financial representative

customer service representative

financial advisor

analyst

consultant

CIBC

CIBC has poor leadership; they have limited understanding of the needs of their staff and it is not a priority to rectify the deficiency. This makes it difficult to help your employees become self-actualized. A large percentage of the leadership simply lack the EQ to perform this task or even understand it. There are some decent leaders, but not all employees may experience this, as the middling performers tend to be ignored rather than encouraged to improve. The bank prefers fealty (sycophants) over performance. You could work 60 hours a week or 30 hours a week and get the same rating, as employee performance measurement is more about ticking the box, than evaluating the employee or helping them grow.  Similarly, the yearly leadership rating system, ESAT is not effective. If you are one of the chosen you could have multiple poor ESAT scores and live to underperform another year. Conversely if you are a good leader, but someone dislikes you, you are likely to be shunned. There is also no screening of new people managers, training courses can only help so much, when you do not offer the compensation to attract good talent. Do not expect HR to help the employee, they are there to do management’s bidding and bury it deep. 
The quality of the staff is quite disparate, those who have decent skills may get promoted, but it is more likely that they will be under appreciated and leave. This is largely a function of the leadership issues outlined above, but the performance rating also plays a role in this problem.  The under performers are paid the same or more as the hard-working talent. This creates a serious morale issue which causes division within the workgroups.  Leadership exacerbates this issue by not discouraging bad behavior, nor recognizing good behavior on a regular basis. It is the small things that matter to people, a lunch, a coffee, a thank you, not the award you might get once a year. I used to win these awards on a regular basis, and I could care less, if my manager is socially/emotionally challenged. The third pillar of the staffing issue is the pay, as it is generally lower than the other banks. Given the performance outlined above, this is somewhat understandable, but you get what you pay for. CIBC leadership tend to be parsimonious; you would think that your pay increases were coming out of your leader’s pocket. This is partly a function of your leader trying to improve their bonus, but mostly it is a function of the obsequious culture. My favourite example of this was the leader who would not donate $20 to buy food for a team event, because the bank had slashed our budget for these events. 
The other issue with CIBC is the poor implementation of diversity, as you end up with dead zones because you were trying to fill a niche, but did not get the best candidate because you did not offer adequate compensation or choose the best candidate when hiring. I firmly believe in hiring the best candidate, but in a close competition, the minority candidate should be preferred. This is not what happens though, some hiring managers prioritize filling the niche, regardless of the candidate’s qualifications. I have seen this firsthand in one group and it was so obvious that it was well known across groups. The group’s leadership was aware of this issue, but did nothing to address it, as they are too fearful of the repercussions. The result is that you end up with a group of middling performers that no one is willing to reassign. This issue is just another aspect of the underlying systemic issues with hiring, employee performance rating, management performance rating, talent management and the failure of leadership.

CIBC ISI is where I started my professional career, I have learned a lot and I enjoyed working there so much that I stayed close to 10 years. 

I started as a front-line customer service support member while doing my paid internship for College. I talked to many clients on a daily basis answering queries about their investment accounts and processed their routine and non-routine requests. I was consistently recognised for my service excellence. Got an additional 1 day off every quarter! 
  
When I graduated I was offered a permanent full-time employment and promoted to Senior Investment Representative. In this role, I got to experience the excitement of the stock markets, it's highs during a bullish market, and its lows during bearish times. I got to witness well-known companies and their initial public offering - what a busy day on the trading floor and so exciting! We used to make guesses as to what the closing price would be at the end of the trading day, who ever guessed the closest gets a free coffee. 

With my mind being curious of understanding how things work and also having a passion for delivering service experience excellence, I decided to join the Customer Satisfaction department, ISI's internal complaint and resolution team. I was granted the assignment for a year. I acted as a point of contact and subject-matter-expert to clients/customers/colleagues  for unresolved and complex cases. I worked on a case once that lasted for 3 months, it involved a lot of research, liaising with other departments, but at the end, a satisfactory resolution was reached for the client and the business - win-win!

