Bank Teller Jobs

Bank tellers have the sometimes thankless tasks of processing customer banking transactions.

Tellers are a bank’s front line- the first, and sometimes only, representative of the bank that customers may see, and so tellers must remember they ARE the bank for many customers.

Most bank tellers work at bank branches, although some banking administrative facilities also include banking offices. Bank branches, as already noted, usually occupy stand-alone offices with drive-thru banking and ATMs. However, some branches can be housed in other businesses like grocery stores.

In addition to deposits and withdrawals, bank tellers also process loan payments, mortgage payments, cash checks, prepare money orders, cashier’s checks, and process utility payments. Bank tellers must be able to balance their cash drawers at the end of the day.

Since bank tellers are so representative of the bank, they must be able to interact with customers, often delivering less than favorable news, in a positive, caring manner. Bank tellers must also be able to work with other members of the branch as part of a team.

Overall, the outlook for teller jobs is a good news-bad news situation. The good news is that due to banks’ desire to draw more customers, they are opening more locations and staying open longer during the week and on weekends. This will create an increase in the number of teller positions. The bad news is that this increase will be at a lower rate than the average growth percentage for most jobs. Teller positions are expected to increase by 6% by the year 2018.

Educational Requirements

Most banks require tellers to have a minimum of a high school diploma. Some banks or some specialized teller positions may require previous teller or cashier experience. Tellers are trained on the job. In addition to a high school diploma, tellers will need to pass an extensive background check, since they will be working directly with money.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Most teller operations are automated and computerized today, placing less emphasis on teller skill and know-how. However, tellers still should possess good math skills and have a basic understanding of accounting and cash balancing procedures. Tellers also need to learn or possess excellent customer service and communication skills. Tellers should also be able to work well as part of a team.

Average Salary Information

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual average salary of most tellers is $23,610. This is an average, and salaries may vary widely from bank to bank and from one part of the country to another. For example, in California, bank tellers earn an average salary of between $26,000 and $34,000.

Potential Career Paths

The position of bank teller is considered entry level. That means there is only one way to go, and that’s up. Tellers may be promoted to teller supervisors, head tellers, or take on other more responsible positions within the bank, such as customer service representatives and personal banking representatives. The highest position within a branch is branch manager, and tellers may eventually work their way to this position, or find other employment within the bank at its corporate offices.