Roy’s Path to BMORE
Meet Roy, a Cara Alum who is currently an Associate Banker at BMO. He shares his experience joining BMORE, a workforce development program co-created by BMO and Cara Collective to remove barriers and increase access to careers in banking and finance.
“Prior to Cara, I was working the night shift with Amazon. Working that shift took a huge toll on me. I really disliked working nights, but it was what paid more. I was completely checked out and spent my days sleeping, which wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle for me. I had multiple side projects that couldn’t get completed because I had no time during the day. I really wanted to find a job with regular hours that paid well, so I could work during the day and then focus on my projects when I got home.
“My mom used to work at Cara, and saw I was in need of something better. She set me up with the programming there. I knew I wanted to work at a bank, as the hard labor was taking a toll on me. Once I got connected to Cara, the process was fun, easy, and smooth to say the least. I really appreciated having a say on where I wanted to work.
“Working with the staff at Cara was a great time. They made it really easy by setting me up with things like mock interviews and resume assistance. I knew I had the skills and the competence to get a good paying job. I have the confidence that you need when talking to employers. I just needed help getting connected.
“When I interviewed with BMO for the Associate Banker position, I knew I had nailed it. But, I was still ecstatic when I got the job! I’ve been there for almost two years now and I love it. It isn’t always easy because there are a lot of details you need to remember and I can take a while to learn things. Thankfully, my managers have always been so patient with me. They don’t hold it against you if you make a mistake and always want you to learn.
“I would want anyone considering this career to know that they will need to be confident in themselves. It’s important to have great people and organization skills. Do not doubt yourself during the process, and most importantly, never be afraid to ask questions. No question is stupid. Once I learned that, the job became a lot easier for me.
“I’m glad I now have a job that cares about me as a person. They want to see me grow and succeed. I’m trusted to help other people in training and have been given more responsibilities. It’s a really good feeling when other people ask you for help. I can see myself being a manager at my branch, and am willing to take the steps to get there. I’m grateful for Cara and BMO for teaching me to never settle.“
Learn more about the BMORE program. You can support more job seekers like Roy on their path to gainful employment by giving a gift today.