Upon completion of the assignment, I was approached to participate in a pilot role with the Training and Development team. The role involved monitoring and assessment of recorded conversations between clients and representatives of the business from different areas. I immediately said yes and after completing the assignment, I was promoted and offered the Lead Quality Assurance Analyst role. I worked with two other senior Lead QAs and they were like my second family along with the entire department for close to 4 years. I used skills in this role like leadership, presentation, facilitation, negotiation, and influencing. It required a lot of relationship management as it wasn't always easy for others to accept change when it's being implemented.

Lastly, I decided that I wanted to step into a role where I will be responsible for the performances of my own delegates and so, I applied for the interim assignment as a Broker Team Leader. After successfully given the opportunity, I acquired 9 delegates with varying levels of knowledge and experience. I worked closely with them during coaching to improve their performances and communicated openly during team meetings so they are aware and up-to-date on necessary changes. This was a challenging role but it was worth it. 

Overall, ISI had given me opportunities to experience areas of interests and a lasting relationship with great people! I was fortunate enough to be mentored by members of the executive team and I'm forever grateful for their time and advice. 
Sadly, I resigned to pursue my own dream to live and work in London, UK.

I had worked with CIBC for close to 6 years. All this time thinking that this was the best place to work and grow. I slowly started realizing just how cheap and unfair this company is. Working at the call center was stressful as it is. So, i moved to the branch a year later. Branch was no good either. With DVP's changing all the time, and new policies coming in place every other month, it was a lot to keep up with. Because of rising expenses, the company decided to kick a lot of people, took control of basic branch expenses, took away the coffee that was being serves to the customers. If a customer came in asking for water, we would have to run to the manager asking for a cup, as they would hide it in their drawers and lock them away.  Customer are not people for the big banks they are just numbers. This would be same for all banks just that the intensity of selling things would be different. As sad as it is, people think that working for a bank would be a privilege but in reality it felt nothing less than working as a car salesman to me. We were practically forced to sell sell and re-sell to the same customers if needed. The basic trend is to offer the customer a credit card, once they overuse the card, offer the customer a line of credit. If the customer overuses the line of credit, then offer them a loan. This is a good enough tactic to anchor the customer to that particular bank. Why would you switch banks if you think your bank is doing so much for you.

About work ethics and being respected at workplace, dont keep your expectation high. Even if you get a good manager, the pressure on the poor fellow from higher ups will be so much, he will be forced to treat you like dogs. If you get a manager who doesn't really care much about people and is only result oriented, this job is not for you. You better quit, because what will follow is harassment, torture, rude behavior and lots of coaching. My manager would literally hold meetings 3 times a day just to check how much have we sold today. Did you expect to work for a bank and do all this and be treated this way? If you think you can complain to their boss, where do you think the pressure is coming from? Its the shareholders that drive the business and its the CEO's job to make them that money or loose their job. Its little guys like us that have to go through the hardships. Overall, I  didnt realize how bad CIBC was until i quit and started working at my new work place. Self respect is important and if your job cant help you protect that, then what exactly are you working for? Why work for such a company. I hope my honest review helps anyone looking for help. None of the stuff i said is false and i am not saying this out of resentment. Its just frustration and late realization but i would like to help more brothers and sisters with this review if i could.

A typical day at CIBC involves a structured work environment where employees engage in various tasks based on their roles and responsibilities. The day typically begins with reviewing priorities, responding to emails, and attending team meetings to discuss ongoing projects and objectives. Throughout the day, employees collaborate with colleagues, analyze financial data, and address client inquiries.

In terms of learning, working at CIBC provides ample opportunities for professional development. Continuous training programs and access to industry insights contribute to enhancing one's financial and banking knowledge. The organization prioritizes skill development and staying abreast of industry trends, fostering a culture of learning and growth among its employees.

Management at CIBC is characterized by a hierarchical structure with clear lines of communication. Supervisors and managers provide guidance, set performance expectations, and facilitate regular feedback sessions to ensure employees are aligned with organizational goals. Decision-making processes are typically collaborative, involving input from various levels of management to ensure comprehensive consideration of factors.

