Fintech Jobs: And How To Find Them.

Finding Your Next Role in Fintech - Episode 1

If you're struggling to land a job in fintech here in Australia, you're probably approaching it the wrong way.

Most people searching for fintech jobs treat the hiring process like they're applying for permission to work. They craft the perfect resume, polish their LinkedIn profile, and hope someone notices them among hundreds of other applicants. But here's the uncomfortable truth: in today's competitive fintech job market where candidates need an average of 294 applications to secure employment, being "qualified" isn't enough anymore.

It's time to stop looking for happiness and start solving problems.

The Career Balance Sheet Framework for Fintech Jobs

In Episode 1 of our new video series, Finding Your Next Role in Fintech, we introduce a framework that flips the traditional fintech job search on its head: the Career Balance Sheet.

Just like a company's balance sheet shows assets and liabilities, your Career Balance Sheet demonstrates the tangible value you've created throughout your career. But instead of listing job duties and responsibilities, you're documenting concrete problems you've solved and quantifying the value you've delivered.

This isn't about exaggeration or spin. It's about recognising that every role you've held, every project you've completed, and every challenge you've overcome has created measurable value for someone. Your job is to articulate it clearly.

Why This Changes Everything When Applying for roles in Fintech

When you position yourself as a problem-solver rather than just another applicant in the fintech jobs market, three things happen:

  1. You stand out immediately. While other candidates applying for fintech jobs are saying "I have 5 years of experience in payments," you're saying "I reduced payment processing failures by 40%, saving $1.2M annually."
  2. You speak the language of business. Fintech executives don't hire people for credentials, they hire solutions to their problems. When you demonstrate that you understand their challenges and have solved similar ones before, you're no longer competing on qualifications alone in the fintech job market.
  3. You build confidence. Searching for fintech jobs can be demoralising, especially when you're facing rejection after rejection. But when you take inventory of the real value you've created, you remember what you're capable of and that confidence shows up in every interview.

Real Examples of Career Balance Sheets for Fintech Roles

In the episode, we walk through four detailed examples across different fintech roles. These real-world scenarios show how professionals in various fintech jobs have documented their value:

The AI Implementation (Risk & Compliance)

The Regulatory Framework (Compliance Leadership)

The Strategic Sale (Business Development)

The Product Acceleration (Operations/Product)

Each example demonstrates a simple but powerful formula: Problem + Solution + Quantified Value = Your Competitive Advantage

Types of Fintech Jobs This Framework Works For

This Career Balance Sheet approach works across all fintech jobs, including:

No matter what type of fintech job you're pursuing, documenting your value creation is what sets you apart from other candidates.

Building Your Own Career Balance Sheet

Ready to document your value? We've created a free Career Balance Sheet worksheet to guide you through the process.

The worksheet helps you:

Download the Career Balance Sheet Worksheet (Free PDF)

Why This Matters for Fintech Jobs in 2025

In 2025, fintech jobs in Australia have become more competitive than ever. With sustained economic pressures and increased application volumes, standing out in the fintech job market requires more than just qualifications, it requires proof of how much value you create.

The candidates getting hired aren't necessarily the most experienced. They're the ones who can clearly articulate the problems they solve and the value they create. This approach gives you a competitive edge.

Understanding what fintech employers are really looking for (problem-solvers who can demonstrate measurable impact) is the key to landing your next fintech role.

Watch the Full Episode

This blog post only scratches the surface of what we cover in Episode 1. In the full video, we walk through:

About This Series

Finding Your Next Role in Fintech is a 5-part video series that applies business methodologies like first principles thinking, lean startup, design thinking, enterprise software sales frameworks and go-to-market strategies to your Fintech Job Search. Whether you're pursuing permanent roles or exploring fractional opportunities, this series will transform how you approach the fintech job market.

Coming Soon:

Looking for Fintech Jobs in Australia?

