When businesses talk about talent in banking and technology, the conversation almost always starts with technical expertise. Can this person deliver on a core banking system such as Avaloq or Temenos? Do they have experience implementing investment platforms like SimCorp? Have they worked on regulatory and compliance frameworks such as AML, KYC, or DORA?

Of course, those things matter. Specialist systems require specialist knowledge. But here’s the reality I’ve seen after more than two decades in this industry: projects don’t succeed or fail on technical expertise alone. More often than not, they succeed or fail on the human side.

I don’t recruit anymore. My role today is as co-founder and director of Skillfinder International. That means I spend my time building teams, developing people, and steering a business through change. And I can tell you this, the human qualities that drive success inside our company are the very same ones that determine success for banking and technology projects.

Why Technical Skills Alone Don’t Deliver

Financial services is one of the most heavily regulated and high-pressure industries to operate in. Regulations such as DORA and the Finance Bill are reshaping how firms manage risk and contractors. Meanwhile, digital transformation projects, whether migrating core banking platforms, upgrading wealth and asset management systems, or building new compliance frameworks, are running under constant scrutiny from boards, regulators, and clients.
These projects rarely fail because someone didn’t know their system.

They fail because:
•Teams couldn’t adapt quickly when requirements shifted.
•Specialists couldn’t communicate their insights to non-technical stakeholders.
•Individuals burned out under constant pressure.

In other words, technical knowledge may be is of course necessary, but it’s not sufficient.

The Human Qualities That Make the Difference
From years of watching projects succeed and fail across financial markets, four human qualities consistently separate high-performing hires from the rest.

1. Adaptability
Regulation evolves quickly, and technology evolves even faster. Professionals who can’t adapt become bottlenecks. In contrast, those who can pivot, whether to a new compliance requirement, a sudden scope change, or a digital tool being introduced, keep projects moving.
Adaptability is what allowed firms to navigate Covid, when remote working, new digital platforms, and unexpected regulatory guidance landed almost overnight. Those who embraced change didn’t just survive, they delivered under circumstances no one had planned for.
2. Communication
You can have the best Avaloq, Temenos, SimCorp, or Java expert in the market, but if they can’t explain their thinking to risk managers, compliance teams, or senior stakeholders, projects stall.
The most valuable professionals aren’t just technically gifted, they’re translators. They turn complexity into clarity, helping leaders understand risks, trade-offs, and next steps. That clarity builds trust, accelerates decisions, and keeps projects aligned.

3. Resilience
Banking and technology projects are high-pressure by definition. Timelines are tight, expectations shift, and regulatory scrutiny never eases. Without resilience, even talented people burn out, and when they do, momentum disappears.
Resilient professionals don’t just “push through.” They know how to manage stress, reset after setbacks, and focus on the bigger picture. In markets where mistakes are costly and reputations fragile, that ability is invaluable.

4. Curiosity
Technology and regulation are never static. Professionals who see their last project as the “template” for the next one risk becoming obsolete.
Curious people stay valuable because they keep learning, whether it’s exploring how AI is reshaping financial services, keeping pace with new compliance requirements, or gaining knowledge of different systems. That curiosity not only extends careers but ensures businesses don’t fall behind.

How Leaders Can Hire for Human Qualities
The challenge is that these qualities rarely appear on a CV. They need to be uncovered in the hiring process.
•Probe for adaptability. Ask candidates how they responded when a project scope changed unexpectedly. Look for specific examples of flexibility and problem-solving.
•Test communication. Can they explain a technical process in plain terms? If they can’t, they’ll struggle with stakeholders.
•Explore resilience. Ask about setbacks and how they managed them. The best candidates can describe strategies for bouncing back under pressure.
•Check for curiosity. Ask what they’ve learned recently that sits outside their immediate role. A growth mindset is easy to spot when someone is genuinely engaged in continuous learning.

Precision hiring isn’t about filling every technical box. It’s about seeing the whole candidate — technical expertise plus human qualities, and judging whether they can deliver value when the environment inevitably changes.

Why It Matters to Your Business
If you’re building teams in banking and technology, here’s why this matters:
•Faster delivery. Adaptable, communicative people prevent projects from stalling when complexity arises.
•Lower regulatory risk. Resilient, clear communicators reduce the chance of compliance mistakes that cost time and money.
•Higher retention. Professionals valued for more than technical output stay longer, reducing costly turnover.
•Future-proofing. Curious, adaptable employees ensure businesses can respond to emerging technology and regulation without scrambling for external support.

In markets as competitive and regulated as financial services, these aren’t “soft” outcomes. They’re the line between hitting deadlines or missing them, between meeting compliance or paying for mistakes.

In conclusion, technical skills will always be essential. But if you’re hiring in banking and technology and focusing only on certifications and experience, you’re only solving half the problem.
The professionals who truly deliver the outcomes you care about, compliance, project delivery, client trust, are the ones who combine technical depth with adaptability, communication, resilience, and curiosity.

At Skillfinder International, we’ve seen this proven time and again over more than 20 years of supporting financial institutions not only across Europe, but globally. Whether it’s private banking in Switzerland, asset management in Luxembourg, fintech in London, or technology hubs further afield, the pattern is the same: technical expertise alone doesn’t guarantee success.

It’s an observation that’s guided how we build teams, both for ourselves and for our clients, because as a co-founder and director, I’ve learnt that building a successful company, and helping clients build theirs, isn’t about chasing the most technically impressive CV. It’s about finding the people who bring both expertise and the human qualities that make that expertise count.

Get that balance right, and you don’t just fill roles, you build resilience, protect reputations, and set your business up to thrive in the long term.

We’re building teams where technical brilliance meets human strength.
If that sounds like your kind of challenge, take a look at our current opportunities.
👉 [View Open Roles]