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Inside Citizens: How Our Colleagues Build Meaningful Careers

At Citizens, we believe that career growth isn’t a straight line—it’s a journey full of pivots, progress, and personal discovery. Hear from former How I Grow Here spotlight colleagues who offered their perspectives on how to build a meaningful career with peers across the company.

From Curiosity to Career Change: Insights That Spark Growth

Have you ever watched a peer take a bold career leap and wondered, “How did they do it?” That’s exactly what we explored in a recent Let’s Connect* session, where MaryAnne P., Head of Talent Acquisition, EVP, moderated a panel of former How I Grow Here colleagues.

More than 150 colleagues across the company tuned in to hear firsthand how these professionals navigated change, embraced challenges, and found purpose in their career journeys at Citizens. 

*Our virtual Let's Connect series brings colleagues together with senior leaders to explore topics, build networks, and spark inspiration. 

Highlights from our panel

Here are a few standout moments from the conversation, along with links to each panelist’s full How I Grow Here story:

Mo L., Head of Private Banking Operations, SVP

Q: What was the boldest step you took to develop your skills and how did that experience shape your career?

“Accept stretch opportunities. There’s a lot of times that we sit in what’s comfortable for us. By accepting stretch opportunities, you can really push yourself outside of your limits and help unlock potential. You don’t even know what you can do until you jump in and start to grow.”

Read Mo’s full story: How a "Just do it!" Mentality Led to Career Growth

 

Melissa F., Head of Enterprise Data and Analytics Transformation, SVP

Q: How did you convince people to take a shot on you in a potential next opportunity when you didn’t have all the skills and qualifications for a job?

“You’re never going to have 100% of what the job description says. And that’s fine. If there are skills that you can learn, and you have the motivation and ambition to learn them, don’t sell yourself short when looking for opportunities.”

Read Melissa’s full story: Melissa's Career Journey at Citizens | Growth & Professional Success

 

Jessika F., Product Manager, AVP

Q: How has your career evolved differently than you anticipated and what have you learned from those changes?

“Sometimes when things don’t go as planned, if you think about the opportunity critically and try to find what excites you in it, going with the flow might work in your favor rather than trying to force a new path. And that can be really beneficial in your career.”

Q: What is the most impactful experience or person that has contributed to your continuous learning and growth in your career journey?

“There’s not one person. There’s lots of people. Some provide me with long-term, deeply committed mentorship, and some are shorter-term relationships where they give me a few words of encouragement or advice over the years. You don’t know how much of an impact you can have on someone by giving advice and feedback - small or large.”

Read Jessika’s full story: Curiosity and Commitment | Careers at Citizens

 

Ready to Grow?

Whether you're just starting out or looking for your next challenge, Citizens is here to support your journey. Explore how we support career growth —your story could be the next one we spotlight.

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