At Tier One People, we specialise in connecting exceptional fintech talent with financial technology companies across Australia and globally. Whether you're searching for fintech jobs in risk management, compliance, payments, lending, or business development, we understand what employers are looking for.

If you're ready to position yourself as a problem-solver rather than just another applicant in the fintech job market, we'd love to connect.

Explore Fintech Jobs | Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Dexter Cousins is Managing Director of Tier One People and host of the Fintech Chatter Podcast. With over 25 years in recruitment, he works at the intersection of AI and fintech, helping shape Australia's position in the global fintech ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fintech Jobs

How hard is it to find a job in Fintech in Australia right now?
Fintech jobs in Australia are highly competitive in 2024-2025, with candidates needing an average of 37 applications to secure employment. The market has seen increased application volumes due to economic pressures, making it essential to differentiate yourself through proven value creation rather than just qualifications.

What skills do employers look for in fintech jobs?
Fintech employers prioritise problem-solving abilities and measurable business impact over credentials alone. They look for candidates who can demonstrate how they've created value through cost savings, revenue generation, risk mitigation, or process improvements in previous roles.

How can I stand out when applying for fintech jobs?
Use the Career Balance Sheet framework to document specific problems you've solved and quantify the value you've created. Instead of listing job duties, show concrete results like "reduced compliance processing time by 85%" or "generated $20M in new ARR."

Are there remote fintech jobs available in Australia?
Yes, many fintech companies across Australia now offer remote and hybrid fintech jobs, especially in technology, compliance, and business development roles. The Career Balance Sheet approach works equally well for remote fintech positions.

What types of fintech jobs are most in-demand?
Currently, high-demand fintech jobs in Australia include compliance and risk management specialists, AI/ML engineers, payments specialists, business development professionals, and product managers with fintech experience.

Australian Fintech - The Journey Ahead

Last week was a MASSIVE week for the Australian Fintech Industry.

Intersekt 2022 was bigger and better than ever. Two days of conversations, insights, friendships being formed and connections being made. Along with lots of reunions, laughs, hugs and parties!

Almost 1000 people attended the sell-out event in what was a defining moment for the Fintech industry in Australia.

Tier One People founder Dexter Cousins shares his thoughts on where Australian Fintech is headed in this opinion piece.

I had hundreds of conversations at Intersekt, if you came up and said ‘hi’ thanks so much. I am genuinely blown away by the support for the podcast and the impact it has. It was a real highlight getting to meet so many listeners in person.

I also had many conversations with founders, CEO’s, Board advisors and investors. And it’s given me a pulse on the current state of the Fintech industry not just in Australia but globally.

Here are some of the insights I gained from those conversations and what it all could mean for Australian Fintech over the next 12 months or so.

Funding and Capital Raising:

Deals are happening, but mainly at the seed and series A stage. Pretty much every VC and investor I spoke with were clear, they want to see revenue and they want to see product market fit and a strong use case.

They are also scrutinising founders a lot more ensuring the capital is spent wisely on key/mission-critical hires and driving revenue growth. It seems insane to be even saying this but Lean Startup is very much back in fashion!

There’s still some unsavoury behaviour going on with term sheets pulled at the last minute. But it is giving opportunities to Fintechs who offer alternative sources of funding. Could this be an opportunity for companies like Fundabl or FundSquire (who had a heavy presence at Intersekt,) to really kick on in 2023?

Challenges ahead for Fintech lenders

For lending Fintechs, life is getting tougher especially if warehouse funding deals are up for renewal.There’s definitely pressure in the home lending space as sales drop and the e cost of funding has increased 5x in 2022.

Offering interest free credit is going to prove very costly. And I am seeing BNPL businesses start to reinvent their propositions. Last year every lending business was wearing the BNPL badge, but now many Fintech are trying to rid themselves of that badge.

I expect to see consolidation and transformation in these businesses. Again these are skills required in the aftermath of the GFC across Aussie banks and financial institutions.

