The best, most talented and happiest cities to work in. Join us!

London may have been named talent capital of the world just a few days ago but this week Aberdeen is where it’s at.  A report released today highlighted the UK’s oil capital as the best Scottish city to live and work in – and second best in the UK.  The 2013 Good Growth for Cities index says the Granite City is growing more successfully than almost every other British city, including London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Only Reading and Bracknell pipped us to the post.

Aberdeen

Looking at this with a recruitment eye, these facts easily translate.  The ambitious city of Aberdeen is a bit of a magnet for career-hungry overseas candidates.  

Since the discovery of north-sea oil in the 1970s, the economy has been blossoming, prospering and all those good things.  Accountancy consultants PwC pegged Aberdeen with the potential to create 120,000 new energy industry jobs by 2022.  At the moment we have a healthy job market and steady business growth and start-up rates, not to mention a busy culture with lots of day and night-time attractions.  Unemployment rates are low, transport links are excellent and the flagship University is ranked in the world’s top 1%.  The city even scooped the title of ‘happiest city in the UK’ last year.  What’s not to love?

Jagoda Piatkowska moved to Aberdeen from the Czech Republic and took up a role at global engineering and project management consultants AMEC.  She says: “Aberdeen is a friendly and safe place to live.  It has a great social life with plenty of cinemas, bars, clubs and shopping centres.  You’ll also find fantastic walking routes, fishing villages or sandy beaches only few miles outside Aberdeen.”

London

To be fair though, it’s not just Aberdeen.  We mentioned the London “talent capital” accolade earlier: the dynamic city was marked the best in the world for employment in high-skilled, knowledge-based jobs.  With 1.5 million people in high skilled sectors and a prediction of 300,000 more jobs by 2020, it’s not surprising that this economic powerhouse attracts excellent British and international talent.  London's strong expat community shows its worldwide attraction and with 300 theatres, 600 cinema screens and 12,000 restaurants it's a cultural goldmine too.  

The UK as a whole, one of the world’s most multi-cultural and diverse countries in the world, is an increasingly attractive destination for talented job-hunters.  We’ve recently seen evidence of this first-hand, supporting AMEC’s recruitment road shows in Spain and the Czech Republic.  The events were a hit with impressive numbers from each country shortlisted for potential roles across the UK – not just in London and Aberdeen but in the north east and north west of England too.  The area has a host of engineering projects but a spectacular atmosphere too, with spectacular scenery and Europe’s largest shopping and leisure facility.

Jagoda continues: “Working in the UK will give you the opportunity to meet people from different countries and backgrounds.  You’ll feel welcomed and respected at your work and supported in your career development.  Also, people work safely in the UK and are encouraged to take care of each other.”

Survey results occasionally go unnoticed but this one is worth paying attention to.  Global mobility will be a big buzzword of 2014 and setting your sights on one of these locations would be a good move. 

So, fancy being one of the happiest people in the UK, working in the best Scottish city?  Or perhaps being in Britain’s talent hotspot spikes your interest?  Click here to plan your next career move.