According to keyword research conducted by Tenth Revolution Group, Google searches for contract IT positions have increased by almost a quarter (23%) over the past 12 months, indicating a growing preference for temporary employment in the tech industry.

The trend, reflected in Google search volume data from February 2023 to January 2024, demonstrates a consistent rise in interest in contract tech jobs. Starting at 4,400 searches per month, the numbers steadily increased, peaking at 5,400 searches by September 2023, and maintaining that level through January 2024.

Commenting on these insights, Tenth Revolution Group chairman and CEO James Lloyd-Townshend commented: “For businesses, we’re still in the midst of waves of critical digital transformations. This often means hiring technical specialists who can dedicate their time and expertise to the work. For most organisations, contractors are great for working on one-time projects such as implementation or building additional functionality—which is where bringing in those IT specialists on a fixed-term basis makes ideal strategic sense.”

“It’s a scenario that can be very positive for businesses and tech professionals alike. The business benefits from the expertise and skills required to pursue their transformation project, and the tech professional is able to work on a project-to-project basis, creating more flexibility in their working life.”

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The search surge comes on the backdrop of 95% of all working age people in the UK being in permanent employment, according to the latest Government figures from 2022. However, during the same period almost 20% (19.9%) of paid tech listings on LinkedIn were contractors, which is triple the level observed at the beginning of the previous year. 

“The rise in searches for contract roles in tech is both noteworthy and positive. Taking in this data in the aftermath of The Great Resignation, it’s a clear and coherent picture. Contract work gives professionals that much more agency when it comes to structuring their projects, workloads, and crucially their work-life balance,” said Lloyd-Townshend.