UK Fintech vs Australian Fintech

So where is The good news? I was pleasantly surprised by the energy and optimism last week.

The week started off very positively by joining up with the UK Department of International Trade Fintech delegation.

10 Fintech companies made up the delegation as well as representatives from Fintech North.

It’s always good to get an outsider's view and the feedback I received was positive with most delegates feeling Australia is a place they could do business. Our guests from the UK seem genuinely excited by the Australian opportunity.

Listen to UK Fintech Companies to watch out for

Everyone at Intersekt who I spoke to acknowledges the challenges we face.

Sadly there were many people and companies not at Intersekt 2022. Volt Bank and Xinja are two high-profile examples that in Fintech fortune rarely favours the brave.

But there is an optimism and acceptance that we are moving into phase 3 of Fintech. If I cast my mind back 4 years ago and Sibos 2018, that was a landmark moment for Fintech down under. It’s a point where I personally felt I had made the right business decision by specialising in Fintech.

I have had some doubts over the past 12 months, especially with the noise around Web3. But Intersekt has rekindled my belief and passion for Fintech and here’s why:

Payments, Crypto and Blockchain Converge

Payments/defi, accounting/cost management, business lending, home loans and tech infrastructure are all growth opportunities.

The discussions in payments were all about tokenisation, CBDC’s and Defi. My fundamental belief is that these technologies would always play a role. My hesitation has always been centred around the technology usurping sovereign currencies.

That dream is a over and we are clearly seeing a world where the two coexist and enable rapid innovation.

Can Australian Fintech rescue the economy?

As we enter tough economic times small businesses in Australia face a significant threat. I'm a small business owner and the CX and UX from my bank is woeful. The problem is I have very few options and the process of changing banks is heavily paper focussed and manual.

Access to capital remains a major problem with the segment largely ignored by the major banks. Here's the problem, Australia has 2.4m small businesses, including 1.5m sole traders. This is the lifeblood of Australia's economy.

I am genuinely excited by the solutions being built by my friends at Cape, Thriday, Hnry, MyGigsters, Patron - and as I mentioned previously alternative funding sources.

MyGigsters is a great example of why I am so optimistic. My key takeaway from last week is this.

Australian Fintech is now a self-sufficient industry

Fintechs are building solutions that enable other Fintechs to launch and scale at low cost and fast. Running lean is now possible, building prototypes and getting products to customers can be done faster and cheaper than ever.

Back in 2018 a platform like MyGigsters would be very difficult to build and would take serious investment. By partnering with other Fintech's MyGigsters has been able to build something fast, at a low cost and get 3000 customers in 12 months.

It’s this infrastructure that enables rapid innovation. Lean startup really suits the Aussie market, we have a high proportion of entrepreneurs and almost 10% of the population own a business or are a sole trader.

Executive Hiring in Fintech

Hiring at an Executive level has started to ramp up again after a quiet couple of months.

There are some important trends to be aware of. All hires I’m working on now require Execs with experience in managing through a downturn.

Even in Chief Product Officer roles the emphasis is shifting from tech/UX to leaders who can manage a P&L and demonstrate growing top line while cutting costs.

If you started your career post-GFC this may seem a little strange to you, but for those who went through the GFC, it looks like your experience could be in demand over the next 18 months.

The Australian Fintech Job Market

The last 6 months have seen redundancies- more will follow!

So far the majority of redundancies have been poor performers, quiet quitters and those who refuse to return to the office. Sounds harsh but it’s a fact.

I’ve been vocal on this over the last six months to try and prepare my network for the change we are experiencing.

We all face a harsh reality now, the only indication that your operating model is working is profitability

Phase one of redundancies is to let go of the people who you won’t miss. Don’t let the crying CEO posts on LinkedIn fool you. There have been some serious performance and attitude issues for leadership to deal with over the last two years.

We are now hitting a phase of redundancies where great people are let go and top talent will hit the market. If you are a startup founder don’t get too excited just yet.

