Human Resources > Graduate

Business Description

Citi's Human Resources function plays a key role in servicing one of the most important client groups for Citi: its employees. The various Human Resource functions share the common goal of attracting, retaining, and developing talent throughout the organization. This concerted vision aligns the Human Resources strategy with the business strategy to help ensure that Citi has the best resources to support its businesses.

The HR function at Citi comprises Generalists who are assigned to each business area within Citi and Specialists, who work with the Generalists and their business partners to drive the Human Resources strategy through several key areas: recruitment, learning and development, compensation and benefits, employee relations and talent and diversity among others. In short, Citi's Human Resources professionals provide outstanding people with the best opportunity to realize their potential.

We are a solutions-oriented global team of Human Resources professionals. Our objectives are to:

• Recruit, develop and retain the best talent
• Build compensation packages for employees to ensure alignment with performance
• Design benefit and work/life programs that allow employees to manage their needs
• Promote diversity and community involvement
• Develop growth-oriented leaders with global mindsets

The Human Resources is organized into Specialist and Generalist functions that work together to provide comprehensive world-class service to our clients.

• Generalists by business area and countries
• Compensation
• Health and Benefits
• Employee Relations
• Learning and Development
• Recruiting (Professional, Executive, Campus and Temporary)
• Talent Management and Diversity

Our Programs

Full-time Program

The Human Resources Management Associate (HRMA) Program is a two-year cross-business program. The HRMA Program is designed to give Associates the opportunity to spend one year in a Generalist function and one year in a Specialist function in the U.S. with the potential for an additional six month rotation overseas based on business needs.

While rotating between functions, the program enables Associates to experience two of Citi’s six businesses (Global Consumer Group, Citi Markets and Banking, Citi Alternative Investments, Global Wealth Management, Citi Corporate Center, and Operations & Technology).

Assignments are determined by the Associate’s preferences and the business needs. While most of the assignments are based in New York, the program offers assignments around the U.S. Associates will have the opportunity to work closely with senior-level HR Managers in Generalist and Specialist functions, across Citi’s businesses; be part of a global network of Management Associates and Alumni around the world who can offer support, advice, and guidance.

The HRMA Program starts in the beginning of August with an upfront two-week training program. The training curriculum is taught in-house by HR Professionals and includes an introduction to Citi businesses, overviews of finance and various HR functions, soft skills and technical skills workshops. The program will enable Associates to discover the particular area of HR that they are best suited for, and see how different HR processes add value to the Firm and our employees in a variety of ways.

Associates will gain a broad knowledge of HR and Citi as a whole, gain experience of Citi Human Resources from a number of vantage points, receive intense training and ongoing development; coaching, and networking opportunities will be available throughout the Associate's career at Citi.

The HRMA program is a great launching point for a successful career path in human resources at Citi. Upon successful completion of the program, Associates will graduate into a full-time position within an HR business function, where Associates will continue to grow while supporting the goals of the business unit. Associates will continue to be tracked throughout the duration of their careers at Citi.

Summer Internship (if applicable)
The Human Resources Summer Management Associate (HRSMA) Program is a ten-week internship opportunity. The Program will provide Summer Associates with on – the-job-training in one of the various HR Generalist or Specialist functions.
The HRSMA program starts in the beginning of June with a three day training program, which will provide Summer Associates with a basic understanding of Citi and our Human Resources Organization. The Program will provide Summer Associates with both junior and senior mentors, presentations, and networking opportunities. Additionally, interns are able to attend a Distinguished Speaker Series, where Citi’s senior management will host discussions and answer questions.
While working on individual assignments, Summer Associates will work together as a team to research a timely Human Resources topic designated by senior Human Resources managers. At the end of the summer, their findings are presented to members of Citi's senior Human Resources leadership. The projects will increase their awareness of a particular HR Strategy and also contribute to the development of the Summer Associate’s HR network.
Top-performing Summer Associates will be considered for the full-time Human Resources Management Associate Program.

Who we are looking for

• Minimum of two years of real work experience
• MBA or Master's equivalent in Human Resources, Industrial Relations, Organizational Behavior, Business or related field
• Strong academic performance (GPA 3.5 and above)
• Strong Technical Skills (Access, Excel)
• Enthusiasm to learn about the wide range of roles within HR
• The ability to work independently and in a team environment
• Resilience to work in a challenging environment
• Solid problem-solving skills
• Ability to think creatively
• Effective communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Relationship-building skills
• A client focus approach
• Leadership potential
• Ethics, integrity and responsibility
• Global thinker

Recruitment Process

All applications must be received through our online system. Please click on Apply now for more information.

