Coming to London as a Junior Software Engineer
City perks, gut feelings and exciting new beginnings
Widely known as one of the biggest financial hubs in the world, London has a unique vibe.
Its vibrant atmosphere, wide range of opportunities, and extensive network make London one of the best cities in the world to build a career, especially in the tech scene (no pun intended).
Today, I want to share my experience of moving to London as a Junior Software Engineer—what I felt, how the market was behaving, and what I learned. Let’s dive in!
A new opportunity
December 2020. I was bored, at home in Spain, and not in the best mood. Covid had made 2020 a very tough year for everyone, and my situation was no different.
I vividly remember looking into new opportunities abroad, checking which countries were beginning to open their borders.
Then, by chance, I received an offer that would change the course of my career.
I got a job offer through LinkedIn to work as a contractor for a top-tier bank in the UK. The role looked very appealing, but I didn’t have UK citizenship or a visa to live and work there as a contractor.
That’s when I decided to actively apply for roles, and in less than two weeks, I received a full-time offer!
First insights in the UK Tech Market
Despite all the uncertainty, the truth is that in 2021, many tech companies were growing massively. The Covid pandemic and the rise of remote work left many British companies struggling to find software engineering talent, and the market was thriving—something I experienced firsthand after relocating. Numerous companies reached out, and the possibilities seemed endless.
Additionally, being in one of the biggest financial hubs in the world, it became clear how the finance sector dominated other industries in the UK. Many companies were either fintech or closely related to it in some way.
Salary range
One of the most important things to learn early in your career is how to manage your finances. Before making any bold decisions, such as relocating, it’s crucial to have all the information at your disposal.
I strongly recommend researching average junior software engineering salaries on platforms like Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, or Indeed.
From my personal experience, a junior engineer salary in London can range between £50,000 and £70,000, depending on factors such as company size, industry, and years of experience.
Lessons learned
One thing I quickly learned was the vast range of opportunities London has to offer: top universities with an entrepreneurial spirit and cutting-edge research, established big tech companies, a steady stream of promising startups being funded and incubated, and stable small to mid-sized engineering firms. All of these factors contribute to what is arguably one of the best job markets for software engineers in Europe.
Another aspect that simplifies life for engineers in the UK is how opportunities are distributed across different sectors. While you can work as an engineer in almost any industry (especially with the rise of remote work), two major sectors dominate the tech market here: fintech and AI.
These sectors employ a significant portion of software engineers in the UK. Whether you're in college applying for internships or seeking full-time roles, chances are you’ll find yourself gravitating towards one or both of these fields, which offer similar salary bands, career growth, and financial opportunities.
Additionally, the interview process across most reputable tech companies in the UK is fairly standardized. It typically includes algorithm and data structure-based coding interviews, a behavioral interview, and sometimes a system design round, making it easier for engineers to navigate the job market.
Conclusion
If you’re considering moving to the UK to work as a software engineer, I truly hope you found this post helpful. If so, feel free to subscribe, and I’ll see you in the next one!