Testimonial

Why a MBA / Leadership Development Program (vs. direct hire)?
Leadership Development Programs offer a great opportunity for an individual to "try out" a number of different roles within an organization before eventually choosing a final career path. Individuals develop an enterprise-wide view of the organization during the program which helps them make an informed choice on choosing a career path that fully meets their current and/or future goals.

What are the key advantages / disadvantages of being on a MBA / Leadership Development Program?
- Associates benefit from one-to-one mentoring by executives for the duration of the program
- Learn from experience in a series of assignments designed to hone leadership skills and increase knowledge of various businesses
- Explore the challenges of working on complex and highly strategic enterprise wide business issues, which require creativity and strategic thinking in addition to strong analytical skills

How does the MBA / Leadership Development Program fit in your career goals?
- Entry into the bank at a competitive wage with multiple opportunities for growth and learning
- Exposure to senior management to facilitate networking and career progression
- Availability of client-facing roles suited to a background in Consulting and Sales
- Ability to relocate internationally in the future (US, Caribbean, UK, Europe, Asia)

How strongly did you weight the location of the program?
Prior to joining RBC, and after my MBA program, I was working as a Manager within PwC's Consumer Finance Group in New York.
Though I loved working in that city, the opportunity to participate in the Graduate Leadership Program allowed me relocate back to Toronto with my Fiancé and spend more quality time with family (who also live in the area).

What to look for in a MBA / Leadership Development Program?
- Are the roles interesting and the work challenging?
- Does the work align to your career goals? Can you quickly get there through the program or should you take a more direct route?
- Can you demonstrate key results or financial impact in an assignment to progress upwards through the management ranks?
- Where are the program's Alumni today and do they hold senior positions with the company? If not, understand why.

Can you summarize the recruiting process you went through and how long it took?
The overall process took approximately 2-3 months.

1) Pre-Screen Telephone interview - 30 minutes; conversational with a few situational/behavioural questions
2) In-Person interview - 60 minutes; situational and behavioural questioning
3) Executive Panel interview (3 interviewers) - 60 minutes; situational and behavioural questioning

What were the required skillsets and prior experience and how were they evaluated (behavioral interviews, case studies, assessment center, panel interview, etc)?
Each year, the Graduate Leadership Program (GLP) is offered to a select number of highly qualified MBA graduates with 3-5 years prior work experience who demonstrate an outstanding track record of leadership and excellence in academic and extracurricular activities.
Interviews are primarily situational/behavioural-based, though a new component requires the individual to prepare a group case study and present to a panel of interviewers.

What advice and tips can you share with those interested in MBA Development Programs?
Ensure that the program outcomes will align to your own career goals and research prospective assignments that will build upon your existing skill sets and abilities. Networking is a key component of the program and should be taken advantage of to ensure a successful final placement in an area that aligns to both your strengths and your interests.