Searching Might be an Art

Recruitment Boutique S.M.Art specializes in recruiting middle and senior management for well-known names in the banking and financial sector.

We believe that searching for personnel is an art and should be an art.

Our mission — understanding both the business and the needs of our clients rather than simply selecting personnel through conventional methods. The S.M.Art team has more than 10 years experience of successfully closing projects for banks and investment houses utilizing a detailed knowledge of the industry. We apply an individual approach to each client, with a professional, high-quality work ethic and a deep knowledge of banking recruitment.

Advantages

Facts

  • By 2025, SMART's teambuilding trips around the world covered approximately 60,000 km.
  • By 2025, 43,680 hours have been spent by the S.M.Art team on interviews.
  • 00% of the S.M.Art team consists of wonderful girls.
  • 98% of the candidates we place successfully pass their probation period.
  • Over 18 years at S.M.Art, 7 weddings have taken place, and 14 children have been born.
  • 74 major Russian and international clients have signed long-term contracts with S.M.Art on exclusive terms.
  • 100% of S.M.Art consultants are fluent in Russian and English, 30% speak Spanish, and 30% speak French and German.
  • By 2025, more than 1,800 S.M.Art candidates have got jobs in leading Russian and international financial groups.
More facts

Principles,

To achieve optimal efficiency, we believe in the importance of strictly adhering to the following principles
  • With over 17 years experience in the recruitment of banking/financial personnel, the S.M.Art team has developed a deep understanding of the business mechanisms of the financial sector and the needs of our clients.
  • A proven track record in closing financial vacancies together with an individual solution to each client’s needs has enabled S.M.Art to become a leading player in banking-sector recruitment, but not only.
  • We are constantly improving our repertoire of knowledge through regular training seminars tailored specifically for S.M.Art’s team by leading experts from well-known financial houses.
  • We work with leading international and Russian banking houses — and we are proud of this cooperation!
The key to successful recruitment is fairly simple — find people who are eager to do the tasks you want them to do.
— Hans Selye

S.M.Art history

  • 2024
    • Move away from remote and hybrid work: requirements for working only in the office with almost no possibility of hybrid schedules for state banks and organizations with state participation.
    • Rejection of candidates with dual citizenship or residency permits from other countries.
    • Focus on cybersecurity skills: increased demand for cybersecurity specialists due to the growth of digital threats and heightened regulatory requirements.
    • Expansion of age limits: banks are ready to consider students as well as more mature candidates aged 50+ to address the staffing shortage.
  • 2023
    • Withdrawal or reduction of activity by European and American banks in Russia
    • Import Substitution: amid sanctions and geopolitical instability, banks are focusing on developing internal resources and technologies, which increases the demand for specialists in localization and import substitution.
    • Increased demand for compliance and risk specialists: there is a growing need for professionals who can manage regulatory requirements and risks, especially in the context of changing legislation and economic instability.
    • Work flexibility: the trend towards hybrid work continues, allowing banks to attract talent from different regions of the country.
  • 2022
    • Mass exodus of international companies from Russia
    • Large-scale migration of men out of Russia
    • Huge demand for IT specialists in the field of information security and switching to Russian software, as well as compliance specialists
    • Trend of hiring women specifically (without military service record)
    • Sharp decrease (in some banks - absence) in the size of bonuses
    • The end of remote jobs: now it's either in an office or a hybrid
  • 2021
    • Very high recruiting activity
    • Increasing number of vacancies per candidate
    • Salary growth by 10-15%
    • Maintaining a remote work schedule
  • 2020
    • The year that changed everything – COVID-19
    • Many affected industries, layoffs in companies
    • Transition to full remote
    • Rise of recruiting activity in banks
  • 2019
    • Active hiring in the banking sector
    • Strengthening the SMART team in Moscow and London
    • IT - the most popular specialists
  • 2018
    • Steady activity in the banking labor market by international and Russian banking names
    • S.M.Art started working in the labor markets of the Middle East, actively acted in Europe
    • Using Kanban approach in Recruitment Boutique S.M.Art
    • Growing attention to "50+" candidates in bank recruitment
  • 2017
    • The 10th anniversary of SMART
  • 2016
    • Tangible improvements in the labor market, active recruitment for most banks
    • Tightening control over banks by regulators led to a “boom” in recruiting professionals in banking compliance
    • Concentration of banking business in several largest structures
  • 2015
    • Proactive business development and S.M.Art’s successful conclusion to the year in London, having entered the Western European market
    • Significant increase in competition among recruitment agencies in Moscow’s labour market
  • 2014
    • Opened our new office in London
    • Brought on board new Managing Directors
    • Successfully rebranded S.M.Art
  • 2013
    • Significant increase in activity in the banking sector of recruitment.
    • S.M.Art team strengthening by new consultants with essential experience in banking practice and carrying out systems of internal trainings.
  • 2012
    • S.M.Art stable position in the competitive banking market.
    • Active work of team on retail, corporate and investment vacancies.
  • 2011
    • Achievement of pre-crisis indicators level on rates of work and number of successfully closed projects following the results of a year.
    • Creation of top level teams for the «start-ups» in investment banking.
  • 2010
    • Activity growth in bank recruitment.
    • Expansion of S.M.Art specialization with non-banking sectors.
    • First success in new areas of business.
  • 2009
    • Stability of S.M.Art in crisis year, full team preservation.
    • Office moving from «Golden Mile» to Frunzenskaya Embankment area.
  • 2008
    • The help in formation of «start-up» teams for foreign banks.
    • Victory in several tenders for exclusive recruitment projects for the western banks in Russia.
  • 2007
    • Establishment of Recruitment boutique S.M.Art.
    • The first success of S.M.Art with well-known international banks.

Team