Searching Smarter: The Financial Services Careers & Hiring Podcast

The financial services market across Europe has seen a dynamic year in 2024. So, what does this mean for employers, job seekers, and the future of the industry?

In this episode of the Searching Smarter podcast, we're joined by Matt Nicholson, Managing Director of Selby Jennings Europe, who brings with him over sixteen years of experience in the EMEA recruitment sector.

We dive deep into the biggest trends and takeaways from 2024 and explore what’s on the horizon for 2025, covering everything from the implications of bonus cap removal to rising career and expansion opportunities in the Middle East.

Whether you're a hiring manager within financial services, or a candidate navigating the financial services job market, this conversation is packed with insights to help you shape your strategy for the year ahead.

Covered in this episode:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 2:05 - A review of the European financial services market trends in 2024.
• 4:05 - Can we expect a slowdown in market volatility anytime soon?
• 4:34 - How the talent bar has changed on the buy-side.
• 6:37 - What financial services firms are really looking for on resumes.
• 8:35 - Where the most hiring activity happened in 2024 and what finance roles were in demand.
• 12:14 - A look at the sales and trading sector across London and Europe.
• 14:50 - How the lifting of the banking bonus cap is impacting financial services industry.
• 17:13 - Will the removal of the bonus cap lead to increased retention or drive more attrition?
• 21:04 - Why we’re seeing more financial services firms expand into the Middle East and what it means for candidates.
• 24:04 - What’s the outlook for  European financial services in 2025?

Thank you so much for listening to Searching Smarter in 2024. We'll be back with our first episode of 2025 on January 29th.

Be sure to subscribe to the Selby Jennings’ Searching Smarter podcast on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode.

LEARN MORE

Selby Jennings - https://hubs.la/Q03qrs-70

Phaidon International - https://hubs.la/Q03qsqrh0

CONNECT

Jesse Skaff on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-skaff-0783645b/ 

Matt Nicholson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattnicholson100/ 

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BAUCsXbXiNqnfXR9jDG4k?si=4a75d55cf5a74d6e

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-smarter/id1770342621

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk9RrybV10doAzoXuK5jYw

The Wall Street talent pipeline is facing big shifts, from the influence of private equity firms to the way roles are changing within the sector. 

In this episode of the Searching Smarter podcast, we sit down with Dan DeFrancesco, Deputy Editor and Anchor for Insider Today, to get a look into some of the biggest trends in financial services and the impact they are having on the talent market.

With years of experience reporting on the issues impacting talent and organizations, Dan shares insights into the current state of Wall Street junior talent, the expanding role of private credit, and how data centers and AI are reshaping the roles that firms are hiring.

This episode isn’t just for job seekers, recruiters, or hiring managers -the topics we cover are relevant to anybody working in or impacted by the financial services market. 

In this episode, we cover:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 1:41 - The Wall Street junior talent pipeline in investment banking and private equity: how it’s evolving and what this means for job search.
• 5:08 - The impacts of changes in the junior talent pipeline.
• 8:15 - Is AI upending junior roles within financial services?
• 11:32 - The current state of the private credit market and what it means for careers within the sector.
• 15:00 - Potential resume red flags and perceptions within the industry.
• 20:26 - How the rising need for data centers is reshaping investment and hiring priorities.
• 28:18 - Insights from recent earnings reports from U.S. investment banks and what they mean for the M&A market.
• 32:02 - Can we expect a return to normalcy in the job market within financial services?
• 35:01 - What would a “soft landing” look like for recruiters? Is a return to the hiring trends of 2021-2022 possible?

Be sure to subscribe to the Selby Jennings’ Searching Smarter podcast on your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss an episode.

NOTE: Please be aware that our next episode will be available on December 4th, to avoid the Thanksgiving holiday.

LEARN MORE

Subscribe to Dan’s newsletter, Insider Today: https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today

Selby Jennings - https://hubs.la/Q03qrs-70

Phaidon International - https://hubs.la/Q03qsqrh0

CONNECT

Jesse Skaff on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-skaff-0783645b/ 

Dan DeFrancesco on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-defrancesco-29b12449/ 

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BAUCsXbXiNqnfXR9jDG4k?si=4a75d55cf5a74d6e

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-smarter/id1770342621

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk9RrybV10doAzoXuK5jYw

2024 has shaken up the recruitment landscape, especially in financial sciences and services. With current talent acquisition trends such as slow hiring and tighter budgets, how can candidates and recruiters stay ahead in the job market?

In this episode of the Searching Smarter podcast, we sit down with 15-year recruitment veteran, John Jurasin. John has worked in supply chain and vendor management across a variety of sectors, and we dissect the industry trends we experienced in the 2024 hiring market, so that you can be more prepared for 2025.

Whether you’re an employer or a job seeker trying to stay ahead of the recruitment curve for next year, this episode is for you.

