Blog
Insights & market intelligence
Salary data, hiring trends, career advice, and sector analysis. Written by people who actually recruit in these sectors, not a content team guessing.
Career paths in construction: from site engineer to director
Construction career progression from graduate/trainee (£24k-£30k) to site engineer to site manager to project manager to contracts manager to director.
What we have learned from placing engineering professionals
Honest reflections on what makes engineering placements stick, why hires fail, and what the best engineering employers do differently. Not a sales pitch.
Recruiting in the West Midlands: market insights for engineering employers
The West Midlands is the UK's second-largest engineering market outside London. JLR, the HS2 legacy supply chain, and a manufacturing base that survived.
How to negotiate your engineering salary: a no-nonsense guide
Engineering salary negotiation: when to negotiate, what's negotiable beyond base salary, and scripts for common scenarios.
What does an engineering director earn? Senior leadership salary guide
Engineering director salaries in the UK: £85k-£125k+ base for sector-specific directors, with bonus typically 15-30% of base.
The engineering skills shortage is not what you think it is
Candidate availability in engineering is actually rising in 2026. The shortage is not volume — it's specificity. Niche regulated experience.
Bristol and the South West: where the engineering jobs are in 2026
Bristol is the South West's engineering hub: Airbus, Rolls-Royce, GKN, and MOD Abbey Wood create sustained demand across aerospace, defence.
Contract vs permanent: when to use each for engineering roles
Contract makes sense for project peaks and niche skills; permanent for core team and IP retention. The cost comparison: a £50k permanent hire vs a.
Writing job descriptions that engineers actually read
The typical engineering JD is 1,500 words of bullet points nobody reads. Here's what works: lead with salary, name the project, describe the team.
Production manager vs operations manager: what is the difference?
Production manager vs operations manager: scope, salary, and career progression compared. Production manages shop floor output (£38k-£55k).
Engineering recruitment in the East Midlands: who is hiring and what they pay
Engineering jobs in the East Midlands: Rolls-Royce in Derby, Toyota supply chain, Boots and life sciences in Nottingham, and advanced manufacturing in.
How long should your engineering interview process take?
The ideal engineering interview process runs 2-3 weeks from application to offer. Every week you add, you lose 10-15% of the candidate pool.
What does a facilities manager earn? UK salary breakdown for 2026
Facilities manager salaries in the UK: £32k-£42k at junior level, £42k-£58k for established FMs, £58k-£75k+ for senior and regional FM roles.
Why your best engineer just handed in their notice
The top reasons engineers leave: pay they only discover is below market when approached, no visible progression, and poor management.
5 signs your recruitment agency does not understand engineering
Red flags that your recruiter is a generalist filling a gap: irrelevant CVs, wrong salary benchmarks, and a pitch that could apply to any sector.
Technical sales engineer salary and career path: the complete guide
Technical sales engineer salaries: base £30k-£45k at entry level, £50k-£80k+ OTE at senior level. How OTE structures work, what progression looks like.
Building surveyor vs quantity surveyor: roles, salary, and career paths compared
Building surveyor vs quantity surveyor: day-to-day differences, RICS pathways, salary ranges (BS £35k-£65k, QS £40k-£70k).
The real cost of a bad hire in engineering
A mid-level engineering hire that doesn't work out typically costs £30k-£50k in direct and hidden costs. Here's how to calculate your exposure and reduce.
Is the North East hiring? Engineering jobs outlook for 2026
The North East is one of the few UK regions showing permanent placement growth in early 2026. Defence spending, offshore wind.
How to compete on salary when you are an SME
You cannot outbid Rolls-Royce on base salary. But you can win engineering talent on flexibility, progression speed, variety of work, and genuine autonomy.
Construction site manager salary guide: what to expect by region
Construction site manager salaries in the UK range from £38k on small residential builds to £65k+ on major infrastructure projects. Regional breakdown for 2026.
What manufacturing engineers actually want from a job ad in 2026
Manufacturing engineers stop scrolling when they see: a salary range, a named product or project, and an honest description of the team.
What do mechanical engineers actually earn in the UK in 2026?
Mechanical engineer salary UK 2026: entry £27k-£32k, mid £38k-£50k, senior £55k-£75k+. Regional breakdown from live placements in Yorkshire, Manchester.
Why your engineering vacancy has been open for 3 months
The most common reasons engineering roles stay unfilled: salary below market, slow interview processes, and job descriptions that don't speak to.
Engineering salaries in the UK: what the market is actually paying in 2026
UK engineering salary data for 2026 by role, region, and sector. Real figures from live placements, not recycled survey data.