Bank Teller Jobs

They are the front desk employees of banks.

Author: Josh Pupkin
Josh Pupkin
Josh Pupkin
Private Equity | Investment Banking

Josh has extensive experience private equity, business development, and investment banking. Josh started his career working as an investment banking analyst for Barclays before transitioning to a private equity role Neuberger Berman. Currently, Josh is an Associate in the Strategic Finance Group of Accordion Partners, a management consulting firm which advises on, executes, and implements value creation initiatives and 100 day plans for Private Equity-backed companies and their financial sponsors.

Josh graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and is currently an MBA candidate at Duke University Fuqua School of Business with a concentration in Corporate Strategy.

Reviewed By: Patrick Curtis
Patrick Curtis
Patrick Curtis
Private Equity | Investment Banking

Prior to becoming our CEO & Founder at Wall Street Oasis, Patrick spent three years as a Private Equity Associate for Tailwind Capital in New York and two years as an Investment Banking Analyst at Rothschild.

Patrick has an MBA in Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School and a BA in Economics from Williams College.

Last Updated:November 1, 2023

What is a Bank Teller?

Bank tellers are the employees we first encounter when we enter the bank. They are the front desk employees of banks. They usually stand on the other side of the counter and serve the bank customers' needs. 

Tellers will verify the customer information and ask you what they want to do for you. They can deposit and withdraw on behalf of the customer. They can also generate money orders and certified checks according to the customer's request.

Some can exchange foreign currencies as well if needed or permitted. Bank tellers can answer the queries about any customer problem or if they have any questions about bank services or products they are using or willing to use in the future. 

They will connect you to officials who can solve more complex bank transactions.

Tellers start their days by counting the cash in the drawer and end the day by counting the left amount of money after completing the transactions. The cash amount must match the estimated value. They are accountable for the cash kept in their drawer for the transaction.

They can work in both commercial and government banks. They can also join any community or union for the workers. Teller jobs are suitable for both fresh graduates and experienced officials.

Job Responsibilities of a Bank Teller

Bank tellers' regular jobs and responsibilities have been discussed below:

  •  Counting the cash in the drawers at the very beginning of their day
  • They take debit cards, credit cards, checks, money, or any other form of method for payment
  • Answering the basic account-related questions for the customers
  • They are allowed to prepare special types of funds like traveler's checks, savings funds, money orders, etc
  • They can exchange customer's money for foreign currency if needed
  • Approve customers' orders for their bank cards or checks
  • They record all the transactions that took place during their shift electronically
  • They end the day by counting the cash in the drawer to reconcile at the beginning of the day.

Bank tellers handle all the transactions carefully and accurately to save customers' information from fraud and provide the customer's safe transactions. 

Bank Teller Salary

Bank managers supervise and monitor the transactions of the tellers carefully. Therefore, the salary of a bank teller varies based on experience level, demographic area, level of performance, etc. 

The salary range is between $24,000- $42,000 per year, typically $11-$20 per hour. Usually, a fresh graduate will start with $24,000 yearly, gain experience, and be promoted to a senior position with better pay.

If you are considering starting your career as a teller, research the position thoroughly.

Education and Skills

To be a bank teller, one must have a minimum high school degree or GRE. But with an associate's or bachelor's degree, one can advance and become a loan officer, bank manager, etc. Banking is a good choice where someone can start their career.

  • If you are a college student thinking of starting a career with bank teller jobs, then take coursework in finance, accounting, and economics. Supervisors or senior tellers give most of the training during office time.
  • Tellers need to gain training on customer service and pay detailed attention to the customer needs to ensure customer satisfaction. Customer service is the critical role a teller should focus on. If customer service is not for you, being a teller is not a good choice.

Though proper training is given after joining the job, you still need basic knowledge and skills for the desired job. 

Doing some free coursework and learning about customer service is a great idea to start with. Though prior experience is not required, prior customer service knowledge is valued.

  • Basic accounting knowledge is needed in this particular job. Though all the calculations are done by computer, tellers still need to carry out basic calculations to ensure the correct estimation. 
  • Attention to detail is a very important thing in this matter. Handling money and making transactions are crucial work. It needs to be done carefully so that the customer information is safe and doesn’t lead to a security breach.
  • Knowledge of financial software is needed. They must be able to use specialized financial software. Though training is provided on the job, knowing the software beforehand is a plus point.
  • Written and verbal communication has to be professional and clear. Tellers need to communicate as they handle the customers. Tellers must communicate clearly with both coworkers and customers and be able to explain policies and procedures.

Bank Teller Job Trends

Bank teller jobs are declining over time. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for these types is decreasing. In addition, with the increase in digital banking, customers prefer to perform basic banking via online apps instead of going to the bank. As a result, the need for bank tellers in the branches is decreasing.

Despite the decline in job demand, many people are still interested in teller jobs. Based on their performance, employees may get promotions and higher positions like loan officers, banking personnel, managers, etc. That’s why most fresh graduates are still interested in these jobs to start their careers.

Similar jobs like bookkeeping clerks, cashiers, etc. can be considered too. These jobs have similar salaries and similar requirements. So, if you are applying for teller jobs, you can think of applying for bookkeeping and cashier jobs. 

Teller jobs are full-time jobs. Most of these employees are required to work 40 hours per week in the bank branches. Now we can think about how we will search for these jobs. It has been discussed in detail below:

  • These vacancies are available online, such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, etc. You can also apply in person.
  • Watch videos and read articles on how to prepare for an interview. You can practice interviews with friends and family.
  • Wearing professional attire is important. Business casual in cool-toned colors is very important.
  • Now it is time to face the interview. Highlight your strongest skills related to banking. Be confident and good luck!

Researched and authored by Mehnaz Tarannum | LinkedIn

Reviewed and Edited by Abhijeet Avhale | LinkedIn

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