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#181699 - 04/21/04 08:06 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Inquisitor / Sommelier Omega Offline
Diamond Poster
Inquisitor / Sommelier Omega
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,357
A Grant Wood painting.
Please be patient. This is a little long.

I was unable to get a job in finance right out of school. I did not feel as though I could afford to be a teller with a child on the way.

I took a job in outside sales and a part-time job with a department store as a collector. I soon left my sales job to take at job as P&L coordinator for the department store. Within 8 months I was authorizations and new accounts supervisor. When the department store was on shaky ground I took a job as a collector with a large regional bank. I kept the supervisor job for nights and weekends through the holidays. (Not much of a husband and father at that point.) Within 6 months w/ the large regional, I had my supervisor’s boss’s job. I was the manager of recovery and consumer underwriting for a $2.2 B bank.

The bank consolidated operations out of state and I took a pay cut (AND the severance package) to become a commercial analyst. I did not have the commercial background I wanted to have and some of the large banks have great training. After serving 18 months, I bailed to do what I really wanted to do all along – be a banker. I have been with this small ($60MM), small town bank for over 6 years.

I am not trying to boast. I knew what I wanted and I took it. Hard work, drive, and the willingness to do what it takes are far more important than a GPA. (Grad school not withstanding.)
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Human Resources
#181700 - 04/21/04 08:57 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
okstgrad Offline
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 26
Thanks everyone. There has been some great advice on here. I appreciate all of it.

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#181701 - 04/21/04 10:12 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
HRH Dawnie Offline
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HRH Dawnie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,353
Anchorage Alaska
Let us know how things work out OK As you can tell, there are many driven folks in the banking world and we're always looking to see those ranks increase! I hope things work out in your career.
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Dawn Coursey VP/CRA Queen

CRA Rating is in...Oh who cares...I'm home with the baby.

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#181702 - 04/22/04 04:00 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Kari Offline
100 Club
Kari
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 131
PA
I agree with Paragon. Apparently, you do not get the jest of the teller position. A teller is a front line person who represents the bank and everyone in it. Sometimes you are the only link a customer has to the bank. To move up within a bank does that TIME. A degree does not get you the position you want. Besides banking is a different kind of animal. After 25 years experience and working a short time in other fields, I have learned true bankers are special, dedicated,loyal and very hardworking people. PS, you may also want to check the spelling of opportunity!

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#181703 - 04/22/04 04:13 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
okstgrad Offline
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 26
Quote:

I agree with Paragon. Apparently, you do not get the jest of the teller position. A teller is a front line person who represents the bank and everyone in it. Sometimes you are the only link a customer has to the bank. To move up within a bank does that TIME. A degree does not get you the position you want. Besides banking is a different kind of animal. After 25 years experience and working a short time in other fields, I have learned true bankers are special, dedicated,loyal and very hardworking people. PS, you may also want to check the spelling of opportunity!




Obviously it's a typo. Also, I have been a teller for 2 years now. Another thing, since the teller is so important to the bank maybe a pay increase accross the banking industry should be in order. Don't you think?

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#181704 - 04/22/04 04:18 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Jokerman Offline
10K Club
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,846
Quote:

PS, you may also want to check the spelling of opportunity!




PS, you may also want to check the meaning of "jest." Or the spelling of "gist." Whichever.

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#181705 - 04/22/04 05:00 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Paragon Offline
Diamond Poster
Paragon
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,164
Obviously it's a typo. Also, I have been a teller for 2 years now. Another thing, since the teller is so important to the bank maybe a pay increase accross the banking industry should be in order. Don't you think?




I'm now thinking that I understand why you continue to be a teller. It's not all about you, it's all about the bank and if you are not viewed as able to fill the needs, for example, as a csr in all areas - including bringing a good attitude with you each day, you may as well move on to a different industry. You really need to honestly discuss this with someone in your bank. Input relating to your career posted here is all theory based on experience, primarily, and you are where the rubber meets the road - with your personality/attitude possibly the real issue.

As for me, looking over all your posts, I'm happy that you don't work for me as your attitude appears to be negative and the problem. There are few things in the HR area that are more difficult to deal with then a teller that does not want to be a teller, but is unable to reason through why no other opportunities are readily available.

