London is currently Europe’s leading tech start-up location—a position they’re fiercely defending. UK tech investment accounted for a third of the total £89.5 billion that flowed into the European tech ecosystem this year.

Despite the booming London tech scene, the skills shortage means that there aren’t enough professionals available for those technology jobs. Our recent Demand for Tech Talent report revealed that nearly three-quarters of businesses are experiencing a shortage of the skills that are currently needed.

London tech professionals stand a great chance of commanding a competitive salary and generous benefits by simply looking for new opportunities in London tech start-ups.

Research for our latest Robert Half Salary Guide gives an excellent overview of technology jobs, the skills shortage and how to come out on top in the war for talent.

Too many London IT jobs and not enough skills

As many UK businesses prepare to kick off digital transformation projects and automate processes, their need for skilled technology professionals becomes more urgent.

Research shows that 70% of organisations have a tech skills shortage. There’s simply not enough talent within the technology sector to keep up with this demand.

The result is that London tech professionals can afford to become far more particular about the roles they accept and can even expect to receive multiple offers.

The most desirable candidates have multifaceted, cross-team abilities, such as business-facing skills.

Contract and interim IT jobs in London

London tech start-ups are greeting these new professionals with open arms. Our research shows that 47% of SMEs are planning to use interim hiring resources in the future. In fact—the shortage in niche skills is so severe in some industries that interim professionals and blended workforces are becoming common practice.

Considering a temporary technology job role or an interim tech job is an excellent way to gain access to innovative London start-ups. Many of these businesses often choose to offer their temporary or interim professionals full-time positions when a project is completed, giving an ideal opportunity to negotiate an attractive remuneration package. The Robert Half Salary Guide can provide a solid basis for your negotiations.

The average tech salary in London

Before you take the leap and start applying for IT jobs in London, it’s a good idea to take the time to understand the hiring landscape and what a competitive salary benchmark looks like.

Technology industry trends suggest that employers are currently offering new employees a far higher salary and long-term employees better salaries to help incentivise them to stay. Salaries, bonuses, flexible working and good pension offerings are on the table for negotiation.

The odds may be in your favour, but learning how to negotiate a good salary and benefits package is a skill every technology professional should learn. Access our latest Salary Guide and ensure you have a firm understanding of the benefits you’d like to ask for before you begin.

Would you like to work with the Robert Half team today and start looking for your London tech start-up job? Contact us here for more. Read our Demand for Tech Talent report to learn more about the current status of the tech industry.