Easy steps to start contributing as a team member.

Finding your way around a new career space can be daunting. Especially one as fast-paced as the Fintech sector. We’ve outlined 5 tips you’ll find useful in your first few weeks.

Let’s help you navigate this. Come on.

1. Learn the Jargon

The first thing that could throw you off balance is the fintech speak. There are lots of acronyms, abbreviations and buzzwords. You’ll find people using them at any opportunity: BaaS, CNP, DeFi, DAO, EMV, NFC… and we have not even started.

Our Tip: Write them down as you hear them, and use an online resource to find out what they mean. In no time you’ll be using them in sentences.

2. Find how the systems connect to make transactions happen

I know what you are thinking and what you are about to say — you are not technical right?

Wrong. This does not require technical knowledge.

If you can figure out how to use google maps or how to layer simple makeup, then you can totally get it. It requires knowing what connects to what, and the function of each piece. Like makeup or Lego!

To-do: Work from what you know to the unknown. If your company has a Payment gateway, understand what the function of that thing is, then what it works with. Ask people in customer service or marketing, they are usually good at explaining in simple terms.

3. Know the major players in your market and their products.

This one is also important as it will form the subject of various discussions at work. You’ll add value by contributing your knowledge of the latest product feature or marketing strategies of your competition.

If you keep it up, you’ll quickly become the go-to person for information.

How likely? Because people don’t like digging deep.. and that is where the gold is!

Our Tip: Make a list of major players in your market, find out why they are popular and what their latest move is. Find out what gives them their edge. Is it superior talent, technology, a license, or a marketing strategy?

4. Connect with Influencers and Thought leaders on Social Media

Another way to turbocharge your learning is to connect to influencers and thought leaders on social media. This article will be too long if we decide to start listing Fintech influencers but we recommend 2 things.

Our Tip: a. Google ‘Fintech leaders + ‘Add your market’’ — e.g. Fintech leaders in Europe, or Fintech leaders in Africa. You will find some good leads.

b. Some platforms increase your probability of reading from influencers. We recommend LinkedIn, Twitter and if you have space to throw in a third- Medium.

5. Read, read, and read some more

This one is self-explanatory. If you got to this part of the article, you are on the right track.

You have to read man… a lot of it.

The good thing is that we have your back, so click follow and turn on the notification button so you won’t miss the next batch of articles we have lined up.