A bank teller is responsible for processing routine operations in a bank, such as cashing checks, depositing or withdrawing money, issuing savings bonds, and collecting loan payments. They ensure a high level of service and transaction efficiency. They must have excellent communication skills and customer service skills. Bank tellers need acute attention to detail as they are responsible for identifying risk factors for fraudulent activity or potential scams. Bank tellers have solid analytical skills, working knowledge of computers and electronic banking systems, and strong data entry skills.
As bank tellers are typically the first point of contact when customers enter a bank, this role requires excellent interpersonal skills. Bank tellers must be patient, understanding, good problem solvers, and resourceful in dealing with customers on a daily basis. They may be required to sell products and services or make sales referrals as part of their duties at the bank. They also should stay current on all regulations and policies and ensure they are upheld.
Sample job description
[Your Company Name] is searching for an experienced bank teller to join our retail branch. The teller is the first person that our customers see. If you would like to apply for the job, you need experience in a customer-focused environment with elementary accounting skills, allowing you to feel comfortable with handling large sums of cash for our trusting customers. You should have a knack for paying attention to small details and possess a natural ability to actively listen to our customers about their concerns and needs.
Typical duties and responsibilities
- Follow companies procedures to calculate and manage all the funds they give out and receive from customers
- Build and maintain customers’ trust by providing quality service
- Answer any questions customers may have about their account or other products/services
- Collect checks, money, debit and credit payments from members
- Utilize the provided electronics to correctly document all the transactions carried out on the shift
- Solve any problems that arise on the account or during a transaction
- Make sure the drawer is balanced at the end of the shift to ensure all transactions went smoothly
Education and experience
- A completed high school diploma or an equivalent GED certificate
- At least six months of experience handling customer service
Required skills and qualifications
- Being able to pass a background check
- Basic math skills, including addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication
- Ability to communicate any issues or opportunities to colleagues or customers effectively
- High moral standing and strong sense of integrity
- Ability to accomplish thoroughness and accuracy when completing a transaction
Preferred qualifications
- Being fluent in a different language other than English
- Obtaining an undergraduate degree in a finance-related field
- Experience with handling large sums of money
- Experience with utilizing different computer programs, such as Microsoft teams and Outlook
- Experience in a sales-related role that prioritized the customers’ wellbeing
- Mathematical experience in algebra to increase accuracy with transactions
Average salary and compensation
The average salary for a bank teller is $32,620 per year in the United States, including benefits such as paid vacation, 401k, sick time, and medical and dental insurance. Salary may vary based on level of experience, education, and location.
| Location | Salary for 1 Year of Experience | Salary for 5 Years of Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, Arizona | $27,784 | $31,783 |
| Los Angeles, California | $31,805 | $36,393 |
| Denver, Colorado | $28,436 | $32,557 |
| Washington, DC | $31,307 | $35,826 |
| Miami, Florida | $27,378 | $31,326 |
| Orlando, Florida | $26,749 | $30,610 |
| Tampa, Florida | $26,769 | $30,630 |
| Atlanta, Georgia | $27,955 | $31,832 |
| Chicago, Illinois | $29,439 | $34,147 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | $31,683 | $36,254 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota | $29,958 | $34,286 |
| New York City, New York | $33,814 | $38,734 |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $30,121 | $34,840 |
| Dallas, Texas | $27,937 | $31,971 |
| Houston, Texas | $28,882 | $32,994 |
| Seattle, Washington | $30,749 | $35,181 |
| Overall | $29,278 | $32,739 |
Typical work environment
Bank tellers most often work in a specific bank branch with other coworkers and supervisors. They are constantly interacting with customers in order to take care of their needs and to answer any questions they may have about their accounts or financial health. While many bank tellers are full-time employees for their company, some work part-time and others split their tellering operations with loan work.
Bank tellers have a variety of different schedules. Those working full-time will most likely be working five days a week with Sunday and another day off. Meanwhile, part-time employees will typically work through busy periods, such as lunch hours or Saturday mornings. Tellers should expect to work some Saturdays and be prepared to stand for the majority of their shifts helping clients.
