Interview written and conducted by Anne Orr, Former Campus Talent Attraction Lead - Enterprise Functions and Strategy
Caitlin Robinson has just finished her first year at Western University and is working in our Wealth Management group at Scotiabank for the summer. She is a rock-star and is a massive advocate for networking… so much so that she’s gone on over 15 different coffee chats at Scotiabank alone this summer!
Intrigued? Keep reading!
Anne: So I know a bit about what you do and where you are working, but give me the details about yourself and your time at the Bank.
Caitlin: I am studying my Bachelor’s in MIT (Media, Information, and Technoculture) at Western which I really enjoy! I would love to eventually go to Ivey so that being said, I wanted to see what it was like to work in the world of business to decide if it really was the direction I wanted to go in! I joined a number of clubs (Western Capital Markets, Western Investment Club) on campus last year to learn more about the industry. One thing led to another and I was put in touch with Adrian, where I learned more about Wealth Management at Scotiabank. It was an area that I didn’t know much about, but Adrian had such enthusiastic energy that I became really interested in it! Since starting my role in May, I’ve had hands-on experience in Wealth Management and have also been exposed to other areas in the Bank… Scotiabank provides so many wonderful opportunities through The Student Committee, online courses, networking events and career expos (SYP)… I’ve done my best to take full advantage of these resources and it’s allowed me to meet so many wonderful people and learn a ton!
Anne: So what do you do on a day-to-day basis in the Wealth group?
Caitlin: My team supports the Wealth Advisors (specifically Scotia McLeod), so on a daily basis I’m assisting them with general requests, but also working to find long term ways to make their lives easier. For example, changing the process of a certain task to save time! There are 15 people on my team and everyone has different specialties. At the moment, I’ve been doing a lot of upkeep on the email inbox that Wealth Advisors across the country use to communicate with us. I have to follow up with them in a timely fashion to ensure all their needs are met and world-class customer service is delivered. It’s been such a great way for me to learn about the operations of Wealth Management and gain exposure to different wealth portfolios; I’ve learned a lot about investment options and what it means to have a diversified portfolio.
Anne: What really stood out to you during your time here at the Bank?
Caitlin: Everyone is so willing to help out! I’ve had the opportunity to talk to so many talented people across the bank because of the welcome and open environment that Scotiabank fosters. Early on, I was advised to walk away from every conversation with the name of someone new to talk to… It’s been easy to live by these words because of how supportive the culture is here. A lot of times, people offer to put me in touch with someone new before I even have the chance to ask! As we’re on the topic of networking, I am also part of Women in Capital Markets as a student member; they have representatives across the different Canadian Banks – it’s a fantastic way to get involved and expand your network!
Anne: Sounds like you’ve made the most of the networking opportunities and you’ve really sought them out to meet people from a variety of different areas. Who is the most intriguing person that you’ve had the opportunity to meet?
Caitlin: Hmmm… that’s a hard one! *Caitlin thinks for a minute* I would have to say there is a common misconception that all people do at a bank is work with numbers in more traditional roles. However, the Bank is so vast! I was lucky enough to meet Julia De Ruyter, the Bank’s art curator which was awesome! She showed me a number of art pieces at Scotiabank and it gave me insight into the value and appreciation of art at the Bank. It’s also been very interesting to meet individuals in tech focused roles because it’s relevant to what I am studying in school! I have been able to chat with people from Scotiabank’s Digital Factory and individuals working at Scotia iTrade within Wealth. Learning about the growing role technology plays in banking has been an exciting way to merge my knowledge in the classroom with the real world.
Anne: Does the implementation of technology make you nervous?
Caitlin: Not at all! Technology is great for simplifying repetitive processes, so I believe it will actually allow people to pursue jobs where they can utilize their creativity and make a difference. Multiple areas of the Bank will likely never be lost to technology…we always need some element of the human touch to maintain relationships with customers and clients!
Anne: In just three words, how would you sum up Scotiabank? For each month you’re with us, select a word that described your experience?