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#181706 - 04/22/04 05:07 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
okstgrad Offline
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 26
Quote:

Obviously it's a typo. Also, I have been a teller for 2 years now. Another thing, since the teller is so important to the bank maybe a pay increase accross the banking industry should be in order. Don't you think?




I'm now thinking that I understand why you continue to be a teller. It's not all about you, it's all about the bank and if you are not viewed as able to fill the needs, for example, as a csr in all areas - including bringing a good attitude with you each day, you may as well move on to a different industry. You really need to honestly discuss this with someone in your bank. Input relating to your career posted here is all theory based on experience, primarily, and you are where the rubber meets the road - with your personality/attitude possibly the real issue.

As for me, looking over all your posts, I'm happy that you don't work for me as your attitude appears to be negative and the problem. There are few things in the HR area that are more difficult to deal with then a teller that does not want to be a teller, but is unable to reason through why no other opportunities are readily available.




I continue to be a teller because that is the bulk of my experience and plus I am in a small market. You really don't know me. I do bring a good attitude to work everyday. I work my butt off. I may not like my job but I make sure I do the best job that I can do. I also do not let my personal feelings get in the way of my work. Just because you present a certain attitude about a job on an internet bbs does not mean that is the way you act in real life.

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#181707 - 04/22/04 05:50 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

Okstgrad - Paragon, Joker and many others here have given you helpful food for thought...some soul-searching hints that can be seen as Chicken Soup for the Aspiring Teller. I don't think anyone is picking on you personally; I think they are earnestly trying to promote guidance based on their own life experiences.

This being said, I think you need to look deeper in the way of what it is you bring to the table. If you were someone with an MBA-Finance from Wharton, I don't think anyone would argue with your sentiments. But you have an undergraduate degree, purportedly in finance, but does it honestly contain the substantive finance courses which provide you with a strong understanding of balance sheets, income statements, asset/liability management, etc., etc.

If you feel you have a strong understanding of financial systems, you might be better off going to a Big 4 accounting/consultancy firm, or even a regional firm.

Something is getting in your way that we're not seeing here. It's either that you're 4'9" and weigh 400, or there's some signal being transmitted that's not endearing you to people. Finally, when you were a senior in college, what were you doing then to search for post-graduation employment? Did you just go to a bank and become placed in the position you're in? What are your finance major peers from college doing for employment?

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#181708 - 04/22/04 09:23 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
LITTLE WINGS Offline
New Poster
LITTLE WINGS
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12
CALIFORNIA
This tells it all. I've learn a lot from ya'll.

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#181709 - 04/23/04 01:37 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Angel Eyes Offline
Power Poster
Angel Eyes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,599
I am another banker who started in a entry level position as a proof operator while attending college. I took different jobs along the way including teller, vault teller, loan secretary, compliance assistant etc all at the same bank. And at 25 I was given the opportunity to become the Compliance officer and at 27 I became AVP! I took on a ton of crummy jobs along the way, but I came in with a smile and showed them energy and a committment to learning and to the bank. I learned as much as possible and it helped.

I agree with all of the above advice. Ask for things to do in down time. It might be cleaning up ports, helping doing some filing in the loan department, it might seem trivial but doing these jobs will teach you a lot and networking with these other people will also get your name out there. Then when a position opens up in another area and 10 people apply. They will say hey I know "Tom" and he has been very helpful and he knows a little bit about how things are done because he has helped us do....(fill in the blank). If you can get these people to respect and admire you it will really help you move up. It isn't all about having a degree.

When I graduated from college with my finance degree the bank told me they would have a job for me. I figured it would be something big with a matching big paycheck but I continued in my job as a teller for some time before things happened. My degree was a plus, but it never got me a job.

Good Luck....I hope everything works out for you. Hang in there if you really want to make it happen you can.

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#181710 - 04/23/04 08:35 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
EdOils Offline
Platinum Poster
EdOils
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 555
Louisiana
Quote:

My first job out of college with my Bachelor's degree in Business Admin/Accounting was with the OCC as an examiner. I would highly recommend this route to anyone right out of school. OCC, FDIC, or the state banking department will provide a wealth of experience that you will never get working for a bank. It's worth looking into.




