Financial-services hiring is pulling upward in qualification terms. In the sector, recruitment has generally been for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles rather than RQF 3 to 5 GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report. In plain terms, RQF 6 sits at degree level, so employers are reaching for people with deeper technical and regulated expertise, not entry-level support.
That tells us something about the shape of demand. Teams aren't simply adding headcount at the bottom; they're competing for specialists who can carry regulated responsibility. For broking in particular, where distribution is moving fast, that pull toward higher-qualified roles changes how a team is built and who sits at its centre.
When distribution moves online, routine placement and quoting get handled by platforms, and human time moves toward the work that genuinely needs judgement: complex risk, regulated advice, client relationships and oversight. That reshapes the team around a smaller core of higher-qualified specialists supported by fewer, more capable generalists.
The qualification signal supports this direction. With sector recruitment concentrated at RQF 6+ rather than RQF 3 to 5 GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, the roles being fought over are the technical, regulated ones. A broking team's shape is being redrawn around those people: fewer broad desks, more depth where distribution can't automate the decision.
Start with the shape, not the headcount. Map which decisions need a regulated specialist and which can be supported by platforms, then write role briefs around the judgement you actually need. Given that sector demand skews to RQF 6+ roles GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, be precise about the qualifications and regulated experience each seat requires.
Speed matters most for the scarce, higher-qualified roles. The best specialists rarely stay on the market long, so a clear brief and a fast, respectful process protect your shortlist from stalling.
We search a database of 15 million people, including those who aren't actively applying, and rank a shortlist against your brief in seconds so you can focus on the regulated, higher-qualified roles that define the new broking shape. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Tell us the shape of the team you need, and Reed.ai will get started today.