Salaries continue to be an issue. I see future pain for companies who have recently hired $150k candidates at $300k. As one CEO pointed out

‘at $160k they were great, but at $300k I’d expect 3 times the output I am getting from them today’

Elevating talent to their 1st exec position with only a few years of experience is like sending lambs to the slaughter in this current climate.

If you've had staff poached by offering double their salary, this may actually strengthen you and weaken your competitors. I expect to see serious levels of burnout as a result.

Where is the top Fintech Talent moving?

And this is why I think Profitable businesses will become the most sought after by talent. Sadly the industry will lose talent to Banks and tech companies like Canva will continue to poach our best people.

If I remember back to the GFC ‘unfashionable’ profitable companies were able to attract top talent from investment banks and management consultancies, as they sought a safe haven.

Commonwealth Bank is a great example, where they have transformed into one of the best-run digital banks in the world. Pre-GFC it was very difficult to convince tier-one talent that CBA was the right place for them.

Established, profitable companies in payments and financial services looking to innovate will offer compelling opportunities to top talent burnt out by startup life.

I am already seeing oustanding people avoid startups for more stable companies as we navigate this uncertain period.

Fintechs who run lean, generate revenue. move fast to profitability and have achieved product/market fit will attract the best investors and the best talent.

Fintech Jobs Report

Welcome To The Tier One People Fintech Jobs Report.

Sydney Advertises Four Hundred Fintech Jobs!

Developers and Engineers make up more than 50% of all jobs advertised in Australia.

On the face of it, the Sydney Fintech jobs market is going gangbusters compared to every other city with almost 400 advertised positions. But when we analysed the data from advertising platforms including Seek, Indeed, Glass Door, LinkedIn, the real story was nowhere near as impressive.

Find out which jobs are in demand, who is doing the hiring and how using recruiters could be doing your business more harm than good.

Download The Report

Fintech Hiring Market Update

"There is a lot of uncertainty in the market which is concerning for business leaders. A Royal Commission, open banking, a looming Brexit, a general election, Apple moving into financial services, Libra. All of these things are weighing on executives minds."

Will the fintech platform we are building today be relevant 12 months from now?

Technology and global markets seem to be moving so fast, most executives are struggling to keep pace. Couple that with the changing regulatory landscape and looking further than 12 months into the future is creating indecision. When decisions are finally made, the market has moved on, the goal posts have changed and so the process starts all over again!

Is The Fintech Hiring Market Stalling?

The answer is no if we look at investment numbers. But we are entering a new evolution, Fintech 2.0 and the platform play. The pressure is on for founders and executives to deliver to investors and shareholders. The challenge for scaling Fintechs appears to be plateauing top line growth or even an obsolete product/business model.

Most Fintech to date are apps/features or middle layer software solutions. But with the emergence of 'Super Apps' like Revolut the competition is becoming much tougher. And customers expectations are rising.

When it comes to scaling the business two options are most often considered. Grow geographically (Cover Genius and AfterPay have taken this approach) or pivot domestically. To pivot successfully requires two things; new products and people to drive the sales of new products.

Pivots are not exclusive to scaling startups. We see an increasing demand for Fintech talent from corporations pivoting their own product lines. Some are even reinventing their business models. Some examples include FSI’s, Insurers and Software companies.

Based on our assessment of the market there is significant demand for two profiles from Fintech.

Chief Product Officer/Head of Product.

Founders and business leaders seem to be crying out for commercial product managers with the ability to deliver the killer product. Indeed, the EY/Fintech Australia Census 2019 highights Product/Market Fit as the number one challenge for Fintech.

Product areas appear well stocked with those who can project manage. Strategic and commercial acumen seems to be in short supply, leading to months wasted on product development before a market fit has been established. Business leaders dream of applying Lean Startup Principles. While Product teams seem obsessed with following Agile rather than being Agile.

What is the answer?


