How to land the job: Interview advice from fintech execs

People are always looking for a competitive edge when it comes to job interviews. Knowing a guy who knows a guy can get into the door for an interview, and a creative resume may do some good, but you still have to nail the interview if you want a job in finance. And we’re not talking about knowing how many windows there are in NYC (somewhere between one and 237 million) or how to solve a Rubik’s cube (hey, it worked for this guy). Understanding and expressing what a company wants to hear can help separate potential employees from the field. We spoke to executives at fintech companies to get some insight on how to pass the interview process and land a job at a top fintech company. Valentin Stalf, Co-Founder and CEO, N26 “Never ask about salary. You should always think about how much can you learn, where can you go, does the job fit your profile, and the salary will always fit what you’re bringing in.” Tom Allanson, President of Electronic Payments, Fiserv “Show that you are passionate about solving important problems, and providing services to clients and consumers. Interviewers want to see your passion and desire, and that you care about what the company is doing.” Mike Galarza, Founder and CEO, Entryless “Show your motivation behind why you want the job, so the company can understand your mission. At the same time, you need to show the business how you are going to help them fulfill their mission. A job should be both you helping the company reach its goal and the company helping you reach your goal.” Shachar Bialick, Founder and CEO, Curve “An interview is like a first date, you have to come prepared; don’t just walk into the meeting cold. Know what the company does, how your skills fit in with the company, and overall background about the company you’re looking at.” Radoslav Albrecht, Founder and CEO, Bitbond “Openness is really important. Fintech companies, and specifically startups, are entities that change all the time. You have to be open to change and learn new things all the time. As the startup evolves, the people who work there evolve as well, and the openness mindset is important to that process.”