Finance and the Future: How Students Can Prepare for Careers in Fintech

The term “fintech” is shorthand for financial technology. It’s a buzzword that encompasses a large and thriving industry that is becoming more prevalent with each passing year. Many individuals who are interested in the marriage between high-end tech and the financial industry want to get into this niche when they get out of college.

While they’re still attending classes, if they need help completing their assignments, they can always turn to one of the prominent online companies to assist them with their take-home work. For instance, Studybay is legitimate and reliable. Students can find real Studybay reviews on Reddit that prove it’s not a scam. Having a trustworthy entity to review homework tasks and complete them can put individuals in a better position to graduate on time.

If you’re currently studying with an eye on getting into the financial technology sector, you should make sure you’re setting yourself up for success when you enter the job market. Let’s look at ways you can get ready for a career in this area.

A Few Facts About This Niche

There are a few specific things you should know about this profession. Understand that:

This industry is more diverse and complex than you might imagine
These jobs are not necessarily exclusive to finance
Positions in this industry are growing faster than almost all other sectors

Employers who are hiring in the fintech area want a diverse skill set. Some job postings that fall into this category emphasize the need for a familiarity with artificial intelligence. Some might require a knowledge of Amazon Web Services, while others want a background in coding. You might also need expertise in the cryptocurrency market.

Many of the jobs that fall into the fintech niche will be offered by major consulting firms or tech innovators. However, you will also find many startups who are looking for individuals with a background in this area.

Finally, you should understand that in recent years, job postings that fall into this category are outpacing almost all other openings. These facts, taken together, reveal a complete picture of what students need to do to prepare themselves to be competitive in this particular job market. Keep three indisputable facts in mind:

Young job seekers, before they graduate from college, can prepare themselves to be competitive in fintech by sharpening their skills in a wide variety of areas
When you are ready, you can look for a job with a major firm, or you can try your luck with a startup instead
You’re probably going to be able to rely on this industry becoming more prevalent in the coming years rather than less

With these three facts in mind, we can start to imagine a path forward for students who want to get into this niche.

Gain a Diverse Skill Set Directly and Tangentially Related to Financial Technology

One of the first things young people who want to pursue this career path can do is enroll in classes that will teach them about the topics that future employers are going to ask them about. Those include:

Cryptocurrency
Corporate finance
Artificial intelligence
Business foundations
Investment management
Blockchain
Data analysis
Coding
Statistics and mathematical modeling

There are several universities that offer degrees in these areas. Quinnipiac University has a reputable program, as does Fordham University in New York. St. John’s and Drexel are two more well-regarded options.

If you’re not able to attend an in-person school, you can still get the skills you need online. If you’re going that route, then Purdue Global’s BS in Finance gets a lot of rave reviews.

Make sure that the school you pick has a concentration in the particular area or skill set that you want to learn about before you proceed.

Consider Exploring Both Major Firms and Startups

When you’re not far from graduation, you should start exploring which companies are hiring and considering which ones you’d like to work for. If you’re trying to sign on with a major, well-established entity that already has a strong presence in this world, some of your best bets include:

Scratch Financial
CashApp
Plaid
Beyond Finance
Enigma

However, don’t forget what we said earlier about breaking into this field by signing on with a startup. There’s an element of risk involved, but if your fledgling company finds success, you will have a foothold on the ground floor. Building a business entity from scratch can be a rewarding experience.

Here are more than 100 startups directly or indirectly related to financial technology. Many of them have hiring opportunities, and you shouldn’t overlook them in your haste to sign on with one of the industry’s giants.

Building Bridges: Leveraging Networking Opportunities

The last factor to keep in mind is that since this niche is growing so fast, you can frequently take advantage of networking opportunities that it’s harder to find in other professions. There are virtually limitless fintech-related events that you might attend either in-person or in the digital space. They’re a terrific way to start meeting people, and you can do so before you even graduate if you can find the time.

If you join organizations having to do with this industry, they often have networking events. Consider becoming involved with groups like the Financial Planning Association (FPA), the Security Traders Association (STA), or the American Finance Association (AFA). This is how you can meet up with potential peers and mentors.

