- Talent Works survey finds opportunities for progression and D&I are more important than salary and security amongst tech talent
- Remote and flexible working are most important to under 35s, with over 35s prioritising career progression
73% of tech talent would consider working for a startup in 2021, with male tech talent more likely to work for a startup (63%) than female (49%). That’s according to a recent survey by Talent Works, which asked UK employees in a variety of tech roles what they look for in a job and where they look for new opportunities.
When asked why they would choose a startup over a larger organisation, respondents noted the opportunities for growth and development, the ability to work on the latest tech developments, and having more involvement in the company.
The survey also revealed that opportunities for progression and company reputation are what tech applicants and employees find most important in a job role. When these results are broken down by age and gender, remote and flexible working opportunities are most important to under 35s, whereas over 35s were more likely to select career progression. Female tech talent, however, prioritises diversity and inclusion (51%), while males look for opportunities for career progression (49%).
Neil Purcell, CEO, Talent Works, commented: “With the pandemic creating a new wave of entrepreneurism and the launch of exciting startups, now is the time for these companies to be ambitious and attract tech talent to their organisations. Candidates are driven by the opportunity to join a company with innovative technology and incredible opportunities for professional growth, but startups need to make themselves seen to take advantage of the talent pool over bigger players.”
Looking for new roles
When asked where the respondents would look for their next job, 36% of respondents said they would go through a recruiter and 25% would use their own network. Job boards (23%) and social media (16%) were also cited as popular ways to find new roles, with under 35s twice as likely to use social media to find a job than over 35s.
Comparing by gender reveals that female tech talent are more likely to go through a recruiter, while males will trust their network and job boards.
Purcell added: “Today’s tech talent are finding roles across a variety of platforms, so companies need to be visible to these candidates and ensure they are catering to the spectrum of ages. However, being seen on these platforms is only the start. They also need to promote their company values and outline what sets them apart from the competition to ensure that they find the right candidates for their roles.”
