What does a banker do?
Bankers provide their customers with a variety of services. They help with initial banking requests such as opening a checking or saving account and setting up certificates of deposit and other money handling options. They offer a variety of services such as trusts, deposits, investment accounts, lines of credit, and much more. They are trained to answer any questions that customers have about their banking needs and help customers effectively manage their accounts. Some bankers concentrate on personal banking, focusing on individuals and others concentrate on commercial banking, focusing on businesses. Bankers strive to provide excellent customer service and establish good relationships with their customers.
Bankers look for sales opportunities to bring money into their banks by recruiting new customers and encouraging deposits and services. They attend community events and networking groups to recruit new accounts and sell their products.
What kind of training does a banker need?
Many bankers in office and administrative positions have just a high school education. Bankers in management, business, and financial positions have at least a bachelor degree in liberal arts or business administration. For all positions most banks seek out employees who have good basic communication and math skills. Many bankers have a combination of formal education and on-the-job training to learn the rules, procedures, and regulations of the bank. Many banks also encourage advancement and provide their employees with access to higher education and other sources of higher training. Some banks have their own training programs as well.
What are the prospects for a career in banking?
Employment in banking is projected to experience moderate growth, increasing 4% from the 2006 to 2016 decade (1). Banks revamping their services to better serve customers and creating new branch locations will drive growth.
Job prospects are expected to be favorable for bank workers especially for those with financial services backgrounds and up-to-date computer skills. New employees will be needed to replace people who leave the field by retiring or for other reasons.
How much do bankers make?
As of July 2009, bankers with less than 1 year experience earned annual salaries around $31,271 and those with 1 to 4 years experience earned annual salaries around $32,761 (2).
A career as a banker is an excellent choice for individuals who feel comfortable handling other people’s money and giving advice on how to manage it. Bankers must have excellent communication and customer service skills and have a genuine interest in working with people. Confidence, motivation, and sales ability are also essential qualities in the banking field.
