Sam Gasson, Chief People Officer at EC1 Partners, sits down with Brendan Bray, a Team Manager at our New York office, for our Life in FinTech Podcast mini-series.
Brendan has had an incredible start to his career at EC1 Partners. In 2 years, he has gone from Researcher to Team Manager. In this podcast Brendan shares his story, crediting his success to his ability to think on his feet, his people skills, and his refusal to sit down and do nothing when someone on his team needs help.
He goes into depth about what his role as Team Manager entails, why it suits him and his unique set of skills. He explains how, whilst education is important, your degree and grade won’t matter as much as your interview skills.
If you are looking for inspiration for your next career move – this episode is the one for you.
https://youtu.be/zVz1Buk2fD0
Key points from our Life in FinTech Podcast Episode 4:
- Brendan joined EC1 Partners 2 years ago as a Researcher without any FinTech experience.
- Brendan graduated with a degree in International Studies and because of the pandemic, had to move home after graduation.
- Brendan liked the idea of a career in recruitment as it is commission based, meaning you get out of it what you put in.
- When he started at EC1, he moved from Connecticut to New York
- The word “Fintech” initially put Brendan off, but after researching the industry and all the money being invested in the space he quickly got on board.
- Brendan now manages a team of 5 and loves his role.
- He keeps on top of the workload by doing a morning call with his team to run down what everyone should be working on. After that, everyone has a good sense of how to spend their time and whilst he is available for questions, his team members are happy to get on with their work.
- Brendan has always gravitated towards managing roles, even in small jobs he had growing up. It’s a natural thing for him to want to help other people.
- Brendan’s drive to succeed comes from a desire to provide for his family, and to pay back student loans and his rent. He is very money motivated.
- The advice that Brendan would give his 18-year-old self would be ‘The degree you have and the grades you get won’t matter as much as how well you interview.’
For advice on how to get into FinTech or recruitment, reach out to Brendan Bray brendanbray@staging.ec1.scoutstaging.co.uk. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our live roles here or contact us here.
Faqs
Brendan overcame his initial hesitation towards a career in Fintech by researching the industry and recognising the potential of a high-flying career in FinTech.
Brendan faced challenges when transitioning from Connecticut to New York, such as adjusting to a new environment, logistical issues with the move, and adapting to the demands of a new city.
Brendan balances his team management responsibilities by conducting morning calls with his team to set priorities and expectations, making himself available for questions while empowering his team members to manage their work independently.