Latest / The Career Change Podcast with Fexingo: Switching Fields, Bootcamps, and Reskilling / How Bootcamp Grads Can Pivot Into Fintech
Transcript
- Lucas: So last week we were talking about startup land, and I kept thinking about one sector that's hiring like crazy right now but doesn't always show up on the typical bootcamp radar. Luna: Let me guess — fintech? Lucas: Exactly. Fintech is having a moment, and I don't just mean the big names like Stripe or Square. There are hundreds of smaller companies building payment rails, lending platforms, even banking as a service infrastructure. And they need people who can code, but also people who understand the product and the regulatory landscape. Luna: Right, because fintech isn't just about moving money — it's about doing it securely and legally. Lucas: That's the key. A bootcamp grad might have strong React or Python skills, but if they can also signal they understand basic concepts like KYC — know your customer — or data privacy, that's a massive differentiator. I've been looking at job postings from a company called Plaid, which connects bank accounts to apps. They explicitly ask for experience with APIs and security best practices. That's something a bootcamp project could absolutely showcase. Luna: So you're saying a bootcamp grad should build a demo that shows they can handle sensitive data? Lucas: Exactly. Build a mock banking dashboard that uses OAuth for authentication, or a simple budgeting app that reads transaction data from a sandbox API. That's way more impressive than another to-do list app. And it shows you've thought about the domain. Luna: I love that. I've also noticed that fintech companies tend to hire for roles that aren't strictly software engineer — like implementation engineers, or technical account managers. Those can be great entry points. Lucas: Absolutely. And those roles often value communication skills and the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical clients. Bootcamp grads who've done pair programming or presented projects have a leg up there. But let's talk about a concrete example — Stripe. Luna: Stripe's hiring process is famously rigorous, but I've heard they value demonstrated skill over pedigree. Lucas: Right. Stripe has a whole page on their careers site about what they look for: ‘we care about what you've built, not where you went to school.’ They ask candidates to complete a take-home project that simulates real work — like integrating a payment flow or handling webhooks. That's perfect for a bootcamp grad who's built a Stripe integration before. Luna: So if someone's in a bootcamp right now, they should just go build something with Stripe's API? Lucas: Yes. And not just Stripe. There are open-source financial libraries like Plaid's Quickstart or OFX that you can contribute to. Even a small pull request fixing documentation can get you noticed. But let's zoom out a bit — what's driving all this hiring? Luna: Embedded finance, I imagine. Lucas: Exactly. Every company is becoming a fintech company. Shopify offers capital advances to merchants. Uber has its own wallet. Even a grocery store chain might want to offer branded credit cards. That means they need engineers who understand financial systems. And they're not all going to hire from Goldman Sachs. Luna: So there's a real opportunity for bootcamp grads to fill that gap, especially if they're willing to learn some domain knowledge on their own. Lucas: Exactly. And the domain knowledge isn't that hard to pick up. There are free courses on financial regulation basics, like what's a ‘Regulation E’ or how the Fed's payment system works. Even reading a few chapters of a book like ‘The Fintech Book’ can give you enough vocabulary to talk credibly in an interview. Luna: Speaking of interviews, what's the one thing you'd tell a bootcamp grad to focus on when preparing for fintech interviews? Lucas: Security. Security, security, security. Fintech companies are terrified of data breaches. If you can talk about encryption, hashing, or even just SSL in a way that shows you understand why it matters, you'll stand out. Also, understand the difference between a database that's PCI compliant and one that isn't. That's the kind of specific knowledge that signals you're serious about the industry. Luna: And on the networking side — any advice beyond the usual LinkedIn stuff? Lucas: Go to fintech-specific meetups. In most major cities, there are groups like ‘Fintech Meetup’ or ‘Banking on Tech.’ Even virtual ones. The conversations there are much more focused than general tech meetups. You'll meet people who actually work in the space. One good connection can lead to an interview. Luna: I'd also add: follow fintech VCs on Twitter or LinkedIn. They often share job openings at their portfolio companies. And they post about trends, which gives you material for conversations. Lucas: Great point. Now, I want to talk about something that's been on my mind. We've been doing this show for a while, and we've never asked for anything in return. Luna: Yeah, we keep it ad-free on purpose. Lucas: Right. But a couple of listeners have asked how they can support the show. If you've gotten value from an episode — maybe it helped you rethink your career path or land a job — a small contribution goes a long way. It's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Even a few dollars a month genuinely helps us cover hosting costs and keeps the episodes coming. No pressure, but if you've been meaning to show appreciation, that's the easiest way. Lucas: We really appreciate it. Now, back to fintech — I also want to talk about alternative entry points like support engineering. Luna: Support engineering is such an underrated path. You're dealing with technical issues from customers, so you learn the product inside out. Many fintech support engineers move into product engineering within a year. Lucas: Exactly. And bootcamp grads who are good at debugging and explaining things are a natural fit. Plus, you build relationships with the engineering team. One support engineer I know at a payments startup got moved to the core payments team after six months because she kept finding bugs and suggesting fixes. Luna: That's a great story. Another angle: fintech companies love hiring people from non-traditional backgrounds because they bring fresh perspectives on user experience. Lucas: That's true. Especially in areas like financial inclusion. If you've ever struggled with banking fees or lack of access, you can bring empathy to product design. Some of the most innovative fintech products come from people who experienced the problem firsthand. Luna: So if you're a bootcamp grad with a knack for UX research or design, fintech is a great place to apply that. Lucas: Absolutely. Now, let's talk about something practical — how to find these jobs. There are job boards like Fintech Career and Brex's career page, but I've found that the best openings are often not posted publicly. Luna: So it's back to networking. Lucas: Yeah. But there's a hack: look for companies that have recently raised a Series A or B. They're hiring aggressively but often don't have a big recruiting machine. A cold email to their head of engineering with a link to a relevant project can work. Luna: And mention something specific about their product. Show you've done your homework. Lucas: Exactly. Say something like ‘I noticed your checkout flow uses a third-party processor. I built a demo that integrates with that same API.’ That's gold. Luna: I think we've covered a lot. Let's wrap with a quick checklist for someone listening who wants to pivot into fintech. Lucas: Good idea. One: build a portfolio project that touches a financial API — Stripe, Plaid, or even a simple payment form. Two: learn one regulatory concept — KYC, PCI, or GDPR — and be ready to talk about it. Three: attend a fintech meetup or follow fintech investors online. Four: consider support engineering or implementation roles as a foot in the door. Luna: And five: be patient. Fintech has a longer hiring cycle because of compliance checks, but the payoff is huge. Lucas: Right. It's a growing field with real demand for skilled people. And bootcamp grads absolutely belong in it. Luna: Agreed. Good luck out there.