2019 has seen an increase in Head of Product and a Chief Product Officer searches at Tier One People. We sourced 75% of shortlisted candidates domestically. 25% were international candidates. However, it is a 50/50 split on domestic and international hires made.

Based on the client feedback, it was felt international candidates demonstrated clearer commercial thinking. Most importantly, talent could point to several examples in which they had taken a product from idea to revenue generation, at scale.

It seems the product management community is acutely aware of the problem. Read this excellent blog post by Adrienne Tan https://brainmates.com.au/product-management/cut-out-product-management/

Sales Director/Head of Partnerships.

Revenue growth is hard to come by and the pressure is beginning to show signs. The sizzle of Fintech has attracted a lot of investment. Indeed 2018 saw an all time record for Fintech investment in Australia. And with the additional investment come higher expectations.

I wrote of this phenomenon three years ago, when SaaS businesses went on huge hiring sprees for business development managers.

We are seeing increased demand for people who can bring in new business. Especially significant corporate partnerships that will make an immediate and long term impact on revenue growth.

B2B sales is complex. Deals can take anywhere from 6 - 18 months. B2B2C deals may not take as long, but with API integration to be factored in, there is a heavy dose of project management required to onboard any new client. Deals are fragile and complex with technology and regulatory roadblocks often leading to months of work being wasted.

The market is reacting with an increasing demand for Partnerships Directors. These are rare people indeed. A Partnerships Director must possess the hustle and entrepreneurial drive of a sales person. But with empathy/relationship building and well developed project management skills. If that wasn’t difficult enough to find, strong product knowledge and hands on operational experience is considered essential to the role.

Tier One People have had success sourcing talent from the UK and US markets which are more accustomed to this model.

Design Thinking For Hiring.

Our clients seem to be experiencing better outcomes by adopting a design thinking approach to hiring. Over the last year we have been working with a small group of trusted clients on a new approach to recruitment. It has been so successful that two clients saved close to $500,000.

If you would like to find out more, get in touch to organise a consultation.

FinTech Talent Hot Spots in 2019

 2019 is shaping up to be a HUGE year for FinTech in Australia. But where is all the FinTech Talent to help you grow your business?

Together with our partners, clients and good old market research we have compiled a list of the most in demand skills. FinTech startups can’t match the salaries of well capitalised businesses and often struggle to hire the talent they need. We have excluded startup data from our research and have focussed on companies series A and beyond.

Sales Directors.

Banking and Financial Services Software companies have big plans in 2019. Established banks will look to defend their position as Australia goes Neo Bank crazy. Large international players now see Australia as a major strategic play as open banking puts Australia on the map for innovation.

New banks means new clients requiring core banking systems, lending platforms, security, CRM, Analytics. An endless list!

Sadly, there is a serious lack of sales talent out there. Expect to pay $180,000 as a base salary for anyone with 5 years-experience enterprise software/SaaS sales. But don’t expect too much in return for your money. Most sales people change companies every 12 – 18 months. In an environment where deals can take anywhere from 6 -18 months to complete, even at $180,000 you won’t get a deal closer.

If you are looking to grow your FinTech business by hiring someone who can close deals with Banks and Financial Institutions, expect to fork out $220,000 plus bonus, benefits and LTI, if you want to see results. Take a look at this advert as an example.

Head of Partnerships.

FinTech’s with a B2B or B2B2C model require Account Directors who can win new business and act as the link between the tech team and client. So, they created the Head of Partnerships role.

Part Business Development, part Account Management, to secure the best people for this type of role you are looking $180,000 - $200,000 plus bonuses/benefits.

As this is a fairly new role to the Australian market, talent from advertising and media agencies can often present the best skills match. Alternatively we find talent from the US and UK are accustomed to this model and will often make the best hires.

Chief Growth Officer.

Are the days of the CMO numbered, a slow death by 1000 (job) cuts? Marketing today is all about growth - ROI and the numbers don’t lie!

