Fintech is maturing, and so is the way it hires. The work is getting more technical and more regulated at the same time. That shows up in the kind of people firms are looking for: experienced specialists who can build secure systems and keep them compliant.
Government analysis of financial services makes the pattern clear. In the sector, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) level 6 and above, rather than the lower RQF 3 to 5 bands GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List Stage 2 report. In plain terms, RQF 6 is degree level, so firms are hiring for senior, higher-skilled positions rather than entry-level ones.
Digital identity wallets sit right at the centre of this shift. As people start to store and share verified credentials from their phones, fintech firms need staff who understand how that technology works, how it stays secure, and how it meets the rules.
Identity wallets touch a lot of the business, so the roles they open up span several teams. Think of it in three groups.
These sit squarely in the higher-skilled band that financial services is recruiting for, where hiring is generally for RQF level 6 and above GOV.UK's Temporary Shortage List Stage 2 report. That is good news for people with the right technical or regulatory background, and it means employers are competing for a focused pool of talent.
When you are hiring for senior, technical and regulated work, the usual approach of posting a job and waiting rarely gets you the right person. Here is what works better.
Be specific about the skills. A job that mixes engineering, compliance and identity can read as three jobs in one. Separate the must-haves from the nice-to-haves so applicants know whether they fit.
Look for people who can learn, not just people who tick a box. Identity wallet standards are still settling, so someone who understands the principles will often outperform someone who only knows one tool.
Move quickly and communicate clearly. The strongest specialists are usually in work and in demand, so a slow or vague process loses them. Keep your stages short and tell people where they stand.
When you are hiring for roles this specialised, reach matters. We search a database of 15 million candidates to find the people with the right verification, compliance and engineering skills, then rank them for you. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost, through Reed.ai. If you are building a fintech team around digital identity, talk to us today.