CIBC cultivates a workplace culture centered around professionalism, teamwork, and client focus. The organization places a strong emphasis on integrity and ethical conduct, creating an environment where employees are expected to uphold the highest standards of honesty and transparency. Team collaboration is encouraged, fostering a sense of unity and shared responsibility.

The most challenging aspect of working at CIBC may be the demand for adaptability in a dynamic financial landscape. Employees need to navigate through complex financial scenarios, evolving regulatory frameworks, and technological advancements. The ability to stay updated and agile in response to industry changes is crucial.

On a positive note, the most enjoyable part of working at CIBC is the sense of accomplishment derived from contributing to clients' financial success. Helping clients achieve their financial goals, providing expert advice, and witnessing positive outcomes are rewarding aspects of the job. Additionally, the collaborative and supportive team environment contributes to a positive and fulfilling work experience.

In conclusion, CIBC provides a structured and dynamic work environment where employees engage in diverse tasks, fostering continuous learning and professional development. The management structure is hierarchical, emphasizing clear communication, feedback, and collaborative decision-making. The workplace culture is characterized by professionalism, teamwork, and a strong focus on client satisfaction. While challenges exist in navigating a dynamic financial landscape, the rewards of contributing to clients' financial success and a supportive team environment make the job enjoyable.






I was so excited when I was offered the job at CIBC in 2015. The training was simple enough, and within a short amount of time working my own wicket, I felt comfortable with the job requirements. A typical day involved opening my cash, serving clients with varying financial needs from simple deposits or withdrawals, to more complex transactions involving lines of credit, or foreign exchange. At the end of the day we had to balance our cash, and that was the most difficult part for me, though I found with more focus on each transaction I was able to improve and master this task. I learned a lot about the financial sector, and I really enjoyed working there. Although it did feel like the company as a whole has very little value for their employees, in a small town I felt connected with my coworkers and our clients. I honestly loved my job. I was going to take on additional responsibilities within the branch. However I have never worked in this industry before, so I was unfamiliar with some of the red tape. As I approached my one year with the company, in a misguided attempt to do something nice for my coworkers, I unintentionally violated a privacy section of the code of conduct. In my disciplinary interview, the district manager came into the branch, whom I had never met before, and did not believe my innocence when I explained what had happened and I was immediately terminated. I felt completely helpless. I had worked so hard for this company, consistently improving my performance and familiarity with their systems only to be disbelieved and terminated with no recourse. There was frequent changes in management within the branch, and at the time of my dismissal the manager in the branch had only known me for a week. I felt that if there had been a manager in the branch who actually knew me, had actually worked with me, they could have given their opinion in this situation that I would not have deliberately done this. That is not the type of person that I am, and I have no doubt if my coworkers had been asked, they would have vouched that they did not feel their privacy had been violated by me. All in all, while I felt like each person I interacted with in my branch enjoyed their jobs, there was a lot of stress involved with keeping your job. I was often told that people get fired all of the time for ridiculous reasons, and I guess I should have taken that more seriously. If you have worked in the financial sector before, and are prepared to be consistently undermined in your job and feel constantly like your job is at risk, then by all means apply at CIBC. If you want to have a job where you can learn and improve yourself over time, don't bother.

My question for you is, have you looked at someone or talked to someone who has worked at your profession 10, 20, 30 years longer than you. Would you trade their whole life for yours (finances, relationship, family, well-being)? When I looked at the bank people were just as miserable as I was but they had been so for YEARS. A coworker of mine wanted to leave so badly but they were so close to getting their pension that they were were stuck there another handful of years. I refused to be STUCK. Someone who's been there longer than you, that's where you are likely to end up. You're a product of your environment and when you spend most of your time at a job instead of with the people who matter most you start picking up their mannerisms and habits.you dont think you will, but you do.