Sales and Marketing, especially in B2B models is returning back to its origins, one integrated and seamless function. The revenue generating engine room of the business. The challenge lies in finding people with a broad base of experience, that encompasses Product, Sales Pipeline, Digital Marketing, PR and Brand.

$225,000 plus super and bonuses is the starting point for a capable CGO who will deliver results. Expect to pay more depending on the size and scale of the role.

Senior Product Managers

Judging by the feedback from clients and the market, it seems many FinTech’s are considering a pivot or growth into new markets. We have held a number of discussions over the last 90 days with clients looking for a similar profile. A Head of Product Development who can change Product teams focused on process ( and who seem convinced that applying Agile methodology solves everything) into product development teams shipping product that sells.

The right person typically comes from an engineering background. They break the mould by demonstrating commercial acumen/results and an ability to change the behaviours and beliefs of product teams.

Expect to pay anywhere from $180,000 plus benefits and bonus for this type of person. Our research suggests they will be in big demand 2019, no doubt the figure will rise.

Cyber Security.

As the challenger banks officially launch in 2019, the thing that keeps CEO’s awake at night (apart from trying to get a license) is security. Ironically, the best Cyber Security people I know don’t class themselves as Cyber Security specialists. They are risk experts.

If you are on the hunt for a Cyber Security specialist expect to pay big dollars. Or go to the source, Eastern Europe and hire the people who are your potential threat!

Developers and Engineers

No change there, each year it gets harder. I heard Google recently paid an engineer in London a $3m salary. Expect to pay what you have to pay to get the right person. It is extreme, but we have plans underway to help the FinTech community access top development talent on reasonable salaries!

Data Science.

AI continues to be the buzzword of 2019. Will it follow the same path as Blockchain? Business leaders are beginning to recognise the limitations of Ai and the potential business issues it can cause.

Instead of replacing humans, the buzzword of 2019 will be ‘augmentation’ as we seek to automate mundane tasks. The emphasis will be on machine learning. Hardly ground breaking, we have been doing that in the workplace since the industrial revolution!

Still, a great data scientist will cost around $150,000 in 2019. And if you want a genuine AI/ML specialist, our research team is scouring the universities and colleges around the world.

 

Making a Career Move to FinTech

Fintech is one of the hottest employment sectors. With banking and financial services facing HUGE disruption and so many banking and financial services execs entering the Fintech job market, there is increased competition for opportunities.

Lean Startup Approach To Job Hunting.

When Tier One People does advertise a role, we receive 150 – 200 applications on average. Couple that with a market search and on average you are competing against 300 plus potential candidates. How can you give yourself a competitive edge and ensure you are the one securing the dream move to Fintech?

I've been in the recruitment game for over twenty years. Over that period, I have given career advice to 25,000 plus people and helped thousands of people find a job. I've worked with hundreds of clients.

Putting all of this experience together I've developed a simple approach that helps people accelerate the job search and maximise their career options. The system in many ways follows the principles of Product/Market fit applied in Lean Startup methodology developed by Eric Ries. The distinction here is YOU are the PRODUCT/Service and a potential employer is a CUSTOMER.

Step 1. Start with ‘SO what and why should anyone care’

The most common mistake I believe people make when thinking about any career move is who they FOCUS on. When contemplating the next step, we have been conditioned to ask questions such as

‘What am I looking for?’, ‘What will make me happy?’ ‘Where do I want to be in 5 years-time?’

I see a big issue with this line of questioning. What you want is not the focus of a potential employer at this stage. What every employer is focussed on is solving their problems.

The first step of any job search is to ask yourself one simple question.

“What is the BIG problem I solve?”

 

Step 2. Are You Solving A Real Problem?

This is a critical step. If you are solving problems Fintech’s don’t have or don’t see as a problem then the job search is going to become tough.

Typically, we see people moving out of a large corporate environment promoting their expertise in Innovation or Transformation. These problems are prevalent in big banks, but not such an issue in a Fintech startup.

