“Where should I move for work?” It’s a question that comes to mind for almost everyone at some point, from recent graduates looking for their first real job to seasoned professionals who’ve grown restless in their current position. Maybe you’re drawn to the hustle and bustle of London, or the UK’s industrial heartland that is Birmingham, or northern cities such as Manchester and Leeds? In actual fact, London doesn’t even make it on to this year’s list of best towns and cities for jobs, despite hundreds of thousands of cool jobs and a famous reputation for being the financial, political and media centre of the country. Why? Primarily because of the cost of living and the competition for jobs.
To make it easier for job seekers to ascertain the best towns and cities for jobs nationwide, Glassdoor released its latest jobs report on the 25 Best UK Towns & Cities To Work In for 2018. This ranking highlights UK towns and cities according to their Glassdoor Town & City Score, a figure determined by weighting three factors equally: how easy it is to get a job, how affordable it is to live there and how satisfied employees are working there.*
Here are the five towns and cities that came out on top this year, plus some of the best companies hiring in each location. Whether you are in finance or engineering, construction or consulting, healthcare or marketing, there are exciting jobs in each of these towns and cities. Start your job search today!
Glassdoor Town & City Score (out of 5): 4.3
Job Openings: 22,131
Median Base Salary: £29,500
Companies Hiring: Mars, Travelport, Equinix, Ladbrokes Coral, Haines Watts, Nando’s UK, Sytner Group and AO.com
Established as a working hub since the 1920s, Slough is now home to one of the most successful UK economies. With consistently low levels of unemployment and high average salaries, it is no surprise to see it retain number one spot. Slough also houses one of the largest trading estates in Europe which is said to contain over 400 different companies. It has great transport links, and will only get better with Heathrow’s runway expansion being agreed and Crossrail opening next year.
Glassdoor Town & City Score (out of 5): 4.2
Job Openings: 14,626
Median Base Salary: £24,000
Companies Hiring: Boeing, Hillary’s Blinds, Holland & Barrett, Roke Manor Research, Idex Consulting, Trilogy International, Elemis, Bromford and Great Western Railway.
The highest newcomer on the list, this area is seeing really strong business growth as part of the city’s Regeneration & Economic Development Strategy which will result in over £700 million pumped into the city by 2021. Gloucester has always had a strong history of advanced engineering and financial businesses, but what’s really exciting is that the council will be offering business grants to assist new startups, expanding businesses and businesses looking to relocate in the future.
Glassdoor Town & City Score (out of 5): 4.1
Job Openings: 17,145
Median Base Salary: £30,464
Companies Hiring: Arm, Schneider Electric, Bromium, Micro Focus, AstraZeneca, Sartorius, Grant Thornton UK, Software AG, Amazon, The One Group, Abcam and Investigo.
Even before London’s tech scene emerged, Cambridge was filled with some of the hottest businesses around. The city has become a tech hotspot due to its proximity to the science and engineering talent coming out of Cambridge University. It’s commuting distance to London and still retains relatively affordable rents.
Glassdoor Town & City Score (out of 5): 4.0
Job Openings: 20,601
Median Base Salary: £30,000
Companies Hiring: Turgin, Aventri, Illumio, Verizon, Taylor Wimpey, Metro Bank, Acquia, Pegasystems, Mulesoft, Experis, Carbon Black, Talent Point and Procter & Gamble.
Glassdoor Town & City Score (out of 5): 4.0
Job Openings: 21,561
Median Base Salary: £27,500
Companies Hiring: Epic Games, Waitrose & Partners, Xceptor, Lookers plc, Vacancy Filler, Allianz Insurance, Bupa, Surrey Sports Park, Jack Wills, Royal Mail, Alina Homecare and Arcadis UK.
Ready to make your next big move? Check out jobs in the locations above or check out our full list of 25 Best Towns & Cities To Work In!
Hot, New Jobs For You