I had started to work at the bank because I wanted to work my way up, to help people, to help them reach their goals, and help them budget to do so. I found out about 6 months in, while progressing my learning to move up just how sales focused instead of customer focused they were. I became miserable and it affected my relationship because I would always be complaining. And for someone who values their family, time, and well-being I needed to leave as helping people is not what this job was. Some of my coworkers were great people, but at the end of the day it was about how they pay their Bill's, and earn their paycheck. Which means selling customers things 1. They didn't come in for 2. They don't need 3. They shouldn't have.
Selling credit cards as a teller I was told I at least have to tell the customer they're approved, fine, but when the customer says no I was supposed to ask them probing questions, which boiled down to persuasion and I refused to do that. It went against my own morals and my belief in helping people. I dont believe people are properly educated about the products theyre being sold because the worker needs the sale to hit their target. There is a lot of turn over at the bank I worked at, some bad management, discontinuing roles, people quitting and going on to a different career, some take medical leave and never return. 
The toll of not meeting my own targets because I wouldn't sacrifice my own values and morals ment I felt incredibly insecure in my job and that I would be let go which caused a lot of stress. With that being said I wasnt helping people the way I had envisioned so I left, and I would never work in another bank again.

The reason you may find security here if you're good at it, is because there's high turn over and they need people until the computers can run themselves.

Local management in my area is great, but senior management is out of touch. Here are some pros and cons.

Cons:
- lower pay than other banks
- there is an attitude at all levels of the bank to "get lost of you don't like it here"
- external hires are always paid more than existing staff
- EXTREMELY glitchy, poorly designed and antiquated computer systems
- terrible business banking team and products (dead-last among Canadian Banks)
- constant cuts to "non-productive" support/service roles with tellers and associate/assistants
- lack of tenured/knowledgeable staff
- constant "gaming" by sales staff to inflate their sales numbers (no one is measured by the same standards)
- poor culture that promotes mediocrity and underpays the most talented staff (this is done in a number of ways, primarily bonuses, pay structure and incentive programs)
- fewer and fewer teller hours are available (many branches frequently operate with a single teller and no lunch coverage)
- lots of inefficiencies with internal systems (for example, mortgage assumptions are done on PAPER and MAILED to head office, all RIFF GIC renewals are done via a manual form that gets processed several days later by the back office, mortgage documents are printed and assembled manually by the lender often taking 30+ minutes, the only way to inquire about a transaction is to order the original paper receipt, among other things).
- employees are not valued and are treated like they are expendable (because they are)
- client statements are not consolidated in one place (you may have to go to 3-4 different programs to get statements and some of them can't even be pulled up and must be ordered from the back office)

Pros:
- sales staff are not required to work part-time as tellers (unlike RBC and TD)
- sales staff are fully empowered to bring in whatever type of business they can and are not required to refer it to more specialized staff (for this reason, CIBC is a great bank to start/learn with)
- if you aren't very good at your job, you can put fake sales results into the tracking system as they are rarely validated, and your managers won't tell you to stop because it makes them look good as well
- there is constant turn-over, so there are always opportunities to move ahead, but they often pay much less than you would expect
- great culture in my local area with several talented managers
- several benefits that are comparable to the other Canadian banks (share purchase plan, pension, health and dental, insurance coverages and a comprehensive employee banking offer)
- all sales staff get their own office (unlike some of the other banks like TD)
- good employee help desk with very reasonable wait times

