Posted by Brian Monroe - bmonroe@acfcs.org 10/21/2021
Fincrime Career Tips and Tricks: To capture success in fincrime compliance career, don’t search for specific job, research topics that ignite interest, spark curiosity to court opportunity
The skinny:
- In this new initiative, ACFCS engages the fincrime compliance community for wisdom and practical insights on how to enter and rise in a fulfilling but demanding and everchanging field.
- For this tip, we travel to the United States, to see through the eyes of an experienced legal professional and compliance thought leader with a penchant for polished prose.
- For Ola Tucker one of the secrets to success in a field as complex, deep and detailed as financial crime compliance is to not get tunnel vision related to a particular position or company, but research to find your own “areas of interest.” Why? By working with passion and purpose, companies will come to you.
By Brian Monroe
bmonroe@acfcs.org
October 21, 2021
In this new initiative, ACFCS engages the fincrime compliance community for wisdom and practical insights on how to enter and rise in a fulfilling but demanding and everchanging field.
We are asking minds across the spectrum and around the world of compliance officers, regulators and investigators to share some of their secrets to success.
Some of the questions: How can you take the first steps launching a career in the midst of a pandemic? And for those already working, how can you continue to develop professionally and take it to the next level?
For this tip, we travel to the United States, to see through the eyes of an experienced legal professional and compliance thought leader with a penchant for polished prose
For Ola Tucker one of the secrets to success in a field as complex, deep and detailed as financial crime compliance is to not get tunnel vision related to a particular position or company, but research to find your own “areas of interest.”
Why? Because caring about the subject can make all the difference in the world.
Don’t focus solely “just on specific jobs or career paths, but research topics you’re interested in and want to learn more about,” she said. “This will naturally lead you to opportunities in the types of industries and organizations you’re drawn to.”
She has been in the legal, compliance and regulatory fields for more than 15 years and is currently the Founder and Writer at Compliance Notes, which provides compliance-focused written content and freelance writing services, as well as compliance training, to individuals and businesses.
She also teaches classes on anti-money laundering (AML), anti-corruption, illicit financial flows, and corporate compliance in the Graduate, Compliance, and Legal Studies Program at Widener University Delaware Law School, with further areas of expertise in internationals sanctions and ethics.
Formerly, Tucker served as the AML Compliance Officer at a privately-held trust company, based in Wilmington, Delaware.Prior to that, she was a compliance consultant and analyst at two Fortune 50 companies.
She was kind enough to share some of her career insight in our latest “tips and tricks” episode. Enjoy!
Name: Ola Tucker
Organization: Compliance Notes
Title: Founder/Consultant/Writer
Country: United States
What initially attracted you to the world of financial crime prevention? What keeps you here now?
For me personally, a career in financial crime was a great alternative to a traditional legal career, and I’m able to use a lot of the skills (e.g., research, writing) and knowledge (e.g., how the criminal system works) that I learned in law school.
Financial crime continues to evolve as a result of globalization and technology.
Therefore, there is always something new and interesting to learn. It’s an exciting field to work in.
How did you overcome the experience gap for those new to their industry, field or country?
Keep on top of the many financial crime-related cases and enforcement actions in the news.
From the Panama Papers and the FinCEN Files, to cases involving cybercrime and the dark web, and many others, there’s always something going on in this area.
There are also a ton of free webinars from which someone just starting out can learn a lot.
What's your advice to someone just starting out in the industry and wondering how to chart their career path?
Do a lot of research on your areas of interest.
Not just on specific jobs or career paths, but research topics you’re interested in and want to learn more about.
This will naturally lead you to opportunities in the types of industries and organizations you’re drawn to.
Any advice or suggestions for job-seeking during the pandemic?
Get active on LinkedIn and make connections with others in the industry. Virtual connections can be just as useful as those made in-person.
Read and share current and noteworthy information.
Write articles or blog posts to get your name out there.
Any other thoughts or guidance on getting started in fincrime careers to share?
There’s a lot of need for people with different types of skills, backgrounds, and experiences, whether it be language proficiency, technical expertise, or analytical ability.
Highlight what you’ll bring to the table
Get involved in sharing your career tips: How It Works
Each quarter, ACFCS is asking its members for advice on various aspects of fincrime careers, from getting your foot in the door to finding a mentor.
This quarter, we’re focused on guidance for launching a career – everything from what motivated you to seek out a role in fincrime prevention, to where you’re seeing hiring opportunities and more.
We’ll gather responses and share them back with our member community. Three participants will receive one year of complimentary ACFCS members (added to your existing membership for current members).
To learn more and submit your tips, click here.