I didn't intend on being so long winded. It just happened. Sorry.

This is a very good place to learn about banking. You get to see the "big picture" and you understand how everyone's job is a cog on the gear of the bank. If one of those cogs is broken, the bank doesn't run very smoothly.

OkGrad, I feel your pain. When I graduated college in 1995 there were very few banking jobs. The industry was going through the "merger frenzy" and there were a lot of out of work bankers looking for the same jobs that I was. I thought I was going to have to work at a finance company to pay the bills ! I had a finance degree with the banking option (much like you). I felt that I was qualified to work in any department in the bank. Boy, was I mistaken.

I found a job working for a community bank as a teller in one of their supermarket banks making $7 an hour. Turns out, it was a great job, because I learned about Operations and Lending. (I learned none of this in school.) I volunteered for whatever needed to be done at the branch and took advantage of every opportunity to learn about the bank. I worked my way up to branch manager in 2 years. Then I hit the wall. The SMB's were the "redheaded step-children" of the bank. I knew that I would not have an opportunity to further my banking knowledge and I had to move on. (Something only you can decide.)

I remembered my banking professor in college saying that, if you want to learn about the banking industry, then you should be an examiner. So I went looking for a regulator job, and landed a position with the State Banking Department.

This was really an interesting job! You get to see what other banks are doing and you get "face time" with the people who make the decisions at the banks. The FDIC and CSBS schools were fantastic and, best of all, FREE. (Thanks to the bankers' assessments!)

Eventually, one of the bankers called me up to come to work for him. I started as an AVP/Jr. Loan Officer and really enjoyed it. However, about a year ago, the bank was looking to create an Internal Audit/Compliance Dept., and asked me to start it up.

I said yes, but I really didn't want the job, because I didn't think that it fit into my career path. I had always told the Compliance Officer, "Better you than me." The surprising thing was that once I dropped my attitude about the change, I really enjoyed it. I'm now looking to obtain my CIA and CRCM certifications. (Not at the same time, obviously!) I know this is not the job I'll retire at, but I'm going to make the most of it while I'm here.

Bottom line is this: Only you know when it's time to go or time to stay. Keep your door open for opportunity, but give 100% at your current job. Most importantly, be patient. If you work hard and make the most of your opportunities, it will happen for you.

I hope this helps!

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#181711 - 04/23/04 09:04 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
okstgrad Offline
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 26
EdOils, thank you for your advice. I do not believe I am qualified to work in any area of the bank though. All I really want is something other than a teller job. I think I am going to get it by the way here in the near future. Everyone on this forumn has been quite helpful. I really appreciate everyone's input. Thank you all so much.

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#181712 - 04/23/04 10:21 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

ALl the responses were very well said. I can't help
but read with awe to all of your thoughts and viewpoints.
I myself have a long way to go and will continue to
learn from you all. OksGrad!-Good Luck and hope your career
will go well!

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#181713 - 05/20/04 09:19 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

Well, this thread was interesting. Based on what you have said, if you aren't lying, we would not have hired you as a teller, but I personally would strongly recommend you for the management training program at our bank. You could choose many areas, but if you chose the branch management program you would go through all areas and probably be a teller for about 3 months.

I am surprised that so many of you expect a college graduate with these qualifications to walk in and just be a teller. I could understand starting out for 3 to 6 months with the understanding that the person will move pretty quickly, but not a year or two. I would recommend to this person to look around. I do know that BOKF in Tulsa is about the size we are and they offer a management program similar to ours. Good luck in your search. UMB bank has a presence in OKC. That is a very good bank out of the Kansas City area I believe.

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#181714 - 05/24/04 08:30 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

There are several major banks where I live (Pittsburgh) and I have not been able to get a teller position in any of them. (I graduated from college magna cum laude, interned at a bank, have cash handling experience, etc. etc. etc.!) How can I possibly become a teller?!

P.S. I want to be a teller because it seems like I can't get hired anywhere else either and I thought being a teller would give me a foot in the door to banking.

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#181715 - 05/25/04 05:15 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

I am in the same boat as the person who started the thread. When I was in college I interned with a major bank. I got a ton of experience. The problem was is they got bought out and aren't hiring. The only job I could find after flooding the market with my resume were teller jobs. Banking is screwed up.

