Fintech and compliance specialists will be in high demand this year, according to Robert Walters' 18th edition of its annual Global Salary Survey, which offers a forecast of the key segments in the job market.
In 2017, the banking and financial services sector is expected to face challenges on the back of complex global economic and monetary conditions coupled with a slowing Chinese economy. Further layoffs and changes in strategy are expected at certain global investment banks as they commit resources to core business lines the company said in a press release.
The Robert Walters Global Salary Survey claims that in 2017, companies will stay cautious about hiring due to an uncertain economic outlook with salary levels remaining fairly static.
Buoyant Hiring Demand
However, a high demand for fintech, mobile development, e-commerce, big data, cyber security sprung from the waves of start-ups, and technology talents sought by existing companies to upgrade their tech infrastructure, will intensify recruitment intentions in several sectors.
The general talent shortage of specialists in fintech, mobile development, e-commerce, big data and cyber security will create a buoyant hiring demand for these talents.
Acute Shortage of Compliance Specialists
As banks and financial institutions also sharpened their focus on fintech innovations, there is a rising demand for professionals who are tech-savvy with a strong understanding of financial products.
Sales and marketing specialists with digital and e-commerce skills and general management experience will be the prime hiring targets in 2017 across various sectors.
Specialists in the legal and compliance industry will continue to be highly sought after as the current market conditions require all businesses to invest in regulatory and compliance staff.
Since compliance issues such as anti-money laundering (AML), fraud and policy review remain the hot topics in the market, financial services firm will also require more staff with knowledge on China and SFC regulatory requirements across their internal surveillance and control functions.
Its Not Just About Money
«Overall, we anticipate salary levels to remain broadly flat for most industries in 2017. While better-qualified job movers can expect an increment of up to 15 percent, an increase for compliance specialists could be as high as 30 percent due to the acute shortage of candidates in the market,» said Matthew Bennett, Managing Director, Greater China, Robert Walters.
While in recent years jobseekers were more concerned about remuneration, specialist professionals are increasingly demanding a stimulating and open working environment, where communication and collaborative skills are highly valued.
