Financial-services hiring is weighted heavily towards experienced, qualified people. Recent government analysis of the sector found that recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) level 6 and above roles, rather than the level 3 to 5 band GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report. In plain terms, RQF 6+ maps to degree-level and professional qualifications, so the demand is for senior specialists, not entry-level hires.
That tells you something important about who you're trying to reach. The people you want are usually already employed and performing well. They're not scrolling job boards every day. They'll move for the right role, the right team and the right timing, but you have to meet them when their interest is live.
Focus where the qualifications sit. Because sector demand concentrates on RQF level 6 and above roles rather than the level 3 to 5 band GOV.UK - Temporary Shortage List: Stage 2 report, the people most in demand hold degree-level or professional credentials: qualified accountants, risk and compliance specialists, actuaries, controllers and finance business partners.
The dynamic that follows is simple. When demand clusters around a smaller pool of qualified people, the person who's genuinely open to a move today may not be open next week. Speed and a clear, specific pitch matter more than volume. A broad advert aimed at everyone tends to reach no one in particular.
Start with the skills, not the title. Finance job titles vary wildly between firms, so define the regulated work, the systems and the qualifications the role actually needs, then match against those. That's how you find people who can do the job rather than people whose CV happens to use your keywords.
Be specific about the opportunity. Someone open to a move wants to know why your role beats their current one: the remit, the team, progression, flexibility. Say it plainly and early. Then make the first steps easy, because every slow reply gives a strong person a reason to stay put.
Finally, move quickly once interest is live. Confirm a conversation, share detail, and book the interview while the person is engaged. In a market built on qualified specialists, the firm that responds first often wins.
We search a database of 15 million people, match on real skills, and hand you a ranked shortlist in under 30 seconds, with matched people contacted in under a minute and an interview booked in under three minutes. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you want to reach finance people who are open to a move right now, start a search with Reed.ai today.