After graduation, you can also look into postgraduate events having to do with your new field. Any reputable business school from which you graduate should have career placement teams whose sole purpose is to help you.

They will probably offer workshops on salary negotiation, resume writing, and more. The individuals who form these teams often have connections to hiring managers who are already highly placed within the industry.

The top business schools will also offer events where you can network with community leaders in your region. These are educational, but they are also usually laid back. They can be ideal situations to network with like-minded individuals without feeling a lot of pressure.

Conclusion

In short, the fintech industry is one that is making great strides with each passing year. To prepare yourself to enter it, getting the proper education should be your foremost priority. Start by trying to get into an undergraduate program related to this field. Learn about the underlying fundamentals and master the skills that your would-be employers will be looking for.

At the same time, try to network as exhaustively as possible. Consider joining or checking out the entities we mentioned. As you approach graduation, it becomes increasingly important to prioritize expanding your list of industry contacts. Also, make sure you know about and take advantage of your school’s postgraduate events and job placement programs.

By doing all of these things, you should put yourself on the inside track to success in this highly competitive niche.

References

Simmons, A. (2023). Fintech Degrees: Bachelor’s Programs. https://www.fintechdegrees.org/programs/bachelors/
Baker, S. (2020). Fintech revolution: How technology is transforming finance. Oxford University Press.
Comptroller of the Currency. (2021). Exploring special purpose national bank charters for fintech companies. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. https://www.occ.treas.gov/publications-and-resources/publications/special-purpose-charters-for-fintech.pdf
Frost, J. (2020). Fintech and big tech credit: What explains the rise in loan growth? Bank for International Settlements. https://www.bis.org/publ/qtrpdf/r_qt2012e.htm

This post may contain affiliate links. Financial Panther has partnered with AwardWallet and CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Financial Panther, AwardWallet, and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact on how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies, or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

More Recommended Ebike/Scooters

Check out these other ebikes and scooters I've reviewed:

Urban Arrow Ebike – Last year, I made one of the largest purchases I’ve ever made – I bought a $9,000 electric cargo bike from Urban Arrow. In my Urban Arrow review, I will discuss what it is and why I decided to buy this bike, as well as discuss how impactful a bike like this can be on your journey to financial independence.
Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Ebike – The Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is a fat-tire ebike that I’ve had the pleasure of riding for a while now. It has amazing power, great looks, and awesome range. If you’re looking for a great fat-tire ebike that offers a lot for the price, the Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is definitely one for you to consider. Check out my Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Review.
Hovsco HovBeta Ebike – The HovBeta is a folding ebike with great specs and a lot of interesting features, and importantly, it’s sold at a good price point. I’ve had a blast commuting with it and using it to do deliveries with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Check out my Hovsco HovBeta Ebike Review.
Vanpowers Manidae Ebike – The Vanpowers Manidae is a fat tire ebike that I’ve been riding as my primary winter commuting bike and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After clocking in a decent number of miles with this ebike, I wanted to write a post sharing what my experience with the Vanpowers Manidae ebike has been like. Check out my Vanpowers Manidae Review.
Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding EBike Review – A Great Value Folding Ebike – The Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding Ebike is an entry-level folding ebike that offers a lot of value for the price point. I’ve been riding the Sohamo S3 for a while now, putting the bike through its paces, and I have to say, this bike has exceeded all of my expectations. Check out my Sohamo Review.
KBO Flip Ebike – The KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike. Check out my KBO Flip Review.
Hiboy P7 Commuter Ebike – The Hiboy P7 is an excellent electric commuter bike that’s offered at an affordable price point. The range and speed of this bike are both very good, so you won’t have any trouble getting anywhere you need to go with it. As a food delivery vehicle, this is also good – with how much range it offers, you’ll be able to work all day on a single charge. Check out my Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike Review.
Himiway Escape Ebike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
Espin Sport Ebike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
Varla Falcon Scooter – The Varla Falcon is an excellent scooter that offers a good amount of power at a lower price point compared to more powerful scooters. It’s not exactly an entry-level scooter, nor is it a high-powered scooter. I think it fits somewhere in-between those two categories – an intermediate scooter if I had to give it a category. Check out my Varla Falcon Review.
Hiboy S2 Scooter – The Hiboy S2 is an excellent entry-level commuter scooter that's perfect for someone looking to save some money in transportation costs and improve their commute. Check out my Hiboy S2 Review.
Hiboy S2R Scooter – The Hiboy S2R is one of the more interesting electric scooters I’ve been able to test out. It’s not a high-powered scooter, but for an everyday transport option, it’s very useful, especially given some of the unique features that it has. Indeed, for the price, the Hiboy S2R might be the best value scooter I’ve used. Check out my Hiboy S2R Review.
Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.

