Which skills must your CV include for a InsurTech/finTech application and how do you make your CV “pop”?

The most exciting growth story in our industry right now is in that of the ‘disrupter’ fields of InsurTech and FinTech.

To succeed in getting a job in these fields, your CV must be highly relevant and your skills very competitive. Required skillsets will vary according to the role and seniority level that you are targeting. If you have the right experience and expertise, the rewards could be beyond your most outrageous dreams!

In this week’s blog, find out which skills are guaranteed to catch the recruiter’s eye and put you ahead of the competition.

Soft skills

Customer-facing and back-office roles will require exceptional soft skills. You will need a certain level of technical knowledge but if a target company sees your potential is strong, you will be given training. The soft skills that drive these disruptive fields often cannot be taught, so if you can robustly demonstrate them on your CV, you have a strong advantage.

In our experience, successful candidates demonstrating these key qualities do very well:

People skills

Team work is critical, so you will need to be able to collaborate effectively. You should have strong emotional intelligence, excellent communication and an ability to empathise. Our most successful candidates are able to build strong relationships, share ideas and manage conflict constructively.

Creativity, analytical and problem-solving skills

InsurTech and FinTech companies, particularly start-ups, constantly face technological, legal and regulatory challenges – always expect the unexpected! You will need to have analytical and critical thinking skills that can help you quickly find creative solutions to such problems. Traditional solutions may not apply here – so you will need to show your creative flair!

Adaptability, agility and flexibility

You will be dealing with rapid technological and financial changes (as well as extraordinary events like the recent pandemic!). To be successful, you will need to be show you are agile and adaptable to effectively deal with them – as Kipling put it, “if you can keep your head while all around you are losing theirs …”

In addition to these skills, most roles in InsurTech or FinTech, will need you to demonstrate a basic knowledge of cybersecurity. If you are chasing more senior roles – you will need proven experience.

Technical roles

Specialised, technical roles are likely to demand specific knowhow in programming, artificial intelligence, machine learning and ‘deep learning’. Even if you aren’t pursuing technical roles, you will need a basic understanding of what they are and their application.

For roles involving cryptocurrency (as well as commercial payments and cash loans) you need experience of Blockchain and distributed ledgers. There is a vast gap in the number of candidates with Blockchain knowledge and experience, so roles involving this expertise are commanding vast salaries.

Composing your CV

So you are confident you have the right skills, how can you ensure they jump out at a recruiter? Here are our tips:

• Don’t bombard with jargon and techtalk. Tailor your CV each time only including the most essential keywords that are directly relevant to the job you are targeting.
• Separate your skills into categories that your target employer(s) can relate to.
• List your skills in order of relevance to the role you are applying for.
• Managing consultant Marion recommends summarising your skills at the top of your CV; for insurance these could include product experience, premium sizes etc. For technology roles, this might include the exact technology used and in what capacity.

Bin any skills that aren’t relevant, are obsolete, or ‘obvious’ skills – everyone knows how to send emails…

Want to boost your career but don’t have the technical skills? Upskill!

The key component is the soft skills. If you can prove those, then most employers – especially in the newer fields – encourage a continuous learning culture.

We can help you assess your current skillset – so many candidates underestimate how attractive their existing knowledge and experience is! We can also help you identify any gaps.

If you still need to upskill, train or retrain, there is now a vast range of formats available to you. Many are affordable (some are free) and a large number are online, so you can fit them in around your schedule:

• Traditional in person courses offering industry-acknowledged qualifications.
• Online courses.
• Microlearning: gradual system of small learning units and short-term activities.
• Peer-to-peer: more informal including employee-led workshops, sharing reading recommendations and team projects.
• Mentoring: Pairing up with a team member to work on a variety of projects and programmes.
• Industry seminars and events

Find out how we can help you boost or start your career in InsurTech or FinTech. Call our friendly and experienced team now on 01483 668700 or 0121 752 8990, or email us at careers@insurerecruitment.com.