Despite mass layoffs by big tech firms such as Alphabet-owned Google that is cutting roughly 6% of its workforce, the UK tech industry demonstrated its resilience in 2022*. Software architect and founder of growing UK tech firm Talk Think Do, Matt Hammond, urges candidates not to be disheartened by the news of international redundancies and says that now is a fantastic time to be looking for opportunities in the tech sector, particularly with growing UK-based firms.

Matt explains: “There is going to be a sweet spot in the market for candidates looking for job stability. These roles might not be with the international household names, and start-ups are unlikely to be able to offer the security many desire, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist at all. SME-sized tech firms may have been considered the industry underdog historically, but I believe 2023 is going to shine a light on the immense opportunity, and stability, this section of the market can offer.

“Our customers are busier than ever and are investing heavily in largescale projects that have a high demand for software and require qualified software engineers to deliver their unique requirements.”

Countering the layoffs narrative, Talk Think Do doubled the size of its specialist team in 2022. Since the start of this year, the Dorset-based firm has onboarded four new team members and is currently hiring for another three developers and a solutions architect.

Matt predicts that data analysts, business analysts, .NET developers, cloud/data architects, data engineers, technical support, and IT security roles will be in particularly high demand this year. According to a survey by career marketplace Dice, more than 50 per cent of technology professionals feel comfortable enough in their skillset to change roles meaning this year could see growing tech firms making ambitious and impressive hires. Despite having a lower headcount, many SME employers still offer a high earning potential, competitive benefits and perks including health insurance and increased flexibility to attract top talent.

On how candidates can impress SME employers, Matt shares: “Having a clear idea as to where you can add value to a growing tech firm is key. Candidates who show that they can not only solve technical issues but can also communicate these innovations to the wider team will put themselves in a strong position to be hired. As many companies look to diversify and move into new markets, being able to manage a team and delegate tasks are also skills that can make an employee indispensable. Talk Think Do is a values-driven tech firm, so from an employer’s point of view, we’re always looking to ensure our new recruits align with these values. It’s all about mindset, being friendly and approachable, and being a good team player. This is often more important than tech skills alone.”

Matt founded Talk Think Do in 2014 to innovate, modify, and maintain advanced, bespoke cloud-native applications that enable businesses to achieve their growth objectives. Talk Think Do recently celebrated its 8-year anniversary, marking another successful milestone for the fast-growing Dorset tech company. Following immense revenue growth of over 750 percent from £267,000 in 2018 to £2.3million in 2022, the specialist team of engineers has more than doubled in 2022 and looks forward to welcoming more team members in 2023.