Data is the new gold – A software developer’s guide to breaking into fintech

DIMAPUR — Engineering felt like a natural path for Laxmi Khadka, who excelled in problem-solving and maths during her formative years. Now, these skills are proving invaluable as she thrives in the finance domain, working with numbers and algorithms.

Laxmi, a software engineer by profession, was born in Nepal and has spent her entire life in Mumbai. After graduating with an engineering degree in Computer Science in 2012, she began her career at Computer Management Corporation Pvt. Ltd. (CMC), an IT company under the Tata Group, where she contributed to application development for Central Depository Services Ltd. (CDSL) – her first role at the intersection of IT and finance technology. She then joined Linedata, providing IT and finance services to asset management clients, where she worked with several hedge funds. Currently, she serves as a senior software developer at Ares Management, a leading global firm in alternative investment management.

Since her job requires long hours in front of the screen during the weekdays, Laxmi enjoys spending her weekends in activities away from technology – being outdoors, pottery-making, and learning Japanese language.

In an interview with Eastern Mirror, the 33-year-old software developer shares a gist of what fintech (financial technology) is all about for students seeking to wade into its waters.

For aspiring students, what is ‘Fintech’ in simple terms?

Fintech is short for financial technology. It is the application of technology to automate and simplify financial services, processes and operations. My career so far has centered around asset management, which deals with investments such as stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments. So my professional knowledge and this interview both fall mostly within that scope.

In what ways does fintech differ from other areas of technology?

This line of work that combines the knowledge of finance and tech is considered valuable when you go for other opportunities later on in your career. It is a specialised skill-set and there is a good demand for such roles in the professional marketplace. Working in fintech also means you are always surrounded by numbers and financial jargon so you have to marry that mentality.

How can a student in 10+2 or college prepare for a job in this industry, and which courses or subjects should they focus on?

Along with the regular IT coursework, fintech career aspirants should acquaint themselves with finance terminologies, life-cycle of different types of financial securities, how accounting works overall, how different insurance models operate, etc. Each of these are separate departments in a financial institute but being able to understand the overall common terminology helps you a lot to grow professionally. Apart from self-learning, one can enroll in short-term courses offered by many institutes on any of these topics. e.g., the NSE (National Stock Exchange of India) has courses all-year-round to help people learn to trade in securities.

How can one select the ideal course to enhance their career?

First, it is important to understand different types of securities and how investments work overall. Working in the finance domain for a while should offer you clarity on what specific path you would like to pursue. Asset management is made up of numerous functions such as performance calculations, risk assessment, accounting, operations, and so on. All are distinct in terms of the expertise and responsibilities they entail and educational courses are available for each of them. After a few years of work experience, delve deeper into the one of your liking.

How can engineering students be better prepared for their first job in the IT industry?

Hands-on experience of creating real value through software development majorly helps you become comfortable in your first job. Students should learn at least a few programming languages with different features to be able to effectively do logic building, improve their analytical skills, and understand the fundamental requirements to run any software. Students should also focus on gathering knowledge on other areas of IT such as security, infrastructure, and networking. It is true that in a tech job you will mostly be sitting in front of the computer but interactions with team members, clients, and other stakeholders are a necessary part of the job every day so alongside building tech expertise, you must keep working on improving your communication skills! How clearly and confidently you communicate does not define you as a professional but makes your life easier, especially at the beginning of your career.

Is there a specific set of skills required to succeed in the fintech domain?

Continuously upgrading your knowledge of the domain you are working in (finance in this case) is really the best way to succeed in it. There are many nationally and internationally accredited finance courses and exams, such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM) out there that would endorse your knowledge on paper and would indeed give a boost to your career.

Which certifications or training courses are essential for working in this industry?

For the tech part — any professional degree or certificate course is fine as long as you develop a sound knowledge of software development, such as Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) courses on different programming languages. For the finance part — as I said, in addition to self-learning, sign up for courses provided by financial institutions.

What are the most in-demand fintech jobs?

Software developer, data scientist, cybersecurity expert, business analyst, quality analyst — these are among the common job roles in financial institutes.

What advantages come with pursuing a career in Fintech?

Fintech has some of the most rapidly-growing, well-paid, and in-demand jobs for skilled professionals, so it is easier to move from one opportunity to another. Also, financial regulations typically do not change often so domain-related learnings tend to go a long way in your career.

How can someone in the industry explore future growth opportunities?

Moving from app development to business analysis or data science is one way to grow in fintech. Understanding your company’s operations does help in the long-term growth of an individual in this industry. Domain expertise even helps in scaling corporate hierarchy faster. IT skills and financial knowledge form a niche proficiency which is much valued in the industry.

Anything else that you’d like to share?

It doesn’t matter where you start your IT career. You can go and grow in the direction you want. If you feel you are in the wrong place, build some relevant skills and find better opportunities.

RAPID INSIGHTS  

A must-visit place

Anywhere in the Himalayas would be my favourite place to be any day. Those gigantic mountains make all your worries seem so much smaller.

What life lesson has pottery taught you?

No matter how much effort you put into making something, it may not turn out as you expected, so learn to embrace failures and imperfections.

Could you write something for us in Japanese?

“Hajime mashite, ganbattekudasai!” (Nice to meet you, good luck!)