How to Write a Fintech Resume Even If You Don’t Have a Finance or Tech Degree

The fintech industry is booming, which means there’s plenty of work to be done. From product analysts and compliance coordinators to API specialists and data associates, there’s no shortage of exciting roles to get into. That said, fintech companies are looking for more than just coders. Here’s how to put together a fintech resume even if you don’t have a finance or tech degree.

Show That You Understand Fintech

Like all employers, fintech firms care about context and preparation. Before you start tweaking your resume, review the company’s website and the job description carefully for keywords such as “APIs,” “blockchain,” “KYC/AML (Know Your Customer/Ant-Money Laundering)," “data analysis,” or “user experience (UX)."

Including terms like the ones shown above in your resume, especially in your summary and skills section, will boost your chances of getting past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Additionally, it will add credibility to your resume and the hiring manager will see that you know what you’re talking about.

Craft a Fintech-Focused Summary

Your summary statement really needs to grab the hiring manager’s attention. Avoid generic intros and instead go for a quick, two-sentence fintech pitch that layers your background onto relevant skills. Let’s say you have prior UX or research experience. Here, you can lead with that. Check out this example:

• "Analytical content strategist with 3 years’ experience translating user insights into polished products. Skilled at financial literacy and cross-functional collaboration, and ready to apply these talents in fintech marketing and customer engagement.”

Transferable Skills and Quantifiable Results

Fintech hiring managers want to see tangible impact, which means numbers matter. Avoid vague statements such as “managed client tasks.” Instead, show real outcomes with quantifiable examples. Here are some examples to help get you started:

• “Led an email campaign that improved newsletter engagement by 20%.”
• “Sourced and analyzed 50+ SMB (Small and Midsize Businesses) feedback points to guide product roadmap decisions.”

Highlight Low-Tech Experience

Not all fintech roles require you to know how to code. If you’ve worked on things like payment processing, budgeting, or performing vendor research, lean into it. You might say:

• “Coordinated fundraising event for a university organization, managed transactions and vendor contracts.”
• “Supported a student group by reviewing documents and verifying regulatory data."

Showcase Certifications and Continuing Education

If you can effectively demonstrate a commitment to learning, your chances at landing a job will increase drastically. If possible, highlight certifications in Excel, data analytics, blockchain fundamentals, or AI.

Basic knowledge of programming languages such as Python will also be a huge advantage, especially if you can demonstrate that you’re undertaking a course or have certification. Along with this, an understanding of fintech operations will demonstrate commitment and show that despite having experience in another industry, you’ve done your homework.

Lastly, even informal training can be leveraged on your resume. For example, you might include your experience in working with AI systems like ChatGPT, tools such as Google Sheets, or crypto platforms.

Include a Technical Skills Section

To grab the hiring manager’s attention, consider including a section with a bullet list or sidebar that includes your various technical abilities. Here’s a quick example of what this list might look like on a resume:

• Technical Skills: Python | Google Analytics | UX research
• Finance & Compliance: Budgeting | Transaction oversight
• Soft Skills: Project coordination | Stakeholder communication

Keep the Format Simple

Fintech firms value clarity and ATS compatibility. Use a clean, modern resume format with standard fonts, and bullet point lists. Do your best to keep your resume length at one page by avoiding tables, graphics, or fancy layouts. Graphics and other visual additions may also confuse ATS—another great reason to avoid them.

Demonstrate Interest in Fintech

Your resume should signal genuine interest in the role at hand, as well as the fintech industry. To achieve this, you might include “fintech-focused projects” such as following crypto trends. If you belong to any fintech groups or have attended any fintech gatherings, list them on your resume.

Extras such as the ones described above might also fall under the “hobbies and interests” section of your resume. For example, if you're a member of a fintech group and you’re a regular contributor, you might say something like this:

• “Member, Blockchain & Fintech Club: collaborated on a study of decentralized finance trends.”

The bottom line is fintech isn’t just about tech, and an effective resume that shows you understand the industry and can deliver results will help you get your foot in the door, even without a tech or finance degree.

Rob Porter is an editor at Vault.