Our People

Angeles Cordova MBA: University of Texas at San Antonio / BBA in Human Resources and International Business Human Resources Management Associate

If asked about your career at a dinner party, how would you describe it?

I would use an analogy to describe my career with Citi and would describe it as a five-course meal in which the menu is always different and really good. A five-course meal is regarded as a quality meal. It starts light and small. Then, it gradually starts getting heartier. As you go through different plates you like your food more and more and just when you think you’re completely satisfied and think you can’t eat anything more you discover that the best is yet to come: dessert! And when you’re finally done, it is such a satisfying experience to sit back and sip on your coffee. Of course, a five-course meal is only enjoyable if you’re surrounded by good company and perhaps enjoying a show. Plus, you can enjoy an exquisite five-course meal as often as you want and in any location or restaurant.

How would you describe your team and the people you work with?

I would describe my team as a group of very intelligent, driven and innovative individuals with a strong passion for what they do. It is a small group in which new ideas are encouraged, shared and considered. If there is a talent-related need in the business, there’s a team member diligently working against it. Collaboration is also highly encouraged. It’s not rare for me to get an article or piece of data from a team member without me asking for it only because they thought it might help one of my projects. We all work very hard to make a positive impact on our business and our people.

How do you apply your degree to what you're doing now?

At Citi, Human Resources is a function that sits side-by-side with the business in order to proactively identify and serve its needs in a timely fashion. Having a Business graduate degree has enabled me to communicate with our business partners (our clients) in their own language and thus understand their needs much better. Being able to understand the financials, budgets, marketing models, project planning, operations, and the enablers and inhibitors of the business has helped me to understand what takes priority in the business and what type of development and tools are necessary for our leaders to meet deliverables and sustain growth. It also gives me a clear idea of what resources will be needed in the short and long-term.

What skills have you found to be the most useful in your position?

Some of the most useful skills in my position are: Project Management, Communication, Analytical and Negotiation skills. Project Management skills are important because I work with several large projects at the same time, which involve different businesses in different locations. Being able to complete projects within budget, in a timely manner and according to specifications is crucial. Communication skills, both oral and written, are also important because ideas and strategies have to be explained clearly and concisely to the business partners, so that talent initiatives are successful. I’ve also found that Analytical skills have helped me much in my current position because NAO&T is a very data-driven organization, but in order to utilize data to its fullest I have to dissect, understand and interpret data and utilize this in the most effective form toward the initiatives I am working on. Finally, Negotiation skills are constantly necessary whether it is negotiating the cost for services from a vendor or negotiating which projects to prioritize first with a limited budget.

What non-work related activities do you get involved in through Citi (community, mentoring, charity)?

Citi has a strong commitment to the communities we serve. In my career with Citi I have been able to participate in diverse programs serving the community such as: Habitat for Humanity (building houses for low-income families), Susan Komen Race for the Cure (race to collect funds to fight breast cancer), Citi K-3 Literacy Program (reading to kids from grades Kindergarten to 3rd), Citi Adopt-a-Highway (cleaning highways surrounding Citi premises) and participated as a panelist in the Academy of Finance (AOF) Summer Jobs Breakfast (audience of 200 high school students employed by Citi in New York City during Summer 2006). In addition, I have participated in Professional Development activities through Citi’s sponsorship of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) and I helped create the Citi Hispanic Employee Network in San Antonio, Texas.

How has Citi supported your career development?

As an HRMA, I have access to numerous developing tools. First and foremost, I have the ability to work on different roles in HR across businesses and different locations, including the international market. This experience allows me to learn and compare best practices and different cultures within Citi In addition to this, I have constant exposure and accessibility to Senior-level professionals in HR and in other functions of the business that are always willing to share their expertise, knowledge of Citi and their own advise on career advancement, allowing me to learn from the best and brightest. Finally, the HRMA program also provides numerous resources that support the development of HR core competencies, such as: Professional Human Resources (PHR) Certification, Annual HRMA Conference, tailored Online Learning curriculum, HRMA Link Program (Lunch and Learn with HR Seniors) and an extensive Alumni network. The career possibilities in Citi are infinite and I look forward to what is yet to come.

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

Unfortunately, I do not have as much free time as I would like, but when I am free I enjoy painting, exercising, reading, dining out with friends and traveling. One of my passions since I was a teenager is painting. I use most media, but my favorite is oil. I also enjoy exercising because it makes me feel healthy and happy. Zumba and kick-boxing are among my favorite work-out sessions. In addition to exercising the body I think it’s important to exercise the mind, so I try to read at least one book per month. However, business books don’t count toward this goal. Some of my favorite books are: The Kite Runner, The World is Flat and Love in Times of Cholera. I love dining out and some of my favorite cuisines are Mexican, Italian and Chinese. However, I’m always up to trying new food any of my friends recommends. As far as traveling, I like to get out any time there’s an opportunity. I find it fascinating to explore new places, learn new cultures and mingle with locals.

