Why tech candidates shouldn't fear the "big freeze"

By D'Arcy Roberts

They say, “When America sneezes, we all get a cold,” but here's why you shouldn't panic big tech has slowed its pace on recruiting.

Don't grab your scarf and mittens just yet; you might hear the word 'freeze' a lot, but here's why you shouldn't be panicking about the current recruitment landscape. 

Yes, big tech might be slowing down right now, but there's a distinction between big tech affecting the stock market and the rest of the recruiting environment. In the UK currently, around 2 million jobs are posted, and Tech Nation – May '21 to '22 claims one in six job listings are in the technology sector. 

The tech domain has broadened in scope in recent years, and the previous post-COVID expansions are now shrinking back to normality. This is what we're seeing as a hiring freeze. Sales Director at technology job board CW Jobs, Dominic Harvey, shared his thoughts during a recent episode of Client Server’s Talking Tech Podcast. He says that “The underlying trend is that tech is still hugely in demand, digital skills - hugely in demand, and companies still can't find these candidates easily”. 

Harvey says, “If you look at CW Jobs, [In] 2019- 34% of all jobs were in software development. That went up to 36% in 2020, down 33% in 2021, and now it's 29%' so the figures aren't showing any significant concerns.”

One thing we've learnt about the tech industry during Covid, and lockdowns is how resilient it is. The combination of Brexit and Covid causing people to return to their home countries has intensified the skills gap in the UK, with many jobs are available because of this. 

A possible recession before 2023 is concerning and how that could affect the industry, but Harvey says “There's a maturity in how we deal with recessions these days… going back to the nineties, it used to be a massive upheaval and a crisis… But I think what companies… have learnt from that is that you don't panic and get rid of everybody.”

“Certainly, no one wants a recession,” says Harvey. “But it's something that I think businesses need to plan for anyway, regardless of the circumstance we're in”. The smaller companies and companies not directly involved in tech are who will drive continued growth for the tech sector, even through a recession. 

At Client Server, we're still seeing very steady demand and high numbers of candidate applications. We are still continually placing roles, with over 400 live roles on our site currently. While headlines and big tech are scaring people with all the 'freeze' talk, it's important to remember that many of these more prominent tech companies are placating their investors. They are cutting costs by slowing down hiring to make better margins, rather than it being indicative of the technology market as a whole. Also, many of these businesses are based in America and won't always affect what is happening in Europe.

So, our message to you, is don't panic, keep applying and continue looking for career moves that will benefit you. 

If you're looking for a change and some help with the search, get in touch at info@client-server.com and we'll see what we can do for you. 

Client Server is a leading technology recruitment consultancy. We find exceptional people exceptional jobs in tech.

Find out more about us here www.client-server.com.