Fresh Profile: Bank Teller Jobs

Published on 2008-08-20

Whether you are considering a career in banking or looking for a part-time job to get you through college, bank teller jobs offer the best of both worlds. With just a high school diploma and a little work experience, bank tellers can climb the first rung of the corporate ladder or work at various part-time shifts while preparing for a different career.

All banking careers deal with money in one way or another. Bank tellers are responsible for handling most of a bank's everyday transactions. As an entry-level position, basic responsibilities include cashing checks, receiving deposits, and processing withdrawals. In addition to these basic duties, bank tellers also learn to sell savings bonds and traveler's checks, process certificates of deposit, and conduct transactions for utility bills and credit cards. Tellers can also specialize in commercial or business accounts and may be assigned to handle foreign currencies. More banks are training tellers to perform a variety of duties that are usually performed by customer service representatives. Discussing various financial products and services with customers and referring them to the appropriate sales representative is another important part of a teller's banking job.

Detecting fraud and inadvertent customer mistakes is a critical aspect of these front-line banking jobs. It is the teller's responsibility to verify all kinds of information during a transaction. This is why tellers must have a keen eye for detail and be able to make accurate math calculations. For example, before they can cash a check, tellers have to verify the date, name of the bank, identification of the customer, and legality of the document. They have to check numbers and make sure that the written and numerical amounts match. Tellers must be cautious and attentive while counting cash to avoid any mistakes. At the end of the day, a teller is responsible for turning in a balanced drawer of funds.

While a high school diploma is the minimum requirement for most bank teller jobs, many job listings also require at least one year of experience in sales, cash handling or customer service. Once hired, tellers are provided with formal classroom training that is followed by on-the-job-training.

Working as a bank teller offers many advancement opportunities. Within the banking industry alone, tellers have the opportunity to advance to head teller, customer service representative or new accounts clerk. With dedication and time, a teller can move up to low or mid-level management jobs. Individuals who are not interested in pursuing a banking career can also work as a teller because of the many part time jobs available on morning, evening, and weekend shifts. In fact, in some banks, about 90% of the tellers work part-time hours.

If this sounds like a position you are interested in, start your job search today at Fresho.com. Find bank teller jobs in your area by using our free search tools. You can also continue reading other Fresh Profile articles to get a detailed look at the many career opportunities available to you at Fresho.