Paolo Palma MBA from Georgetown, McDonough School of Business Management Associate

What advice would you offer prospective candidates on transitioning from school to the workplace?

Being humble is key when transitioning from school to the workplace. You always hear stories about how new graduates think they’ve learned everything there is to learn in school and feel that they have the answer to all of the company’s problems.

I believe that one of the true signs of intelligence is being wise enough to know that you don’t and will never know everything. If you don’t know how to do something - don’t be afraid to ask help from a more experienced colleague. People at Citi are very willing to help - you will definitely save yourself the anguish of trying to reinvent the wheel!

If asked about your career at a dinner party, how would you describe it?

Whenever I tell people at dinner parties that I work in HR, they almost always assume that I chose this career path because I am a “people person.” Although I do enjoy working with people, I inevitably have to tell everyone that there is much more to building a successful career in HR.

I talk about all the number crunching I used to do in my job as a compensation and benefits manager. I describe how I used marketing concepts to develop effective sourcing strategies when I worked in recruiting. I talk about how I employed project management techniques when I led cross-functional work teams. Don’t get me wrong, being around people is definitely a plus - but it’s not the only thing that you will need to be a good HR professional.

Describe the most memorable experience you've ever had at Citi.

One of the more interesting projects I worked on was when I was asked to design a career management training program for senior-level women in the Corporate Center Women’s Organization. I was scared of doing this at first because I did not have any formal experience designing training programs. But what I was more worried about was whether I could realistically provide any useful insights / added value to the target audience - because unfortunately I am neither a senior-level employee nor a woman! However, the fact that this project was so out of my comfort zone was partly what made it so appealing. I viewed it as a challenge and a great opportunity to expand my skill set to learn something new.

After doing tons of research and working closely with my manager (a senior-level woman), we were able to come up with a comprehensive program that addressed our audience’s needs. The presentation was so well received that we were asked to deliver the same module to an even larger audience at the CCWO Annual Conference later in the year!

What non-work related activities do you get involved in through Citi (community, mentoring, charity)?

One of my prouder moments as a Citi employee was when I took part in Global Community Day. I was one of 45,000 employees across 80 countries who spent the day trying to make a positive impact in local communities.

I signed up to spend time with children at a shelter in my neighborhood. I had a blast reading to and doing crafts projects with the kids! But I also enjoyed seeing a side of my co-workers that I hadn’t seen before. I saw them channel the same passion and energy that they devote to work into trying to make some underprivileged kids happy - awesome!

How has Citi supported your career development?

A definite advantage of joining an MA program at Citi is having a dedicated program manager who helps plot your career development. A few months before I officially joined Citi, I had a lengthy one-on-one meeting with our HRMA program manager to discuss my previous work experience and my long-term career goals. The results of that discussion helped us work together to find the right job for my first rotation - one that would develop my abilities and add to my resume.

Citi also gave me access to senior mentors from all over the company. In fact, there were so many people willing to mentor HRMAs that I had a difficult time choosing who to get in touch with. Not only did the people I reach out to give great advice on how to build a successful career in HR, meeting them also helped me build a strong professional network across the company.

Last but not least: I worked for a manager who took an active role in my career development. She is very good at giving constructive feedback and made it a point to discuss my career at length during our mid and end-year evaluations. She was also instrumental in helping me land my second rotation - preparing me for interviews and letting the hiring managers know about the good work I’d been doing for her.

How did your summer internship help you make the decision to pursue a career at Citi?

The biggest reason why I came back to Citi was because of the tremendous access we had to senior HR leaders over the summer. My group of associates was given a project to create a Talent metrics report for all of Citi. Even though we were at Citi for the summer, we were able to speak with dozens and dozens of senior HR managers and get their views on the best way to quantitatively measure how well talent is managed at Citi. The highlight though was getting time to speak with the head of HR for the Global Consumer Group and the head of HR for the Markets and Banking about our project. I remember thinking to myself - “Wow, if they pay this much attention to a bunch of summer interns, what if I worked here full time!”

What do you enjoy doing outside work?

With so much going on in Manhattan, making sure I am taking advantage of all that the city has to offer has become my “second career”. My wife and I love to eat, so we are always on the lookout for new places to try. We also love going to the theater and made it our goal to see a new musical or play every month. Don’t think that it’s all about “Nights out on the town” in New York City. I also play in a basketball league once a week and run along the parks close to the West Side Highway on the weekends. Just name your hobby or interest, and I’m sure you can find it in NYC!