The growing adoption of AI and rapid advancements in technology mean it's very easy for tasked based skills to be considered less important. And the focus is shifting to people's ability to make an impact and deliver outcomes.

Even if a FinTech needs your solution, will they use your service, or will they use someone else? There is a lot of competition out there. Are you as good as, if not better than your competitors?

If not, what areas need improvement to make your product the market leader?

Step 3. Define the benefits YOU bring.

In most instances’ businesses are experiencing one of three problems. Over the years we have come up with different terms, change, transformation, strategy, sales, product fit, disruption. But ultimately, most problems facing a FinTech founder can be distilled to the following:

REVENUE - Sales and Growth

SCALE - Operational efficiency

Ultimately your product (YOU) may have one or two benefits to a FinTech. You can demonstrate where you can GROW revenue and/or SCALE a business. People who demonstrate the ability to drive revenue and scale are naturally in the greatest demand because they will have the most IMPACT on a business.

A Fintech startup will usually hire the person they feel will make the greatest impact immediately.

Step 4. The VALUE CREATION exercise.

It surprises me how few people know or can estimate their value to a business. I often hear the term “Value Add” dropped in resumes and interviews. Yet when I ask how? I am met with a blank stare.

The Lean Startup talks about the Value Hypothesis Test which determines whether a product or service truly delivers value to customers. As you are the PRODUCT, I recommend a simple value creation exercise to determine the value you bring to a potential employer.

List your career achievements and attach a dollar value.

As an example, you may have automated a process, which resulted in a reduction of head count, saving costs. If you managed to reduce headcount by one and that person was on a salary of $100,000, over a five-year period, you have saved the business $500,000. In other words, you have created $500,000 worth of value.

Repeat this exercise for every notable contribution you have made to a business and total the amount.

You might be surprised how much value you can bring to a FinTech startup.

Step 5. Market Fit and Your Go to Market Strategy.

Most job seekers spend 100% of their time and energy with a go to market strategy that doesn’t fit the customer.

The typical job search mirrors a B2C marketing campaign. High volume, low touch.

You've applied to hundreds of jobs on line, you tick all the boxes, yet don’t even get a response. You meet multiple recruiters who said you were perfect for the job and you never hear back.

This high volume approach rarely works, especially when your are targeting the wrong person.

A job search should mirror a B2B marketing campaign, low volume, highly targeted with multiple touch points. You need to find a way to get in front of your customers and pitch your solution.

Evan Wong, CEO of Checkbox.ai (RegTech of the Year 2017 and 2018) has this advice:

I had to grow our network of Tier One clients from nothing. Coming straight out of University, I had no existing contacts or network in Corporate land.  So, I started out by creating a general profile of people I thought that would be interested in the product. Through a combination of research, Google searches, reading articles, blog posts and LinkedIn profiles I built a target list of ideal customers.

Next, I’d reach out by email asking to set up a short call for feedback, not to sell anything! Just feedback on the Checkbox value proposition. The discussion would usually be followed up a few months later with an in-person demonstration of the product. At the end asking for recommendations or referrals to other contacts in their network.

Today most of our business comes from word of mouth and thought leadership marketing. Being active at industry events and conferences helps our profile a lot.

Step 6. Pivot or Persevere.

Moving straight out of corporate and into a FinTech startup is tough. Especially in this market. You are likely to face lots of rejection. Does this mean you should give up on a move into FinTech?

Don’t despair, this is where you might want to PIVOT or change your strategy. Feedback from interviews and meetings with potential employers can help form the basis of your Pivot.

It may be you need experience in a smaller business before a FinTech startup is comfortable hiring you. A credit union, mutual, or smaller bank undergoing digital transformation can be a great stepping stone to a FinTech.

Could there be opportunities in your current employer that will help you build your skills and experience?

A corporate venture fund?

An acquisition of a fintech startup?

Maybe you just need to PERSEVERE. The key here is to immerse yourself in the FinTech ecosystem. It is what I call Proximity. The more people see you around the FinTech scene the more likely they are to offer you a job.

