It’s all about talent! River City Bank buys and sells the ultimate commodity – money – and ours is no greener than the next bank’s. Therefore, our success in generating a high return for our shareholders while simultaneously offering highly attractive pricing to our customers, largely boils down to the people: the efficiencies they create and the exceptional customer service they deliver. Recognizing this is the easy part; executing to make it a reality is the hard part, which takes focus and commitment.
Read on to learn about our college recruiting efforts, one of our most important long-term differentiating strategies. And if you know a talented undergraduate student at a top university who’s interested in commercial banking, send us a note…we’re always ready to hire top talent.
Step 1: Banking Academy
River City Bank teaches a 10-week commercial banking course on campus at four top-tier California universities, plus a virtual option. Each week, the two-hour session is led by a different employee of the bank, mostly executive team members, giving the students real world knowledge from industry experts. Then each student submits a final project, consisting of a written analysis of a hypothetical loan request. Admission to the class is limited to students with GPAs of 3.5+ and majoring in Economics, Finance, or a related field. This course allows both students and River City Bank to gain real familiarity with each other to determine whether there is a long-term fit. Learn more here: https://rivercitybank.com/banking-academy-learning-program/
Step 2: Internships
Each summer we welcome a select group of paid interns, many sourced from Banking Academy.This provides an even more in-depth “test drive” for both sides to see if we’re a fit for one another.
Step 3: Hiring
We hire a number of fresh graduates each year (six last year), primarily in our Credit Analysis department. Some inevitably move on within a few years, typically to other industries, but we also end up getting some extremely talented bankers who stay for the long term. In fact, after 15 years of college recruiting, we’re proud to see numerous members of middle management and even a couple executive team members that started in this program.
Job Market Trends
Things have shifted over the decades. In the 80s and early 90s, a lot of talent in California flowed into the banking industry. However, starting in the late 90s, the burgeoning technology industry began siphoning off more young talent, particularly in California given the presence of Silicon Valley. This trend may be in the process of reversing today given the hiring freezes at many tech companies sparked by the AI wave, but the trend had been in place for decades. Meanwhile, the older “baby boom” talent is now around retirement age, leaving a talent void and management succession challenges at many banks. At River City Bank, we’re thrilled to have a strong bench of young talent, which we plan to keep building to ensure River City Bank and its clients enjoy a prosperous future.
