Interview advice for a fintech career
Being a FinTech professional isn’t like operating in other sectors. While top performers are always in demand, the recruitment process goes beyond looking at someone's technical abilities. If you want to get hired for that next role, you’re also going to need to demonstrate that you’re a great fit for the company.
For startups and well-established companies, selecting the right professionals to form their teams is essential. If you want to increase your chances of getting hired, read on and digest our top tips. We have all of the interview advice that you’re going to need.
Research is key
The biggest mistake that you can make through the recruitment process, is having a scattergun approach. By applying for numerous companies, you’re perhaps not taking the time to get to know all about the FinTech company that is offering you an interview. If you want to get hired, you need to demonstrate that you’ve taken the time to learn all that you can about the company that you could be working for.
It’s easy to spend some time reviewing a FinTech company website. Take the time to understand the product that this company offers and investigate what it is that makes it stand out from the crowd. Take the time to review recent news articles and check out their social channels.
Live and breathe the job description
One of the top pieces of interview advice, when looking at FinTech positions, is that you need to know the job description inside out. This has been put together by the company so that you know exactly what they are looking for. To have made it through to an interview, you’ve already demonstrated your capabilities so don’t fall at the last hurdle.
Be sure that you’re ready to give examples of exactly how you meet all of the requirements that have been asked for. It may well be that there are one or two points that you can’t tick off. That’s okay: just be sure that you can still talk about these and explain a plan.
Focus on your skills
If you want to get hired and start working in your dream FinTech post, the recruitment process is where you’re going to need to demonstrate your skills. If you’re looking at your next career move, there’s a good chance that you already have an abundance of experience. However, your current role may not have allowed/needed you to fully explore every skill. Brush up on those that you’ve not used for a while.
By its very nature, the FinTech industry is fast-moving, evolves quickly, and is growing. Take the time to research the latest developments and hone any new skills that may be required.
Remember to be you
Yes, if you want to get hired you’re going to need to demonstrate how you’re capable of utilising the required skills and how you tick off all of the points on the job description. However, equally important is taking the time to show the company who you are and what makes you tick. They want to be sure that you can fit in and gel with a team. They also want to see that you’re the kind of person who has ambition and can drive things forward.
Make sure that you’re ready with examples for your interview. Be able to demonstrate when you’ve done a great job within a team. Think of instances when you’ve been the driving force behind change. Show that you’re a potential asset.
Be ready for common questions
Perhaps the best piece of interview advice that you’ll find, is all about preparing for some of the most common questions that you’ll come across. It’s easy to carry out a little research and find these. Here’s a look at 5 to get you started:
What is it about this position that appeals to you?
If you’ve taken the time to get to know the job description, this question should become a little easier to answer. You need to be able to talk in such a way that shows how your skills are a match for what the company is looking for. With many FinTech companies being startups, it is also a great opportunity to mention any entrepreneurial flair that you may have and how this makes you a perfect fit.
Short- and long-term goals
You can be relatively sure that, during the recruitment process, you’ll be asked about your goals. There needs to be evidence that your short- and long-term goals go together well and that they benefit the company, as well as you. It could be that in the short term you want to be able to stay on top of all the latest trends. This could link to a long-term goal of being able to identify trends and be ahead of them.
Where do you thrive?
A FinTech company is likely to ask you about the type of environment that you work best in. This question is used to be sure that you’re going to be a good fit for the company’s culture. Taking your time to prepare for this question gives you the opportunity to demonstrate that you’re a perfect fit and hold the values that the company is seeking.
How would you improve our business?
This is a great way for a company to check how well you have carried out your research. If you know the company well, you’ll be able to suggest an area or two where you believe they could improve. Of course, these areas are going to be ones where you have great strengths and skills, making you the ideal person to bring about the required improvements.
Why you?
There may well be a question as direct as asking why you should get hired. Take this opportunity to talk about all of your past experiences and the skills that you have gained on the way. Remember, FinTech is ever-evolving so be sure not to just focus on the past. You need to show that you're agile and adaptable, ready for any change.