Go to FinTech meetups, attend events, keep in contact with Founders, post relevant content on Linkedin and Twitter, start following the people who have a profile, look for opportunities to help and connect people.

Follow these steps and before long you will find your Tribe, doing game changing work with amazing people.

Sydney Fintech jobs update

Sydney Fintech Jobs

At Tier One People, we get to work with some amazing startups in Fintech. January has got off to a flier, so here is the first Tier One People Sydney FinTech jobs update of 2018.

There is an air of optimism that Fintechs will be a success. But the two challenges facing every FinTech and InsurTech? Funding and hiring great people.

The funding issue may no longer be an issue. Last week saw Australia's first ever crowdfunding equity raise. The raising for Xinja (Australia's first NeoBank) was carried out by Equitise. AUS$500,000 was raised in one day and everyday Australians (like me) have been given the opportunity to be an early stage investor in what promises to be a super exciting venture.

Congratulations to Eric Wilson and Van Le of Xinja and Chris Gilbert of Equitise.

Where are all the talented people?

Last month I had meetings with CEOs, CROs, CMOs, CTOs, CFOs and COOs. Each of them described similar people challenges - namely, hiring people who can get results in a VUCA environment with limited resources.

Interestingly only CTOs mentioned technical skills as their biggest problem (even then they can outsource). As one CEO put it, 'I need people who are prepared to work seven days and can get sh!t done.'

It is clear that the education system and corporate structures are failing to prepare people for the new demands of the startup/high growth business model.

If you are serious about a career in Fintech, then you need to master the art of 'getting sh!t done'. Despite what you read in the press, startups are not all about free yoga, beanbags and as much alcohol as you can drink.

Thinking about a move to Fintech? Tier One People are running a free event in February for those looking to make the switch. Contact dexter@tieronepeople.com for details.

In-demand talent of 2018

Finance

There has been a push recently to hire Financial Controllers and CFO's within the Fintech space. With companies growing to enterprise level in record time (Uber started in 2009 and is now valued at $70bn), startups are recognising the need to invest in enterprise-ready infrastructure and finance functions.

Several of the mandates I have received in the past few months have been with companies less than two years old.

Risk

A big year for risk in 2018. Valuations Actuaries, Cyber Security and Regulatory Compliance people in hot demand.

Tech

No change here.

Full stack developers - Yaaaawwn.

Machine learning, Data Science and Analytics still in huge demand.

Blockchain - Expect to see a raft of specialist recruiters in Blockchain.

C Suite

The interim C Suite market is going strong. Have you ever considered utilising CXO services on a 'pay as you go' plan for instance?

If you are looking to grow your Fintech and need specific expertise, for events such as an IPO, acquisition or rapid growth, hiring the person you need is cost prohibitive. Tier One People connect Gig Execs to our Fintech and Insurtech clients. A Gig Exec is a highly experienced executive with specialist experience for specific business events. Readily available for short-term assignments, this is a highly cost-effective solution for FinTech founders requiring executive level support.

Sales

It turns out that making revenue from SaaS and platform solutions is rather difficult, especially if you are relying solely on PR and a digital sales strategy. Tier One People are seeing an increase in demand for Sales Directors and Business Development Managers.

Interestingly the ideal candidate is someone with broad experience in product, distribution and sales. Relationship building and strategic selling are an absolute must. Certainly no used car salesman! It seems the mantra 'People buy people' is truer than ever.

Finding great FinTech people is hard

A great initiative by Cameron Dart and Australian FinTech Jobs, a specialist jobs board for Fintech positions.  We have used the platform for several positions and the quality and relevance of candidates gets high ratings from Tier One People.

We always say to our clients hire yourself if you can and when you can't come to us. 

Australian FinTech Jobs is generating better results for Tier One People than SEEK (and is a lot cheaper too.) If you are planning to hire direct, I recommend giving the platform a go.