As a senior Advisor with nearly 9 years of experience at CIBC, I was looked upon to be a leader among fellow advisors and the core branch team. After moving districts to take on the Advisor role, I was excited to join familiar faces whome I knew were hard workers, supportive leaders, and "go getters". That attitude was projected through me, and I quickly adopted the "can do, will do" mantra that CIBC was looking for. My first year as a Senior Advisor in a new district should have been dedicated to learning, but direct management made me feel very comfortable in my skills and provided positive feedback. Unfortunately, a large shake-up in management occurred into my second year, and advisors across the district felt the changes - not for the best. Wages suffered, and morality came down. We were left wondering what more can we do after many years of successful portfolio building, and helping restore the CIBC brand to a more positive culture to do business. Many requests went unheard and turnover became an issue, as well as less Advisor support vis-a-vis Associates (the latter position became less available and associates were split between two or even three advisors). Year-over-year, clients were impacted by a subpar business culture of cutbacks, a decisive approach geared towards sales rather than being client centric, and restrictions on our ability to meet the progressive demands of client needs. 
The team environment and ability to count on fellow advisors to share ideas and communicate while problem solving was positive. The people who work in the branches - the "faces" of CIBC - are great people. I was proud to be a Senior Financial Advisor of a large portfolio of investment and credit products for some esteemed private clientele. I looked forward to working as much as I wanted to in order to keep up with other top advisors, but unfortunately that passion evaporated when direct management showed disinterest in everyone's goals and objectives. The years that past with not standing by client needs will always be an obstacle for CIBC clients, and now that I am a client and not an employee, I feel the burdens when I go into branches to do my own business. I approached each individual with the "find a way to say 'yes' (within reason)", but I often hear "no" from branch reps even for the simplest request (that I regularly have to remind them how to help me with my request).

While working at CIBC, I had the privilege of meeting some very intelligent and inspiring individuals.  A typical day at work would begin with calendar management, to ensure my two Senior Directors were aware of the days events, and so that appropriate time management could take place throughout the day. 
My typical day would also consist of an array of requests ranging from onboarding a new employee, completing expense reports, arranging off-site meetings, providing security & print cards, or just ensuring all team members have appropriate tools and supplies available to them at all times. 
My team was estimated to be approximately 145 people in total, and residing at locations ranging from Downtown Toronto, Mississauga, North York, and India.  
I was an active member of many committees including the Health and Safety, Employee Appreciation, and the Diversity Day Committee. I also was nominated to be the Female Searcher for the Fire Committee as well. 
While at CIBC, I had the opportunity to learn many things from the Managers that I had the pleasure of supporting. They have taught me many aspects of the financial industry that will benefit me in my future endeavours, as well as providing me with ample opportunities to increase my level of knowledge within a Corporate Environment.
The hardest part of the job was having to say no to a team member when priorities needed to handled for a Director's request. However, I had an incredibly supportive team and was able to help as soon as the action item had been handled. 
I truly enjoy assisting people as well as watching them grow and prosper within a team environment. This position allowed me to do that.
But, I must say that the most enjoyable part of my position was being able to remain true to myself and bring a little enthusiasm and charity into the team. I would initiate themed team meetings and refreshments, random activities to build team spirit and, organize functions such as a indoor mini-putt Tournament to raise money for Charity. 
Overall, it was a very pleasurable experience and I would like to thank my team for the opportunity of working with such phenomenal and amazing individuals!

A Financial Service Representative is responsible for creating a great experience for both new and existing clients by identifying their needs through utilization of CIBC Financial tools. Throughout the day 
we are responsible for proactively initiating phone calls to book appointments with clients to discuss their needs and to offer financial solutions. This requires probing and using different tools to ensure we are providing something suitable for the client.

As FSR's we have weekly sales, service and referral targets for personal and small business clients. We are still responsible for achieving our sale targets. This position requires individuals to have a strong code of ethics while adhering to and protecting client privacy. This is due to the confidential information and documents we receive from clients such as credit bureau, various forms of income confirmation, investment documents. Hence it is important for FSR's to accurately capture and validate clients’ personal and financial information, ensuring all documentation is complete in accordance with CIBC policies and procedures.

In this position individuals learn interpersonal, commmunication and problem solving skills due to the various day to day interactions with clients. Interactions vary from clients losing a love one to experiencing fraud on their account to a client hence being empathetic is very important. This is one of the challenges that a FSR will experience since we cannot control the emotions of a client however what we can control is how the client will feel after interacting with you. Another challenge is achieving sale targets during slower months/seasons. An example of these slow period is the Christmas/New year season, many clients travel and others are not interested in coming to the bank. 

Being able to interact with individuals, identify their needs and help them is a great satisfaction. As finances is the number one priority in every home it is satisfying to know we have put our clients at ease. Along with working as a team it ensures a positive environment that produces great results. Working with a company that ensures clients needs as prority is always plus!

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