Market Sentiment

Confidence in the European financial services job market is divided - just over half said they feel positive about their prospects (56%). That split is not a sign of a market in distress, but reflects a workforce that is reading the environment carefully and adjusting expectations accordingly. Among the less confident group, their hesitancy is rooted in role availability and economic conditions rather than doubts about their own capabilities. This means that candidates are not simply testing the market on a whim, but are moving with purpose and expect to be engaged seriously from the outset.

QUESTION 1

If you had to look for a new role in the next 12 months, how confident would you feel based on the current job market?

Very confident

Somewhat confident

Somewhat unconfident

Not at all confident

For respondents who said ‘very confident’, the vast majority (62%) said their primary reason for selecting this was due to demand for their skills and experience, followed by their track record of delivering results (23%).

For those who selected ‘somewhat confident’, responses were more varied - 49% again said demand for their skills and experience, 19% said their track record of delivering results, and 15% each said the current economic climate or the availability of roles in their market.

For the 44% who said they were ‘somewhat unconfident’ or ‘not at all confident’, almost all said this was either due to the availability of roles in their market (45%) or the current economic climate (34%), followed by demand for their skills and experience (13%).

“The split seen in our data doesn’t surprise me - people know their skills are valued, but they’re also weighing that against a more uncertain economic backdrop. The professionals who are moving are doing so intentionally - and they expect a more structured, transparent, and compelling hiring process from employers as a result.”

James Warnaby, Managing Director - Selby Jennings London

AI’s Impact on Financial Services Hiring & Careers

Most surveyed European financial services professionals are not deeply worried about AI displacing their roles, reflecting how the skills that define this industry - such as relationship management, complex credit decisions, risk judgement, deal structuring, and client advisory - depend on context, trust, and accountability in ways that current AI tools cannot replicate. However, financial services firms that get AI adoption right stand to increase productivity and free up talent for higher-impact work. For professionals, develop fluency with the tools that are already reshaping your function, understand what they can and cannot do, and position yourself as someone who can work effectively alongside them - that combination is exactly what forward-thinking employers are hiring for.

QUESTION 2

How concerned are you that AI or automation could reduce the need for your role in the next 3 years?

Very concerned

Somewhat concerned

Slightly concerned

Not at all concerned

“Our survey results reflect a workforce that is approaching AI with pragmatism rather than anxiety, which is the right mindset. The candidates we work with who are genuinely in demand are those who have engaged with AI tools and can demonstrate how they use them to work smarter. Employers who are investing in AI training for their existing teams are going to retain those people far more effectively than those who see their best talent get poached by firms that are further ahead on the adoption curve.”

James Warnaby, Managing Director - Selby Jennings London

Employers: Should you use AI tools in your hiring process?

See the data

“Candidates who apply directly to firms and get automated rejections without any human contact, or who get pushed through an AI screening process, can easily disengage completely. You’re potentially losing your best candidates, because they’re the ones with the most options and the least tolerance for a poor experience. The human touch in hiring isn’t optional in this market - it’s part of what makes a candidate take you seriously.”