Hiring the right technical talent has never been more competitive in the UK. Whether you need software engineers, embedded developers, or mechanical design specialists, the market in 2025 is moving faster than ever. Demand outstrips supply, meaning the best candidates are often gone before your hiring process has even started.
At Platform Recruitment, we work daily with UK employers to secure the engineers and technical professionals they need to grow and innovate. If you’re looking to fill a role, upload your vacancy today - we’ll connect you with pre-vetted candidates ready to hit the ground running.
1. Move Fast: Speed Wins in 2025
The UK technical job market is unforgiving when it comes to delays. In-demand engineers and developers are typically off the market within 7–10 days. Every additional stage in your interview process increases the risk of losing candidates to faster-moving competitors.
Example: We recently worked with a London-based robotics company that cut its hiring process from three stages to two. Their time-to-hire dropped by 40%, and they successfully secured a mechanical design engineer who was also interviewing with three other companies.
How to do it:
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Limit interviews to a maximum of 1–2 stages
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Use pre-screened candidate shortlists from your recruiter
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Block out time in diaries to ensure interviews happen within 48 hours of CV submission
2. Offer Flexible Working Arrangements
The shift towards hybrid and remote working is now standard in technical recruitment. A recent UK-wide survey found that 72% of technical professionals prefer hybrid or remote roles, and 54% would turn down a job without flexible options.
For software development and data engineering roles, remote-first hiring expands your talent pool far beyond your immediate location, allowing you to access skilled candidates nationwide.
How to do it:
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If full remote isn’t possible, consider hybrid schedules (2–3 days WFH)
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Offer flexible start and finish times to appeal to a wider range of candidates
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Be upfront about flexibility in your job descriptions - it’s a major selling point
3. Competitive Compensation Packages
Salary transparency and competitiveness are critical in 2025.
For example:
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Software engineers in London: £55k–£70k for mid-level roles, £75k+ for senior
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Contract developers: £400–£550/day
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Mechanical design engineers: £40k–£50k (mid-level), £55k+ (senior)
If your offer is below market rate, candidates are likely to walk, even after accepting an interview.
How to do it:
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Benchmark salaries regularly with your recruiter’s market data
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Factor in total compensation - including bonuses, benefits, and training allowances
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Be willing to negotiate if the candidate is the perfect fit
4. Showcase Your Company Culture
Culture is a deciding factor for many candidates. In a market where job seekers have multiple offers, your employer brand can be the deciding factor. Engineers want to know what it’s like to work for you beyond the job description.
How to do it:
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Share employee testimonials during interviews
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Highlight innovative projects or technologies they’ll be working with
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Create an engaging careers page with photos, videos, and clear company values
5. Be Transparent About Career Progression
Career development remains one of the top three priorities for technical professionals in the UK. Many engineers and developers are willing to accept slightly lower salaries if they see a clear pathway to senior positions or specialist expertise.
Example: A Cambridge-based embedded software company we work with includes a “career roadmap” document for each role they hire for, outlining possible promotions and expected timeframes. This approach has significantly improved their offer acceptance rates.
How to do it:
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Outline growth opportunities during interviews
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Provide real examples of past employee progression
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Offer training budgets and support for professional certifications
6. Prioritise Employer Responsiveness
In a fast-paced hiring market, communication speed matters. If you take a week to get back to a candidate after an interview, there’s a good chance they’ve already accepted another role.
How to do it:
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Provide interview feedback within 24-48 hours
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Keep candidates updated even if there’s no decision yet
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Work with your recruiter to ensure fast, coordinated communication
7. Leverage Specialist Recruiters
The UK technical recruitment space is highly network-driven. Specialist recruiters have pre-existing relationships with candidates who may not be actively applying but are open to the right opportunity.
At Platform Recruitment, our technical market expertise allows us to:
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Pre-qualify candidates for skills and cultural fit
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Advise on competitive salaries and benefits
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Reduce your time-to-hire by connecting you to ready-to-interview professionals
UK Technical Hiring Trends to Watch in 2025
Increased Project-Based Hiring
More companies are hiring contractors and interim staff for high-impact projects instead of expanding permanent headcount.
IR35 Awareness in Contracting
Employers are increasingly structuring contract roles to be “outside IR35” to attract high-calibre contractors while staying compliant.
Demand for Cross-Disciplinary Skills
Hybrid roles - e.g., mechanical engineers with coding skills or developers with electronics experience are seeing rapid growth in demand.
Remote-First Start-Ups Growing in the Regions
Cambridge, Bristol, and Manchester are becoming tech hotspots, attracting talent with flexible, high-paying roles.
In 2025, attracting top technical talent in the UK requires a combination of speed, flexibility, and a clear value proposition. The companies that adapt their hiring strategies to meet candidate expectations will be the ones securing the engineers and developers driving the country’s most innovative projects.
At Platform Recruitment, we specialise in connecting UK employers with top-tier technical professionals. If you’re ready to fill a role quickly and effectively, upload your job today and let our expert consultants deliver the talent your business needs.
Enjoy this? Read how to keep technical talent engaged for longer here.
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