Typical hours
While work hours may vary depending on the branch, most tellers work from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Most banks are open on Saturdays, but they usually open later and close earlier than the rest of the week.
Available certifications
As bank tellers carry out several responsibilities throughout the day, there are a variety of institutions that offer certifications, including:
- AIB Customer Service Representative Certificate. The AIB is the undisputed professional credential for a variety of banking personnel with the desire to increase their knowledge and applied skills into their routine banking transactions. You will need to complete 11 different courses, including Banking Today, Building and Retaining Customer Relationships, Cross-Selling Deposit Products, Dealing Effectively with Co-Workers, Effective Referrals, Ethical Issues for Bankers, Introduction to Relationship Selling, Regulatory Compliance for Customer Service Representatives, Revitalizing Customer Service, Telephone Etiquette, and Understanding Bank Products. The main emphasis of all these courses is increasing product knowledge and customer satisfaction.
- ABA Bank Teller Certificate. This certificate is perfect for anyone looking to develop the essential skills you need to become an effective bank teller. You will be able to master core competencies such as cash handling, check cashing, cash payments, deposit and withdrawal processing, and settlements of teller cash along with proof of transactions. You will also be introduced to ways to build interpersonal skills with customers and coworkers.
- Certified Bank Teller. The CBT is one of the most popular certificates earned for new tellers. You will first go through comprehensive training that will cover the following professional knowledge areas: Teller Operations, Sales and Service, Banking Basics, Specific Business Competencies, and Ethics. After that, you must pass a test that will cover all these topics. In order to be eligible to complete the certificate, you will need a minimum of six months of experience as a teller, a completed AIB Bank Teller Certificate, a letter of recommendation from your senior manager, and a completed application that confirms you met all the eligibility requirements.
Career path
The journey to becoming a bank teller is an exciting one since you can begin as soon as you finish your high school diploma or pass your GED exam.
Students who want to become a bank teller are encouraged to have a strong mathematical background along with quality experience in customer service. It can also be useful for bank tellers to obtain certain certificates within the industry or pursue an undergraduate degree with a financial emphasis.
Bank tellers need to develop specific soft skills, like expertise in problem-solving and communication. Many customers expect tellers to solve all their banking problems, so it is important for tellers to be able to identify the problem in order to find a solution. In the meantime, it is important for tellers to communicate their ideas and actions to prevent confusion with their clients.
US, Bureau of Labor Statistics’ job outlook
SOC Code: 43-3071
| 2019 Employment | 449,000 |
| Projected Employment in 2021 | 380,400 |
| Projected 2019-2029 Percentage Shift | 15% Decrease |
| Projected 2019-2029 Numeric Shift | 68,600 Decrease |
Position trends
In the past, a large number of bank tellers were needed because of the huge expansion of bank branches, where the majority of bank tellers work. However, the number of bank branches have been steadily decreasing the past few years due to technology. The development of online and mobile banking allows customers to perform many of the transactions tellers normally would do for them. As more people use these new resources, there will be less demand for tellers to help out with those transactions.
Staying on top of industry trends and having experience in the online world will be beneficial to keep up with the advanced technological changes within the banking systems. With “Enhanced ATMs”, customers will be able to do most of their banking on their own with the occasional video call to a teller that will be hired to be on standby for any questions.
Sample interview questions
- What interests you about becoming a bank teller?
- Why did you choose our bank?
- What do you think are the most important qualities a bank teller should have?
- Describe a time when you had to deal with an upset customer.
- How would you handle a situation wherein a customer was wrongly charged on their account?
- If I were a customer making a common deposit into my account, how would you sell a new product that the bank recently came out with?
- How would you react if you saw a fellow employee take money from our institution?
- Are you comfortable dealing with large sums of money?
- What strategies would you use to make a customer feel welcomed?
- How do you deal with stressful situations?
- What skills do you have that would help you succeed in this role?
- Do you have any experience with spotting fraudulent checks or counterfeit money?