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#181716 - 05/25/04 05:30 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

I have a BS degree in Social Work. Couldn't find a job in that field. Actually, I was just picky. At the time I was a part time teller at a bank. I needed a full time job, so I applied for a posistion working with the compliance officer, that is where I am at now. I like it a lot. I am currently in school, again, on weekends, getting my BA degree in Finance. I definately plan on getting my MBA. You just never know what opportunities will arise and where you will go. Let management know your intentions and where you would like to go. There are not many people who show drive and ambition on a dalily basis. But, people will remember you when something arises if you do!

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#181717 - 05/25/04 06:11 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Lestie G Offline

Power Poster
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,608
Near the Land of Enchantment
Quote:

I have a BS degree in Social Work.




Compliance and Social Work - I do see the connection!!
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#181718 - 06/10/05 02:49 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

Posting anon since I'm about to be tacky!! If you are a man, then you should look to smaller towns. We hire women as tellers, men as management!! But I will say, they have been good to me (a chick). I've worked my way from teller, loan (ours are) secretary, trust assistant, networking assistant and now IT auditor in just over 10 years. Hang in there and don't be afraid to let your wife support you for a while (Assuming her good job will help your income concerns). That's what we are here for. Good luck.

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#181719 - 06/10/05 02:51 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

never mind. just noticed the date on this. lurked in while searching for something else.

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#181720 - 06/14/05 10:54 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

I started off with a bank out of galveston, texas that is about a billion dollar bank. I was hired when I was 20 years old as a teller. For one solid year I busted by butt working crazy hours and dealing with some troublesome management. On my one year anv. my regional manager showed up at our branch and asked to speak with me. She then proceeded to inform me that one of the banks biggest in-store branches had an opening and she wanted me there. Now keep this in mind, Im now 21 and without a degree and run a branch that alone makes $20 million a year. There is no substitute or degree that out-weighs a strong work ethic and the right attitude.

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#181721 - 06/17/05 06:57 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Anonymous
Unregistered

I am an HR Director at a FI in Oklahoma. I am familiar with the bank for which you work, and I believe there are tremendous opportunities there. However, I think that you think that because you have a degree (and a 3.3 GPA), you are owed more than "just a teller" position.

Here's the real world coming along to smack the new college grad in the face, again...

No, you're not owed anything. You have to prove you're "more than a teller". Just because you have a degree definitely does not mean you're going to jump into a position that requires both education and experience. The degree is just the first step in building your career.

Now, as to your question regarding the six month requirement before you can apply for additional positions being legal: Yes, that is perfectly legal. If a company feels a certain length of time in a position is necessary, then that's the company's discretion. In addition to finding out if you are going to be an employee worthy of continued investment of resources, it's about getting a return on the initial investment of recruiting, hiring and training you in your current position. Whether they use Express or any other staffing firm has no bearing.

The best way to look for banking jobs and get your name out is to demonstrate some stability and upward movement within one company first. Bide your time, prove your mettle and make yourself a valued employee. There are so many opportunities at BOK, that if you are half-way decent, you can go in any direction you choose. That half-way is 90% attitude, and if you display the same sort of behavior at work as you do here, you're not going to go anywhere.

Be professional, earn your stripes, and you will reap the rewards.

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#181722 - 06/17/05 08:15 PM Re: Am I just a teller???
Piano Man Offline
Gold Star
Piano Man
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 442
Down South
I did exactly as you did. Started as a teller part time during the summers in '97. Now I am the Compliance officer. Good things come to those who wait. You will get their someday!
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#181723 - 06/18/05 12:02 AM Re: Am I just a teller???
Dip Offline
Power Poster
Dip
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 6,298
San Diego, CA
I had worked as a teller the last two years I was in college. Graduated in Financial Services and decided to leave the bank I was at since they based all promotions on your sales record. I wanted to get into audit, and one of the places I applied to called me back for a teller position. I told them I was not looking for another teller position--that I knew what I wanted and that was nto it. A little over a month later, the same company called me back for the position I applied for.

My advice: Know what you want, let others know you knwo what you want, and don't sacrifice anything to get it!
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Dabbling in banking, law, accounting...the life of a trustee.

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