The start of 2025 has been one of the most chaotic we have seen in a long time. Geopolitical tensions, overseas conflicts, and global trade uncertainties have created a somewhat anticlimactic beginning to the year, especially considering the positive momentum we observed in Q4.
Buyside finance, the market felt slow out of the gate. January experienced a spike in senior professionals announcing new roles as Controllers, Directors, and CFOs; however, this trend reflects the market confidence from Q3/Q4 rather than that of 2025 itself.
In February, we saw an increase in roles being signed off and more opportunities emerging. Yet, by March, processes slowed down again, with hiring taking longer than usual to finalise. Both job seekers and hiring managers are feeling frustrated. Candidates are disappointed with the lack of feedback or guidance in the hiring process, while hiring managers are struggling to find candidates who meet their requirements and are frustrated with how long it takes to identify the “perfect fit.”
The Dangers of the “Perfect Fit”
For hiring managers, the temptation to search for the “perfect fit” can be counterproductive to building a long-lasting team. Pursuing the perfect candidate can result in spending more time, more money, or both. Compensation remains the top consideration for candidates in their job searches, closely followed by progression and development opportunities. Hiring someone from a competitor for the same role will typically come at a premium, which carries inherent risks.
How to Overcome This Challenge:
Prioritise 80% of the essential skills needed for your next hire and identify the skills or experience you are willing to develop over time. This approach will not only lead to longer tenures for your hires but also promote alignment in values and attitude within your team.
Key Advice:
- Candidate Experience: Balancing technical and competency questions while effectively promoting your brand and addressing candidates’ questions about the role and company is crucial.
- Feedback is Critical: It is vital to provide prompt and constructive feedback to candidates who have engaged with you. Even if the news isn’t positive, understanding why they weren’t selected is important for their growth and learning.
Finance Professionals – Hang in there
It’s well-known that job searching has been particularly challenging, especially for those at the senior level. The difficulties in fundraising across various markets and asset classes have created less favourable conditions for seasoned professionals and candidates aiming to advance at the mid-level of their careers.
The stagnation in senior hiring has caused a cascade effect, preventing skills from being passed down to mid-level candidates, leaving those with 2-3+ years PQE feeling lost and pressured to progress.
What are Hiring Managers looking for? Hiring managers are looking for candidates who can tick as many boxes as possible.
Here’s How You Can Improve Your Chances of Securing a Role:
- Make Your CV Work Harder: In a competitive market, your CV should effectively showcase your technical skills, commercial abilities, and key achievements concisely.
- Enhance Your LinkedIn Profile: Ensure your LinkedIn aligns with your CV dates and leverages the platform’s recommendations to provide insights into your professional persona and work style.
- Do Your Research: Investigate the firm, the role, and the people you’ll be meeting. Your recruiter can serve as a valuable resource by offering tips and insights.
- Be Clear About Your Goals: Understand what you want to achieve with your next move and have realistic expectations. The market is shifting, budgets are relatively rigid, and working with a trusted expert can help you navigate these challenges.
- Be clear on your value proposition: Clearly demonstrate what you bring to the business – what are your key achievements, what projects have you steered into success, how do your skills align with the direction the business is going in and what real-life examples can you discuss?
Top Tip: While compensation is the primary concern for individuals considering roles, it can often be a significant turnoff for hiring managers – you need to have a clear understanding of what else an opportunity gives you – progression, development, challenge. Any hiring Manager worth their salt will understand if the only thing that sets your current role apart from your new role is money, then you’re just a counter offer away from rejecting.
Looking ahead: Not all doom and gloom.
Q2 brings around typically one of the busiest times in the hiring year. With fresher budgets, promotions and the natural post-bonus movement across the market, Q2 usually kickstarts hiring activity.
While it will get busier, the advice above still holds true. Both hiring managers and applicants will have to strike the balance between development and adding value – without that value being purely financial.
With finance teams becoming increasingly business critical, we are starting to see some key skills that are becoming more and more sought after such as:
- Experience in systems / process automation projects
- Experience implementing smarter reporting tools such as PowerBI or utilising creative modelling skills to assist with managing information data
- Technology – interest or experience in data processing programming/code languages such as SQL or Python
- Subject matter expertise for fund reporting structures (LUX and US being particularly high demand – but keeping up to date with what’s developing specifically across your asset class)
To discuss career opportunities, discuss talent pipelining or anything related, please reach out to me directly on Cheryl.Aust@coopman.uk
