Royal Bank of Canada: Branching out: where RBC employees launch great careers

When Spyros Zarros graduated from a Toronto-area university in 2023, he had both a bachelor of commerce degree and impressive organizational and money management skills, thanks to a concurrent full-time job with the students’ union. Yet he hadn’t decided what his next move should be.

So Zarros was open to the idea when a close friend urged him to apply to his own employer, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).

“My friend worked at the RBC branch at Pape and Danforth and based on my education and career goals, thought that it would be a really good fit for me,” Zarros says. “He’d always had great things to say about his experience at the bank, so I submitted my application to the branch.”

After rigorous formal and on-the-job training, Zarros became a banking advisor, helping clients with their everyday banking, credit and investment needs. In mid-2024, he became a credentialed financial advisor and now provides financial planning and investment advice to personal and small business clients.

He enjoys the work and appreciates RBC’s collaborative culture. “I’ve been amazed by all the support I’ve received from my colleagues, mentors and managers,” he says.

Michelle Waite, regional president, Greater Toronto Region, says RBC’s branches are more than just supporting banking transactions. They are a place where ideas happen — where employees can experience a variety of meaningful jobs great for launching, growing and developing a career, she says.

It’s a crucial message for young job seekers who all too often are caught up in the “no experience, no job” cycle, Waite adds. RBC is committed to helping young people overcome that barrier, helping thousands of young people each year gain practical work experience to launch their career.

“Working in a branch is a remarkable experience. You hone foundational skills like problem solving and critical thinking that transfer well to any line of work,” says Waite, who launched her own career at a branch in 2001 when she joined RBC’s summer undergraduate program.

“At first, I was excited to have a job, but I soon learned I could have a career with RBC,” she says. “In fact, I’ve had 11 different roles within the bank so far.”

Some were with RBC’s branch network, but Waite also expanded her expertise and skills in divisions as varied as human resources, national office, business advisor enablement, and business and commercial financial services.

One of Canada’s largest employers, RBC offers numerous career opportunities in personal and commercial banking, and in fields as diverse as tech, insurance and corporate functions such as law and marketing. RBC also encourages and enables employees to explore roles in areas they may never have considered.

Waite says the branches are where employees can have a direct and meaningful impact on RBC’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. This includes volunteer opportunities ranging from local sponsorships to major initiatives that raise millions of dollars for RBC’s community partners. And for those who choose to volunteer, these experiences give employees a deeper connection to the ways RBC is helping communities thrive, she adds.

Zarros says he’s participated in a number of volunteer activities, such as donating care packages to the local hospital, and supporting community food and toy drives. The branch where he works in Toronto’s primarily Greek neighbourhood supports its local community in other ways as well.

Being bilingual in Greek — one of 73 languages spoken by employees across RBC’s Toronto branches — also makes it easier for him to assist his clients, Zarros says.

“It’s more than a job,” he adds. “It’s about building connections and relationships with clients and the community.”

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Advertising feature produced by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a division of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail’s editorial department was not involved.