, devops engineers, and data scientists. You can explore different roles on the UKTN job board.
Get qualified
The qualifications that you need to land your dream tech job will really depend on your role. Spend some time looking at relevant job specs to see what is expected from you. For example, if you want to become a developer, you should be familiar with HTML, CSS, and probably JavaScript. If you need to upskill in any area, now is the time to do it.
Don’t forget about your transferable skills! Things like being a good communicator or having knowledge of Github can be used in lots of different careers.
Think about freelance
It’s unlikely that you’ll get your qualifications and immediately walk into a job. Hiring managers want to see real-life examples. One of the best ways to get around this is to do some freelance work on the side or perhaps even volunteer.
Freelancing might sound daunting but it could be as simple as designing a poster for your local sports team or creating a website for a friend’s band.
Spruce up your CV
The tech market is notoriously competitive. If you’re applying to a remote company, you could be competing with candidates from around the world. One of the best ways to stand out is to have an engaging and easy-to-read CV. You should also think about creating an online portfolio that showcases past projects and your skills.
Critique the culture
The culture in tech is famously fast-paced. At tech startups, teams are often small. You’ll likely have a lot of autonomy and responsibility from day one. You’ll also need to help others and chip in where needed. Sometimes this is great and even exhilarating.
At other times, it can be draining. If you’re looking for a simple nine to five job that isn’t taxing, this might not be the industry for you.
Look out for interesting companies
One of the best things about working in tech is that you will have the opportunity to work at some really exciting companies. If you find a company that you love, make sure that you keep an eye out for their available roles.
Sometimes it’s good to reach out to someone within the organisation too as an employee referral can go a long way.
Here are a few that we think you should look out for.
- Monzo
- Indeed
- Hubspot
- Freetrade
Ace your interview
Tech interviews can be a little different than your standard job interview. You need to be prepared to answer questions related directly to your skills and experience in tech, as well as any skills you have from other jobs that could carry over. Don’t forget to brush up on recent tech news and industry trends too!
You’ll probably have to face various rounds of interviews and perhaps even a task or assignment too. Don’t worry, it’ll all be worth it if you land your dream role.
Begin your search for an inspiring new tech role on the UKTN job board today.
This article is part of a paid partnership with careers marketplace Jobbio to share the most exciting UK tech jobs with UKTN readers.
The post How to land a job at a UK tech startup appeared first on UKTN | UK Tech News.
