IT technicians perform a critical function for the organisations they work for in that their principal role is to ensure the smooth, fault-free running of their employer’s computer systems, repairing, maintaining and analysing everything from laptops to complex systems capable of monitoring the planet’s atmosphere.
IT technician salary expectations.
Research-based on recent job adverts for IT technicians in the UK is perhaps the most reliable guide to the salaries applicants for these roles can expect to find. Currently, those looking for such posts can expect to earn between £22,000 at entry-level and as much as £28,000 at the higher end of the scale, with the average annual rate being £25,000 (some research would suggest that the figures are a little lower, at between £19,000 and £25,000 respectively, with the average being £22,000). Senior IT technicians can expect to command between £24,000 and £28,500, with an average of £26,000.
Usually, applicants will find that IT technician jobs are advertised with a range of earnings which depend on candidate age, experience and qualifications (for example, £24,000 - £28,000). Some employers will also additional benefits on top of the salary, while others will sometimes offer a company vehicle, especially if the job advertised is for a field technician who is required to move from site to site.
Best locations to increase your salary.
London is one of the highest-paying regions in the country for IT technicians, but candidates should be aware that finding accommodation in the capital and the cost of living more generally is appreciably higher than elsewhere in the UK. The South East region has traditionally been a good source of relatively well-remunerated IT technician jobs, but tech hubs are growing across the country now, especially in Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh, offering numerous new openings.
Ways to boost your salary.
However, the wisest means for a candidate to locate the optimal IT technician salary is undoubtedly to use the services of an established, experienced recruiter with known specialist expertise in the sector. Candidates will be offered opportunities in line with their qualifications and experience with a knowledgeable recruiter, who will also endeavour to source vacancies commensurate with an individual applicant’s career aspirations too.
These services are of considerable value not only to entry-level candidates with little experience of the IT Technician jobs market but for higher-level candidates, too. A good recruiter will take the donkey work out of sourcing the best available roles and will not place candidates for an interview if the match between the client's requirements and the applicant's skills is minimal to non-existent. A good deal of time-wasting is prevented this way and candidates can usually bank on receiving invaluable feedback from the recruiter even if they were unsuccessful at interview.
Other ways to boost salaries, of course, are to undertake training on a regular basis to keep professional development and skills up-to-date and to consider contracting as opposed to permanent roles. This may be a more suitable option for a more experienced technician than a “rookie”, but companies are often willing to pay considerably better hourly or daily rates for skilled IT contractors in exchange for the flexibility provided. Contractors do not incur the overhead costs of salaried staff such as paid holiday leave and paid sick leave.
