Entry level bank jobs in Toronto

[Jetrocker]

Hi
I have recently completed my IFIC course and am planning to apply for entry level positions at The Big Five banks around Toronto. But prior to applying, I'm not sure about what kind of positions would be more suitable for me. I have heard about FSR position at CIBC and banking advisor position at RBC. As I have a disability, I have trouble with thinking quickly on my feet and on the spot thinking. However, my strengths are research and analytical thinking and I perform best when I am given some time to process the information. Having said that, I can definitely manage my disability. Some of the entry level positions are call center ones and I'm worried about my performance in these positions. Also, I would like to obtain a position where I am offered growth and advancement opportunities. By the way, I am not keen on technical positions but want to build my career in finance itself. Therefore, I request you guys to please offer me your valuable insights.

 

[canuck78]

Hi
I have recently completed my IFIC course and am planning to apply for entry level positions at The Big Five banks around Toronto. But prior to applying, I'm not sure about what kind of positions would be more suitable for me. I have heard about FSR position at CIBC and banking advisor position at RBC. As I have a disability, I have trouble with thinking quickly on my feet and on the spot thinking. However, my strengths are research and analytical thinking and I perform best when I am given some time to process the information. Having said that, I can definitely manage my disability. Some of the entry level positions are call center ones and I'm worried about my performance in these positions. Also, I would like to obtain a position where I am offered growth and advancement opportunities. By the way, I am not keen on technical positions but want to build my career in finance itself. Therefore, I request you guys to please offer me your valuable insights.

You are basically competing with a huge pool of commerce and MBA graduates all vying for a good bank job with growth potential. Unless you have a connection that can get you an interview or you’ve been recruited from one of the top Canadian business schools you are basically competing with others. Many will end up doing cold calls and either sink or swim. Not sure what your qualifications are but considering things like a CFA will increase your chances of working in banking.

 

[vensak]

please do not call your personal weakness when it comes to jobs a disability. People understand under disability something completely different (for example being blind, deaf, on a wheelchair or have a mental illness).
And yes I used a bit extremes, just so it will sink in.
On a technical level companies should not have generally problem to hire here somebody with a disability (few exceptions for the jobs that do require that specific physical fitness - like you cannot work for a visual checks of colors if you are color blind).
When it comes to prospects, yes Toronto market is competitive. On a good side, banks also do require analysts (not all people have good quick reactions or good customer skills).

 

[canuck_in_uk]

please do not call your personal weakness when it comes to jobs a disability. People understand under disability something completely different (for example being blind, deaf, on a wheelchair or have a mental illness).
And yes I used a bit extremes, just so it will sink in.
On a technical level companies should not have generally problem to hire here somebody with a disability (few exceptions for the jobs that do require that specific physical fitness - like you cannot work for a visual checks of colors if you are color blind).
When it comes to prospects, yes Toronto market is competitive. On a good side, banks also do require analysts (not all people have good quick reactions or good customer skills).

It sounds like your understanding of disabilities is extremely limited. There are many types of disabilities beyond physical ones or mental illness. It is quite possible that OP is actually disabled, so for you to simply decide that they are not disabled and just have a "personal weakness" is actually really awful on your part.

 

[vensak]

It sounds like your understanding of disabilities is extremely limited. There are many types of disabilities beyond physical ones or mental illness. It is quite possible that OP is actually disabled, so for you to simply decide that they are not disabled and just have a "personal weakness" is actually really awful on your part.

disability is something on a physical or mental level that will put you into disadvantage against average population. Usually you have little to no option to make it better. However weakness is something that can even fit into an average person characteristics, but is a weakness for that specific job.
So while you cannot be discriminated because of your disability, unless that job specifically calls for something you do not have (for example you are required to do a quality control on color shades, then you are not able to do such job when you are color blind; but you can do all kind of other jobs).
However when it comes to weakness, your weaknesses can be the reason why not to get that job, even if there is no explicit requirement there.
He had mentioned that : "I have trouble with thinking quickly on my feet and on the spot thinking." This alone does not point out to a specific disability, more to a characteristic of a person (being for example more introvert and less certain in decisions). And no just because you are introvert, extrovert, sanguinic or melancholic, does not mean that you automatically have a disability, that is just part of your character.

At the same time he mentioned :"However, my strengths are research and analytical thinking and I perform best when I am given some time to process the information."
So he was actually answering one of the common interview questions: What are your strengths and weaknesses.

In this context, we have most likely a common translation mistake rather than disability itself. You can do it easily when translating from your mother language into English. It is not uncommon to see one word describing different things according to the context. That was the reason why I reacted the way I reacted.

And attention, calling everything disability is a road to hell as well.
1. Those with real disabilities could feel like one is mocking them.
2. Too many calls for help will result into too much demand for the help and not enough helpers out there.
3. A very fast de-senzibilitation would happen (if everybody is disabled, you do not really care about it anymore as you do not perceive it as disadvantage for anybody anymore).

 

[canuck_in_uk]

disability is something on a physical or mental level that will put you into disadvantage against average population. Usually you have little to no option to make it better. However weakness is something that can even fit into an average person characteristics, but is a weakness for that specific job.
So while you cannot be discriminated because of your disability, unless that job specifically calls for something you do not have (for example you are required to do a quality control on color shades, then you are not able to do such job when you are color blind; but you can do all kind of other jobs).
However when it comes to weakness, your weaknesses can be the reason why not to get that job, even if there is no explicit requirement there.
He had mentioned that : "I have trouble with thinking quickly on my feet and on the spot thinking." This alone does not point out to a specific disability, more to a characteristic of a person (being for example more introvert and less certain in decisions). And no just because you are introvert, extrovert, sanguinic or melancholic, does not mean that you automatically have a disability, that is just part of your character.

At the same time he mentioned :"However, my strengths are research and analytical thinking and I perform best when I am given some time to process the information."
So he was actually answering one of the common interview questions: What are your strengths and weaknesses.

In this context, we have most likely a common translation mistake rather than disability itself. You can do it easily when translating from your mother language into English. It is not uncommon to see one word describing different things according to the context. That was the reason why I reacted the way I reacted.

And attention, calling everything disability is a road to hell as well.
1. Those with real disabilities could feel like one is mocking them.
2. Too many calls for help will result into too much demand for the help and not enough helpers out there.
3. A very fast de-senzibilitation would happen (if everybody is disabled, you do not really care about it anymore as you do not perceive it as disadvantage for anybody anymore).

There are disabilities that can cause such "weakness". As I said, your assumption, and essentially accusation, that OP is lying about having a disability is awful. Perhaps OP just doesn't want to state the specific disability for privacy reasons. You don't know OP and are not in a position to judge them on this.