Covered in this episode:

• What we learned about the trends driving the 2024 recruitment market.
• How the post-COVID hiring boom in 2023 flipped in 2024 and why.
• How job seekers and recruiters can apply these hiring lessons and techniques in 2025.
• A focus on skills in an employer-led market: The best ways candidates on the sidelines can get back in the hiring game and stay relevant.
• What are the latest external factors that are impacting hiring?
• Why client relationships are crucial during slow periods in the recruitment market.
• And more…

If you get value from this episode, subscribe to the Searching Smarter podcast on your favorite podcast platform, so you don’t miss the next one.

LEARN MORE

Selby Jennings - https://hubs.la/Q03qrs-70

Phaidon International - https://hubs.la/Q03qsqrh0

CONNECT

Jesse Skaff on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-skaff-0783645b/

John Jurasin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-jurasin-ii-mba-7a563619/ 

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BAUCsXbXiNqnfXR9jDG4k?si=4a75d55cf5a74d6e

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-smarter/id1770342621

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk9RrybV10doAzoXuK5jYw

A positive candidate experience can make all the difference. But what exactly does that look like?

In this episode of the Searching Smarter podcast, we’re joined by Carrington Carter, an HR and TA executive with extensive experience in human resources and talent acquisition leadership. From experience entry-level to executive recruitment, leading ground-breaking DEI initiatives, to overseeing mergers and acquisitions, and more - Carrington has a ton of insight to share.

We break down what it takes to create a standout candidate experience, why it’s crucial to keep top talent engaged, and how to avoid common pitfalls in the hiring process. We also dive into how to streamline the application process and make hiring faster while retaining the human touch.

Carrington shares his "3 Cs" of providing a positive candidate experience and we explore how AI can play a role in candidate experience.

If you’re a recruiter or hiring manager looking to improve your application process and make hiring faster, this is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• What a positive candidate experience looks like and why it matters.
• Carrington’s “3 Cs” to build a standout candidate experience.
• How to keep top talent engaged throughout the hiring process.
• Should you pass on an 8/10 candidate in search of a 10/10?
• When AI should (and shouldn’t) be used in the hiring process.
• The role of onboarding and post-placement care in the candidate experience.
• And much more..

Be sure to subscribe to the Searching Smarter podcast on your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss an episode.

LEARN MORE

Selby Jennings - https://hubs.la/Q03qrs-70

Phaidon International - https://hubs.la/Q03qsqrh0

CONNECT

Jesse Skaff on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-skaff-0783645b

Carrington Carter on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carringtonseancarter/ 

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BAUCsXbXiNqnfXR9jDG4k?si=4a75d55cf5a74d6e

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-smarter/id1770342621

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk9RrybV10doAzoXuK5jYw

AI. It’s a hot topic in every workplace, and the financial sciences and services industry is no exception. New AI technology and software is reshaping talent sourcing and recruiting and career search alike.

That’s why in our first podcast episode, we’re diving deep into AI technologies and practices with two expert voices in the field - Mike Chapman, Managing Director of Technology at Phaidon International and Jonathan F. Kestenbaum, Managing Director at Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS).

Together, we dig into how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the workplace, particularly when it comes to talent acquisition within the financial sciences and services sector. In a digital world where a job seeker can apply to a thousand jobs in a minute, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to stand out. Furthermore, the impact AI has on recruitment firms to keep up with the rapid advancements in AI while still retaining the human element in talent recruitment.

Whether you're a job seeker, hiring manager, or just curious about the future of AI, in this episode, you’ll discover what lies ahead in the talent acquisition and job search industries.

Covered in this podcast episode:

• The upcoming AI technologies and software that are revolutionizing job search and talent acquisition.
• Will AI replace recruiters? How we can retain the human element in hiring and why it’s important.
• Is using AI during job interviews cheating if the role requires it?
• What do recruitment agencies need to look out for when it comes to AI regulation and compliance?
• How AI can improve the recruiting process for both the applicant and the hiring manager.

If you get value from this episode, subscribe to the Searching Smarter on your favorite podcast platform, so you don’t miss the next one.

LEARN MORE

Selby Jennings - https://hubs.la/Q03qrs-70

Phaidon International - https://hubs.la/Q03qsqrh0

CONNECT

Jesse Skaff on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-skaff-0783645b/

Mike Chapman on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-chapman-6b35a81/

Jonathan F. Kestenbaum on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathankestenbaum/

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3BAUCsXbXiNqnfXR9jDG4k?si=4a75d55cf5a74d6e

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/searching-smarter/id1770342621

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkk9RrybV10doAzoXuK5jYw

The second in our two-part intro series to Searching Smarter is with James Martin, who has built a career on recruiting the top talent in the world to joining both big tech and financial services firms. Prior to his current role at Delinea, James was a Global Recruitment Lead for Google and a consultant in the quantitative finance space for Selby Jennings. In today's episode, he sits down with host Oliver Cooke to discuss the fierce competition between big tech and finance in acquiring the best talent in the world, selling a career in finance vs one in tech, inclusive hiring practices across industries and much more. 

The first in our two-part intro series to Searching Smarter is with guest Angus Dobbie, a corporate recruiting executive with over 30 years of experience in the industry. We were lucky enough to grab Angus as he transitions into his next role, so you'll hear him at his most honest, providing insights into the recruiting world of a large financial institution—without the corporate spin.