Caitlin: It’s almost impossible to only pick three words! But I’ll do my best. For the first month, I would have to say engaging. My team was super welcoming- from the get-go I was given resources to learn and encouraged to ask questions. I had the chance to shadow everyone on my team, which allowed me to connect with my colleagues and immerse myself in the work we do!
I would describe month two as energetic/dynamic. As my responsibilities grew, my work became fast paced; the month honestly flew by. Balancing time and efficiency was a priority in order to complete the requests that I received on a daily occurrence. Outside of my daily duties, I was busy attending networking events, competing in the Future Leaders Challenge (similar to an internal case competition) and completing the courses to further my learning.
I would have to say month three was rewarding! My work from the first two months started to build to something bigger and I noticed I was making an impact. You get out what you put in at Scotiabank! I also really enjoyed going on a tour of the Digital Factory, attending a career workshop and working on this blog series with you! These perks are worth taking advantage of and prove hard work pays off.
I can’t wait to see what August brings!
Anne: What was the highlight of your co-op experience at the Bank?
Caitlin: I really enjoyed participating in the Future Leader’s Challenge. Proposing ideas about improving corporate culture with a team was an incredible opportunity! Meeting other interns across different departments and working with a mentor, Kim Marshall, made the experience extra special. It’s really all about the people you work with, and we had a great group. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the finals; however I was still able to implement some of our ideas in a small way… I’ve been leading team building games for my colleagues in our daily huddles, and also helped organize a Summer Potluck for my floor to help strengthen our culture! On that note, another highlight has been the encouragement I’ve received to bring my ideas to the table. My manager, Thalia, has allowed me to brainstorm/propose ways to make processes more efficient and strive for continual improvement…It’s a great feeling to see your ideas go into action!
Anne: How many coffee chats have you gone on? Adrian said it’s probably more than him and he’s a recruiter!
Caitlin: Hahaha too many to count! I tried to schedule at least one a week. I’ve been able to meet people from all different areas… The Campus Recruitment Team, Investment Banking, Sales and Trading, Marketing, Wealth Management, Private Banking, The Innovation Group, The Fine Arts Department and more. I’ve met up with some interns in upper years as well! Some of the most useful conversations I’ve had are actually with the other summer students… They have really relevant insight about interviewing, networking and interning because they are going through the process themselves!
Anne: How have you been able to connect with these individuals to network with?
Caitlin: I’ve been able to connect with a lot of them through HR Passport: People & Places (internal portal of individuals working at the Bank). I search up a department or role I am interested in, find contact information for someone in that area and email them! Otherwise, I look for people on LinkedIn who I have a point of commonality with – for example an alumni from my school or sorority. It’s a good way to start conversations. After we go on a coffee chat, I will ask if there is anyone else they think would be useful for me to talk to, and the cycle goes on! I love having these conversations comparing differences and similarities of roles across the Bank.
Anne: What do you wish you knew coming into the role?
Caitlin: I’d encourage anyone working here that if they have some downtime, they should be smart about how they fill their time! There are some amazing resources internally at Scotia, such as some awesome courses to learn more soft-skills. At the moment I’m actually teaching myself VBA on the side and taking an accounting course. It’s important to take every learning opportunity and utilize your time. Make the most of the experience!
Anne: Some of the learning courses are awesome and are really useful!
Caitlin: I definitely agree! I’d also recommend that students be open-minded about the different jobs at the Bank even without being enrolled in a business program! Many people have interests that could be relevant across different departments! Put in 100% of your efforts, bring your ideas to the table and your managers will support you. Ask a ton of questions and just be open-minded. There’s a learning curve in any role but by being involved and engaged, you will be rewarded and may grow to love an unexpected area!
Anne: What will you miss most about Scotiabank?
Caitlin: I’ve been lucky enough to work on a great team with endless amounts of opportunities! I’m drawn to work at Scotiabank now because I want to be constantly surrounded by ambitious, smart people who desire to keep learning! It’s a really stimulating environment and that’s what I’m going to miss the most!
Interested in learning more about our Wealth or Commercial portfolios? Visit scotiabank.com/campus