Getting Noticed in Financial Services: Beyond the Traditional Application (Banks, Accountants, Investors Edition!)
The financial services industry, encompassing diverse fields like banking, accounting, wealth management, and investment, is a highly sought-after and competitive landscape. Whether you’re aiming for a position in a major bank, a boutique investment firm, or a leading accounting practice, you’re likely facing significant competition. Recruiters and hiring managers in this sector, much like in other professional services, are often handling a large volume of applications for open roles. Simply submitting a generic resume and cover letter may not be enough to ensure you get into the recruiter’s “field of view”.
Standing out requires a strategic approach that goes beyond the basic application steps. It’s about effectively demonstrating your skills, potential, and fit to potential employers from the outset. Let’s explore enhanced strategies for getting noticed in the financial services hiring process, drawing insights from the provided sources.
1. Optimize Your Resume for the Financial Services Ecosystem
Your resume is your initial pitch, and in today’s hiring environment, it needs to appeal to both automated systems (ATS) and human reviewers.- Leverage Industry-Specific Keywords: Financial services job descriptions are filled with specialized keywords relevant to technical skills (e.g., financial modeling, valuation, audit procedures, tax compliance, risk analysis, specific software like Bloomberg, Excel, SQL, accounting platforms), regulatory knowledge (e.g., GAAP, IFRS, SEC regulations, banking compliance), and financial concepts. Research indicates candidates often miss incorporating key terms.
- Tailor for Each Role: To navigate ATS and catch a recruiter’s eye, tailor your resume for each specific financial services position. Carefully read the job description and integrate relevant keywords naturally into your experience bullet points and skills sections. While you don’t need entirely different resumes, slight tweaks to align with the specific language and requirements of a role (e.g., focusing on “client portfolio growth” for an investment role vs. “transaction analysis” for a banking role) are essential.
- Quantify Your Impact with Financial Metrics: Financial services are inherently numbers-driven. Highlighting measurable outcomes and quantifiable achievements is critical to show your value. For accountants, this could be “Reduced audit time by X% through process improvements” or “Managed financial reporting for a portfolio valued at $Y.” For banking or investment roles, examples include “Increased client assets under management by Z%,” “Identified cost savings of $X for a client,” “Executed Y number of deals totaling $Z,” or “Exceeded sales targets by X%.” Many resumes lack these specific, quantifiable results.
- Avoid Generic Phrases: Steer clear of overused buzzwords and clichés that don’t specifically showcase your unique skills and contributions in a financial context. Your resume writing should sell your specific experience and capabilities.
- Consider Resume Length: While a general guideline of 475 to 600 words has been associated with higher interview rates, acknowledge that senior or specialized roles, common in financial services, may require slightly longer documents to detail relevant, impactful experience. The priority is relevant content over strict length limits, avoiding keyword stuffing or unnecessary padding.
2. Build and Activate Your Professional Online Brand
Having a link to your LinkedIn profile on your resume can improve interview rates, but only if the profile is comprehensive and well-maintained. A neglected profile can be detrimental.- Develop a Robust LinkedIn Profile: A professional headshot, banner, detailed work history, and visible efforts to build connections within the finance, accounting, or investment community are key components.
- Showcase Your Financial Expertise: Your online presence is part of your “candidate personal brand”. Use platforms like LinkedIn to highlight your area of expertise within financial services. Recruiters use online branding to find candidates.
- Engage with Industry Content: Share articles, comment on posts, or write your own content related to financial news, market analysis, regulatory changes, or accounting standards. This demonstrates your knowledge and passion for the field.
- Strategically Network: Connect directly with recruiters at financial firms, hiring managers in departments you’re interested in, or established professionals in your specific niche on LinkedIn. Virtual networking opportunities are valuable for expanding your network.
3. Proactive Engagement and Thoughtful Persistence
Financial services recruiters are busy professionals navigating high application volumes and seeking specific talent. Proactive outreach can help you stand out from the crowd.- Clearly Articulate Your Value: It’s difficult to get noticed passively; you must advocate for yourself and explicitly communicate the skills and value you bring. Explain how you can address the specific needs or problems of the recruiter or the organization in the financial sector.
- Be Specific in Your Interests: When networking or reaching out, articulate the specific type of role or area within financial services you’re targeting (e.g., M&A, corporate accounting, risk management, equity research). This clarity helps recruiters see where you might fit.
- Thoughtful Follow-Up: A polite, well-timed follow-up after applying or connecting can be beneficial. In a busy environment, this can bring your application back to the recruiter’s attention and signals your genuine interest. Recruiters can be responsive to this persistence.
4. Master the Interview Process
The interview is your opportunity to demonstrate not just your technical skills (“toolbox”) but also your ability to think (“brain”) and your personality/cultural fit (“heart”).- Preparation is Key: Don’t rely on canned responses. Prepare for common interview questions and be ready to tailor your answers to the specific financial role and company.
- Practice Behavioral Questions: Financial firms often use behavioral questions to assess how you’ve handled past situations. Practice using a structured method like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide clear, compelling examples.
- Ask Insightful Questions: Prepare 3-5 thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer. Make them specific to the role, the team, the company’s financial strategy, or recent industry developments. Avoid asking questions just to sound smart; show genuine curiosity. Asking “What would a day-in-my-life look like?” is a good approach.
- Demonstrate Aptitude and Cultural Fit: Companies are increasingly looking beyond just listed experience, assessing candidates based on aptitude, behavior, and learning ability. Show how you think and approach problems (“brain”). Fitting the company culture (“heart”) can be a non-negotiable requirement. Research the company culture beforehand and be prepared to discuss your preferred work environment.
- Address Career Gaps/Pivots: If you have gaps in your work history or are transitioning within financial services (e.g., from audit to financial analysis), be prepared to discuss these. Sources suggest more flexibility today, so highlight transferable skills, resilience, and the reasons for your path. Recruiters can be responsive to transparent explanations.
- Be Ready for Salary Discussions: Discussions about salary expectations may happen early. View yourself as an investment for the organization. Research market rates for similar roles in your location and be prepared to articulate the value you bring to justify your requirements.