More Recommended Investing App Bonuses

For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:

M1 Finance ($100) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with just $10 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
Webull (20 free stock shares) – Webull's current promotion gives you 20 free shares valued between $3-$3,000 each if you open an account using my referral link. Here’s a guide I wrote about how to earn your free shares using Webull.
Moomoo (15 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 2 different referral bonuses if you open an account using a referral link. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
Public (1 free stock) - Public gives you a free stock valued between $3-$70 if you open an account using my referral link.

More Recommended Bank Account Bonuses

If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.

Upgrade ($200) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $200 referral bonus if you open an account and complete a direct deposit. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $200 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
Ally Bank ($100) – Of all the banks out there, Ally is, without a doubt, my favorite. At the moment, Ally is offering $100 to customers who open an eligible Ally account and meet the requirements. Here are the step-by-step directions to earn your Ally Bank referral bonus.
Fairwinds Credit Union ($175) – Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a referral bonus for users that sign up using a referral link. Fairwinds has no fees or minimum balance, so this is a particularly easy bonus to earn. Since this is a smaller credit union, my gut instinct tells me this offer won’t be around long, so if you’re in a position to meet the bonus requirements, grab this bonus before it’s gone. Here is my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Fairwinds Credit Union bonus.
Chime ($100) - Chime is a free bank account that offers a referral bonus if you use a referral link and complete a direct deposit of $200 or more. In practice, any ACH transfer into this account triggers the bonus. This bonus is easy to earn and posts instantly, so you’ll know if you met the requirements as soon as you move money into the account. I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to earn your Chime referral bonus that I recommend you check out.
US Bank Business ($900) – This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, since there are no direct deposit requirements. In addition, you can open the Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees. Check out how to earn this big bonus here.
GO2Bank ($50) - GO2Bank is an easy bank bonus that I recommend people take advantage of if they have an easy way of meeting the direct deposit requirement. I like that it’s easy to open the account and that the bonus pays out quickly. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your GO2Bank $50 referral bonus.
Current ($50) – Current is a free fintech bank that’s offering new users a $50 referral bonus after signing up for an account using a referral link. Current is an easy bonus to earn and also gives you access to three savings accounts that pay you 4% interest on up to $2,000. That means you can put away up to $6,000 earning 4% interest. That’s very good and makes Current an account I recommend to everyone. Check out my step-by-step guide on how to earn your Current Bank bonus.
Novo Bank ($40) - Novo bank is a free business checking account that’s currently offering a $40 bonus if you open a Novo business checking account using a referral link. In addition to being a good bank bonus, Novo is also a good business checking account. It has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements and operates a good app and website. Indeed, it’s the business checking account I currently use for this blog. Check out my post on how to easily open a Novo account.
Varo ($25) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $25 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.

Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.

Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.

Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:

SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
5% Savings Accounts. I'm currently getting 5.24% interest on my savings through a company called Raisin. Opening a Raisin account takes minutes to complete, it's free, and all of your funds are FDIC-insured. I explain how it works, why I'm now using it to store my emergency fund and any other cash savings I have, and why I recommend everyone check it out in this review.
US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $900 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account.
Empower. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.

Feel free to send Kevin a message here.