Karen Snowdon-Steacy didn’t plan for her first job to be a jumping-off point for a lifelong career. As a young graduate, she had two requirements in her job search; she wanted to work at a bank and stay in Toronto. So she jumped at the chance to join RBC in an entry-level role as a teller. It was a great first foray into an industry that long intrigued her and one she wanted to know even more about.
Karen quickly moved into an administrative role at RBC’s Royal Trust division, where she got on-the-job training on how to support grieving families with trust administration. Whether it was transferring assets, filing tax returns or paying bills, Karen knew she was making a difference — and she wanted to do more. She took on greater responsibility, first as a risk assessor and later as a trust officer.
“I got so much satisfaction from being there for them,” Karen says, “You’re helping people at a vulnerable time to ensure their wishes are carried out. Empathy is so important, because these are difficult, emotional situations for families.”
Then, Karen started a family of her own.
Somewhere between nighttime feedings and first steps, a job opportunity outside of RBC came along. Another bank recruited Karen for a role that combined the administrative aspects she loved and direct interaction with clients – the part she loves the most. Her desire to learn and grow prompted her to say yes.
She developed new skills and parlayed them into a related but different role at another bank – this time more business than client-facing. It was good, for a time. But she missed working hand-in-hand with clients.
That’s when Karen thought back to those early years at RBC and the support and resources she had to grow her career. She reached out to a former coworker, asked about available roles and was warmly welcomed back as a Senior Trust Advisor.
“It felt like a homecoming, everyone hugged me,” she says. “After working elsewhere, I’m so grateful for the level of support, knowledge and strong culture we have at RBC.”
Karen says the benefits of working at RBC translate into a great experience for clients, too. “When you represent a company that shows so much care and has so many resources, you know you can do anything for any client. You have the confidence that we will find a solution,” she says.
It was those same attributes that gave Karen the confidence to go back to RBC. And for her, it was exactly the right move.
