Retail banking jobs include tellers, personal bankers, auditors, loan officers, and managers. Depending on the job desired, a variety of educational levels could be required. Generally, those with a college education, especially in finance or economics, along with some cash handling or customer service experience, can find a job in a retail banking setting. Those interested in retail banking jobs generally get along well with people and are flexible enough to respond to changing conditions and requests.
Of all the retail banking jobs, the teller position generally deals with the largest amount of people. These jobs include handling everyday tasks such as processing deposits and withdrawals, as well as checking account balances. Tellers may also cash checks for those who bring in checks drafted on that particular bank. Generally, the requirement for a teller position is simply to have a high school education, as well as some cash-handling experience, but each banking institution determines its own requirements.
A personal banker is often the first point of contact for a banking customer when the desire is to open a new account of some sort. These individuals will help a person open a checking or savings account, as well as apply for a loan. Personal bankers could also be responsible for recommending savings products, such as certificates of deposit, or setting a customer up with a financial planer. Generally, this job requires a few years of customer service experience, or a college degree.
Auditors are the watchdogs for the retail banking industry. Of all the retail banking jobs, this is probably the one that is most behind the scenes and out of the eye of the general public. Auditors are responsible for ensuring the books balance and that all deposits, withdrawals, and other transactions are carried out correctly. The auditor may also be responsible to helping to resolve any disputes that come up. Generally, a degree in accounting or related field is the minimum requirement for such a position.
Managers are responsible for the oversight of the entire retail banking operation. Generally, there is at least one manager for every physical site, often referred to as a branch manager or president. This person likely has college degree and years of experience in many different facets of the retail banking industry. Often, even an advanced degree is required.
Other retail banking positions that generally used to be done at each physical location, such as loan officers and mortgage risk analysts, are often being done elsewhere. Many locations may not have the traffic to fully staff these positions. Therefore, these services may be done from a centralized corporate location. Smaller branches may send in work or applications for these individuals to review.