How to Become a Bank Teller
Career News November 27, 2013There are a lot of things in life that people tend to take for granted. For instance, if you were to go to the bank to get your check cashed and there was no one there to do it or the person responsible for cashing it was incompetent or rude you would quickly gain a new appreciation for capable bank tellers. Many people think of tellers as just a person on the other side of the counter at the bank, but they provide an invaluable service.
Bank tellers are an intricate part of the banking industry and without them, the entire financial system would probably slow to a crawl. Bank tellers must have the ability to calculate and do math. Counting is another important quality of a good bank teller. They must remain professional and trustworthy while handling astronomical sums of money.
Bank Teller Requirements
Contrary to popular belief, the only education required to work as a teller for most banks is a high school diploma according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most banks will run a thorough background check on all their potential employees. When you have someone handling thousands of dollars every day, you’ll want to make sure their trustworthy. Obviously above average math skills are a bonus to any possible bank teller candidate.
Bank Teller Salaries
The entry level salary for most bank tellers is about $22,467 annually to start. Therefore, it’s one of the highest paying jobs someone with no college degree and no formal training can obtain. These numbers are the estimation of Payscale.com.
Other Teller Responsibilities
Many people think tellers merely handle transactions at the bank window, but they do other things. Most tellers are responsible for counting large amounts of money. They may also be asked to help keep the bank or credit union tidy on the inside.
How to Become a Bank Teller
To become a bank teller, the process is really quite simple. A potential applicant can simply walk into a branch of their local bank and ask for an application or go to a particular bank’s website and look for a link to employment opportunities.
As you can plainly see, bank tellers perform a far more important role in the operation of a financial institution than most people anticipate. It takes a very special person to have the patience, courtesy and math skills to be an effective teller. The salary is decent and the ability to help people get their hard earned money is a nice bonus.
