Finding the people behind data
Rasana Yogarajan’s co-op journey showed her that data has the greatest impact when paired with communication, storytelling and connection.
Rasana Yogarajan, a third-year Financial Analysis and Risk Managment (FARM) student, has used her co-op journey to explore the intersection of data, finance and people. From her first work term with WE Accelerate to communications, business analysis and data analytics roles, Rasana discovered that every opportunity can lead somewhere meaningful when approached with curiosity and optimism.
Rasana’s co-op journey
Marketing Project Participant, WE Accelerate, Remote
Rasana began her co-op journey through WE Accelerate after facing challenges securing her first work term. Working remotely with My Careers Inc. alongside other students, she contributed to a marketing project and later participated in a final presentation in Oakville.
Communications Assistant, Ontario Public Service, Oshawa and Toronto, ON
During her second co-op term, Rasana worked as a Communications Assistant with the Ontario Public Service (OPS). In the hybrid role, she acted as a liaison between her team and executives, using tools like Figma and Power BI to create prototypes, visualizations and presentation decks. She also helped launch a case competition, which she later participated in and won.
Business Analyst, RBC, Toronto, ON
Rasana’s next co-op term brought her to RBC as a Business Analyst within technology and operations. In this role, she worked between business teams in capital markets and technical teams. She helped break down solution architecture into smaller components, wrote user stories and completed application programming interface (API) mappings.
Data Analyst, RBC, Toronto, ON
Rasana returned to RBC for her current co-op term as a Data Analyst in commercial banking. Her role involves working with raw data, transforming it into dashboards and presentations, and using tools such as Tableau, Teradata, Excel and PowerPoint. This term, she has worked on projects including an attrition dashboard, client relationship analysis and a server page revamp to improve dashboard performance and accessibility for her team.
Q&A with Rasana
What first drew you to data, finance and people?
“I’m a math student, so working with numbers is something I’ve always appreciated and enjoyed. At the same time, when I look at my hobbies and interests, whether through extracurriculars within school or opportunities outside of school, I’ve always found myself taking on leadership roles or positions that allow me to communicate with people.”
“I realized that I enjoyed working with numbers academically, but also kept signing up for opportunities where I could connect with others and put myself out there. I needed a path that combined both. That’s what drew me toward data analysis and financial analysis. It allowed me to work with technical information while still engaging with people and communicating ideas clearly. Finding that balance helped me better understand the kind of work I could see myself continuing to pursue in the future.”
Why did you decide to return to RBC for another co-op term?
“RBC has a really good environment that encourages you to learn. Whenever I had a question or spoke with my managers, they would always encourage me to explore. If I asked for more work, they would suggest meetings I could sit in on or terms I could become more familiar with. That made the culture feel very supportive, especially as a co-op student.”
“The experience felt meaningful because I was able to learn a lot and connect with people across the organization. I even had the opportunity to meet with the Vice-President of Cash Management Technology, which was surprising to me because of how open everyone was to coffee chats.”
“For co-op students who are looking to learn, I think RBC is a really good environment. There are opportunities to ask questions, meet people and understand different parts of the company if you take the initiative.”
When did you realize that data becomes more powerful when it is translated into a story?
“Early on in my co-op terms, one of the most frequent pieces of advice I received was that it’s one thing to complete a task and use your technical skills, but it’s another thing to be able to convey it. That’s what helps your employer see your value.”
“I started to see that in different areas, whether it was presenting work in the classroom, completing projects during my first co-op term or explaining data in a workplace setting. The data itself was something I was already interested in, but I realized I also liked the storytelling aspect of the work.”
“Being able to analyze information is important, but the impact comes from explaining what that information means."
"It’s about helping someone understand the value behind the numbers so they can make better decisions.”
How did you build the confidence and trust needed to take ownership of meaningful projects?
“I think ownership comes into place when people see you taking initiative and being able to handle it. When you show that you’re willing to ask questions, learn the context and follow through on your responsibilities, people start to trust you with more.”
“For me, building confidence came from taking on tasks even when they felt unfamiliar at first. In each role, there were tools, teams or processes I had to learn, but I tried to approach those moments with curiosity instead of hesitation. The more I showed that I could adapt and take responsibility, the more comfortable I became leading work.”
“It also helped to communicate clearly with the people around me. If I needed clarification, I asked. If I was working on something that affected another team, I made sure I understood what they needed. That helped me build trust and made it easier to contribute to projects in a meaningful way.”
How have your extracurricular experiences shaped the way you lead and connect with others?
“Outside of work, I’ve been involved with Waterloo Venture Group, Waterloo Women in Finance and Orientation. Those experiences have helped me learn how to communicate with people, especially in a team setting.”
“In all of those roles, I’ve had some sort of leadership position, and over the years I’ve learned that leadership is not about being a dictator. It’s about recognizing your team’s strengths and weaknesses and using that understanding to help create the best outcome.”
“That has translated into the workplace as well. I’ve learned how to recognize when one team member is really strong in a certain area and another person is strong in something else. Knowing who to ask for what helps prevent miscommunication and makes tasks move faster.”
What advice would you give to future co-op students?
“I would really emphasize coffee chatting and networking, but also making those coffee chats meaningful. I’ve heard executives say that they’ve been in coffee chats where it feels awkward for both people, so it’s important to do your research on who you want to talk to.”
“Before reaching out, understand why you want to speak with that person. Look into their role, their career path and the kinds of questions that would help you learn from them. That makes the conversation more useful and shows that you value their time.”
“I would also tell students not to underestimate opportunities that may not look exactly like what they wanted at first. My first official co-op was as a Communications Assistant, which had almost no direct correlation to what I originally wanted to do. But I still learned how to make the most of it, networked with people and found ways to connect that experience back to my interests.”
What’s next for you?
“I want to keep trying different things. Even though I returned to RBC, I joined a completely different pillar, and the software, environment and work were different from my previous role. I would like to work abroad in the future, push myself again and adjust to a new environment.”