Finding talented developers and designers can be a challenge for tech start-ups. In our latest guest blog, Pete Smith, COO and co-founder of concert alerts service Songkick, shares his thoughts on how Silicon Milkroundabout has become one of the most anticipated events of the year for the Tech City community…

Just 18 months ago I was sitting in a pub with Ian Hogarth, my co-founder at Songkick, mulling over how UK tech start-ups could possibly compete with the recruitment muscle power of banks and large companies. Incredibly, in just a few weeks time I’ll have the opportunity to chat with up to 3,000 developers, product managers, and designers about the benefits of working for a start-up like ours.

On the weekend of 10-11 November 2012, Songkick will be one of 130 UK tech start-ups mingling with talented developers and designers at the fourth Silicon Milkroundabout jobs fair at the Old Truman Brewery warehouse on Brick Lane, at the heart of London’s Tech City.

If you ask anyone who has ever run a start-up about their biggest challenge, they’ll tell you that unless you can find and hire the best people your business will struggle to succeed.

Although the UK is fast becoming one of the best places in the world for entrepreneurs to start and grow innovative digital businesses, for many start-ups it’s difficult to firstly find the best software engineers, designers and product managers and secondly to persuade them to join a start-up rather than a larger company.

Which is why that night in the pub, Ian and I came up with the idea of a free jobs fair for the London start-up community and the Silicon Milkroundabout was born. Our idea didn’t actually start out too ambitious, just a gathering of developers and start-ups in a pub to discuss opportunities but the idea quickly caught on and by the time the first event came to fruition we had around 50 companies and 500 developers wanting to take part.

With such demand we held another event in October, followed by a third in May 2012 – each one becoming bigger and better. So far, the Silicon Milkroundabout has attracted 4,076 jobseekers to meet 154 start-ups, with 336 jobs filled, and an estimated £5,000,000 saved on recruitment fees.

This November’s two-day event will see 130 start-ups, including Badoo, Wonga.com, viagogo, Moshi Monsters and MOO.COM, look to offer 800 jobs to candidates specialising in engineering, product management and design.

We’re expecting up to 3,000 bright sparks to come through the doors of the Old Truman Brewery over the weekend with Saturday focusing on product management, analytics, UX design, and growth hacking and Sunday dedicated to software engineering, web development, QA/testing, and tech ops.

The reason the fair has proved so successful is because its premise is simple – make it easy for the country’s most talented developers and designers to connect with some of the most innovative businesses in the country.

Companies working together can show the UK’s best talent that by working for a start-up, you can directly help create something big and learn enough to perhaps start your own start-up in the future and become one of the UK’s next high-tech entrepreneurs.

The fair’s friendly and welcoming atmosphere has also definitely helped – there’s a free bar and a place for people to relax, chat and have a drink with potential colleagues. And it’s not like just another graduate fair; many UK start-ups aim to pick up a developer or two from the full spectrum of experience, anything from one year to 40 years. Indeed, at November’s event we will have a crèche for the first time – run by Moshi Monsters – for attendees with young families who would otherwise find it tough to attend on a weekend.

With the high-tech sector in such great condition, there’s never been a better time to join a UK tech start-up. I’m proud that the Silicon Milkroundabout is helping to get the message out there that by working for a small, entrepreneurial business, you have the potential to directly help make things happen.

Songkick, the second-largest live music destination after Live Nation, aggregates artist, concert, festival, venue, and ticket information from across 70 countries, so fans can receive personalised alerts for upcoming shows in their town and find the best ticket offers.

Silicon Milkroundabout is the twice-annual jobs fair matching the UK’s tech start-ups with designers, product managers and software developers. It takes place in London in May and November each year – the next one is taking place at the Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, E1, on 10-11 November. Check out the website for more details, or follow the team on Twitter.