Is Product in Scotland… Dead?

I’ll admit it—this title is a bit dramatic. The product market in Scotland isn’t dead, but it’s definitely taken a hit. And frankly, I didn’t see it coming.

I’ve been recruiting in the Scottish tech space for nearly a decade, with over six years focused specifically on product roles. In that time, I’ve never seen demand for Product Owners and Product Managers as low as it feels right now.

What’s Going On?

First, let’s acknowledge that I’m a small sample size. But having worked in this space for so long, I’ve developed a pretty solid feel for its ups and downs. Since around summer 2023, product hiring has slowed significantly, even as other areas of tech—Software, Data, DevOps, and Management—have bounced back more quickly.

Before this downturn, product was one of the busiest areas in my world. Now? Not so much. I’ve spoken with a range of product professionals, both senior and mid-level, to get their take. Some think more product leaders are moving abroad, while others suggest software teams might be absorbing traditional product responsibilities. If the latter is true, that feels like a major regression for the industry.

The Numbers Don’t Look Great

To get a more data-driven view, I pulled some stats from LinkedIn Talent Insights:

• Only 11.6% of Product Owners and Product Managers in Scotland have moved jobs in the past year. Given that the average tenure in Scottish tech is 2.5 years, you’d typically expect 40% to be open to moving at any time. That 11.6% figure? Alarmingly low.
• Over the past year, there have been just 57 Product Owner or Product Manager roles posted in Scotland. I don’t have historical data for comparison, but that feels… tiny.

What’s Next?

So, is this just a blip, or a sign of a bigger shift? Have you noticed the same trend, or is my perspective skewed? For years, around half my time was spent finding great product people for Scottish tech companies. Now, that figure is in the single digits.

I really hope we’ll see a resurgence—both for the health of the industry and, let’s be honest, for my commission. But if you’re one of the companies still struggling to find top product talent, get in touch. Because right now, I’d love to hear from you.