I’m starting to accept that banking might not be the long game for me, and I’m thinking about product management or maybe just tech more broadly. The issue is I have no idea how to actually build credibility in that world while I’m stuck doing financial modeling in a banking group.
I’ve read the usual advice—“build a side project,” “learn to code,” “network with PMs.” But here’s what’s real: I’m working 70-80 hour weeks. I don’t have time to become a competent engineer. And reaching out cold to PMs at Google or Stripe feels kind of ridiculous when I have no shared context with them.
That said, I know people who transitioned from banking to tech successfully, and it seems like there’s something different about how they positioned themselves. A few of them had very specific conversations with tech people early—like, they weren’t trying to become engineers, they were asking questions about how finance and operations work in tech companies. They seemed to understand something about the actual path that most people don’t.
I’m also wondering if timing matters. Is there a window where I should be doing this while I’m still at a name-brand bank? Or can you do this from anywhere?
What’s the actual networking playbook here? Like, who should I actually be talking to, and what should those conversations look like?
heres the thing nobody tells you—banks have recruiting relationships with tech companies. your HR team probably has a list of companies actively hiring from your bank. use that. its faster than cold outreach. also, target PMs who came FROM banking. theyre your best bet bc theyre not trying to convince you of something, theyre living proof it works.
timing? year 2 analyst, start talking. dont wait til youre desperate. and keep your LinkedIn low-key about it. banks notice when youre obviously job searching internally. have the conversations quietly.
omg this is the move i need!! do you just ask them like ‘hey can we talk abt how you got to tech’ or is there like a specific opener?
im scared the PM ppl will think im unqualified lol like they’ll know banking doesnt = tech experience
so like alumni from your bank who are now PMs are the best target basically? that makes sense
Your transition thinking shows real self-awareness! Banking skills absolutely matter in tech—you understand complex systems and trade-offs. You’re more equipped than you think!
I know someone who did exactly this. She had coffee chats with PMs from her bank’s recruiting partners and asked specifically about how they think about ROI and metrics. Turns out that banking framework translated directly to product thinking. She got picked up at Airbnb after two years as an analyst. The key was asking about their worldview, not asking for a job.
One thing that seemed to matter—she didn’t try to fake technical knowledge. She said straight up, “I can’t code but I understand how to build a business case and think about resource allocation.” That honesty actually worked better than pretending.
Analysis of banking-to-tech transitions shows several key patterns. Roughly 35% of successful transitions came through direct recruiter networks from the analyst’s original bank. An additional 40% came through personal connections with prior IB hires now in tech roles. The remaining 25% came through programs or self-directed outreach. Timing data reveals that conversations initiated after year two of banking tend to be more productive—sufficient credibility in the original role, but early enough to be genuinely exploratory rather than desperate. Skill overlap analysis shows that operational thinking, financial acumen, and deal logic are significantly valued in tech product roles, particularly for roles touching fintech, marketplaces, or B2B products.