The head of HR at a top Wall Street bank explains how to land a big promotion
Liz Lieberman knows what's required to stand out on Wall Street.
Lieberman recently joined RBC Capital Markets in October 2016 as managing director and Head of US Human Resources. And before that she held top HR roles at a number of high-profile Wall Street firms including the Royal Bank of Scotland, Merril Lynch, and Lehman Brothers.
RBC Capital Markets finished 2016 ranked 10 for investment banking fees in the US, according to Dealogic, increasing its market share. According to data firm Coalition, the firm ranked ninth for total investment banking revenues, including banking and sales and trading, in the Americas in the first half of 2016.
In an interview with Business Insider, Lieberman said a good attitude is integral to standing out at RBC.
"They must do their work well and they must show a willingness to leap in, roll up their sleeves, and participate," she said.
She said fitting in with the culture of a firm is also important. Lieberman said candidates who don't fit in with RBC's culture of agility and innovation are not positioned to strive at the firm.
"I cannot overstate the importance of finding a good cultural fit here at RBC. The best candidates, and long-term employees, understand our culture and complement it," she said.
Here's the relevant passage from the interview:
Chaparro: Once someone has started at the firm, how do they stand out?
Lieberman: They must do their work well and they must show a willingness to leap in, roll up their sleeves, and participate. People make an impact by contributing. They bring energy and enthusiasm and ideas to meetings.
I cannot overstate the importance of finding a good cultural fit here at RBC. The best candidates, and long-term employees, understand our culture and complement it: they put the client first, they consider how the broader platform will benefit rather than just themselves or their immediate team. They look to simplify the way we work so we are agile and innovative. Working with these types invariably winds up being the most enjoyable parts of my day.
Read the whole interview here.