New Bank Tellers Burn Out Before Passing Compliance Certs
26 posts across 7 communities in the last 30 days; 58% from r/Banking.
“On top of being a banker in retail for 13 months, I will have a degree in finance next May. I’m getting sick of my current situation and think it’s best that I apply to much better positions where there is actual skill required. Does anyone have any insight as to career…”
“Yes just even 1 day asking leave is also a sin in banking . They say what will happen to business if you ask for a leave. Leave is not a privilege in banks . That's the problem”
“Being super serious. You are required to keep your drawer in balance and if you can't talk and count, make sure you aren't talking while counting with the customer there. Ask me how I know.”
New bank tellers and personal bankers are experiencing intense pressure and a lack of support. They're overwhelmed by the volume of information, performance goals, and outdated systems, leading to burnout and fear of job loss. The rapid pace and high expectations create a stressful environment, especially for those new to the industry.
SOURCES (60)
“How are you going to compete with banks??? [re: 25 years old, making $150k–$185k in business lending, and considering starting my own shop. Am I thinking about this the right way? (I will not promote)]”
“This is a very repetitive office job in a bank subsidiary, with a bunch of weird rules. I've spent most of my career in chill creative jobs but for now this is what I've got, so I'm just wondering if it's common in that industry. Among other rules: - No phone and no bag at your desk, you need to put them in a locker away from the desks - No food at your desk - No drinks unless in a closed container (= in a bottle, not in a mug) - No headphones at all, no music whatsoever (it'”
“Im 20 and I just started working as a loan agent. I’m not sure if this still applies to banking but it’s financial so I thought I’d ask this here. I’ve been working at this job for about a month now. I’ve never been in the finance/bank industry and I previously worked in IT, then I went to Animal Care, now I’m here. I’m not strong at math and honestly thought I wasn’t good at counting but apparently I am doing just fine if I count super slow. When we give loans, most times it’s in cash and in ve”
“Alright some background. I’m a recent grad that majored in finance and was looking for a full time job. I did not have any previous professional finance experience or internships while in college (I know I know I really should have tried harder to get one). But I was reaching out to people I knew so I asked a friend who works at the horse bank and asked if they were hiring at all. Fast forward I was able to land a full time teller position like end of August and I’ve been working for about a mon”
“Alright, how is that in any way relevant to the post? [re: I sh*t you not. Our bank’s Deputy GM has 20+ years of banking experience, and this is what he said in today’s management meeting]”
“20 years in banking and he still mixes standards with version numbers lol [re: I sh*t you not. Our bank’s Deputy GM has 20+ years of banking experience, and this is what he said in today’s management meeting]”
“Hey everyone, I'm looking for some insight from anyone who currently works or has worked at TD Bank as a Level 2 Associate Banker. From what I've been told, it's a hybrid role where you're working both the teller line and the platform side of things, like opening accounts and helping customers with their banking needs. My biggest question is, how much of the job is actually teller work? Are you spending 70-80% of your day on the teller line, or is it more of an even split between”
“When I was a branch banker (now much happier in operations), I would comb profiles for something we could do for them that cost them nothing. “We have a new account type, free with your direct deposit. Based on what you have in savings, you’d pick up extra cash back on your credit card.” My area manager didn’t like that I wasn’t actively selling on the calls. However, so many people remembered my name and saved my direct line for calling them, helping them, and not actively selling. I got so man”
“Tier 2 General Visa sponsorship will add months to the recruitment process. I’m surprised you’ve not read up on the Tier 2 G process. The bank needs to make an offer and then submit a certificate of sponsorship with your details which will then need to be approved. An internal or external legal team will need to advise HR on the steps to follow. Job offer → sponsorship check → CoS → Skilled Worker application → ID/biometrics → UKVI approval”
“A year ago I managed to escape retail by getting a job at a local bank as a teller. Long story short, I transferred within the bank and have landed myself in a pretty tough position. The pay is less than what I was making in retail, my current position is making me sick to my stomach with stress, job hunting seems to have taken over my life. When thinking about going back to retail I get this weird feeling of relief, but I know that it’s not all what my mind is making it up to be right now. I do”
“two years is still two years of 90 hour weeks, not sure how much the title change helps when the burnout is that bad”
“Hi! I am currently seeking advice on how to move forward with my career. I (21 female) have been working as a bank teller since I graduated high school. So a little over two years. Since starting I have worked my way up as a teller and eventually became vault teller. I also became full time this year. What I’m struggling with is a couple of things, the banking system of working 8-5 everyday, constantly worried if I have PTO for the doctors appointments, or having to cram everything into my weeke”
“I do, thank you very much for that advice! I'll be looking into that promptly. I have a big interest in a fraud department after that point, but getting into that entry-level position (from publix css atm) is my goal. Once I've got my foot in the door, I'm sure that can very easily change though.”
“Do you want to be a retail banker? Thats usually a sales role at the big 4 banks. If you do, pass your SIE exam (Google that) and any of these banks would hire you in a second.”
“This was my experience. When a company is turning into a deadbeat it's time to leave”
“On top of being a banker in retail for 13 months, I will have a degree in finance next May. I’m getting sick of my current situation and think it’s best that I apply to much better positions where there is actual skill required. Does anyone have any insight as to career trajectories after this specific experience? My job is basically teller and customer service, and I want to do work instead of show up and sit around… what have people in similar situations done? submitted by /u/Lectu”
“Middle upper tier banking. Ive had several 3 or 4th round interviews months of work. I was told Im 5 out of 200 for current job.. But the role is "sort of exploratory and subject to budgeting" Have interview tomorrow, first question is when are you looking to fill the job?. Companies are ruthless. The shame is im speaking to a live person who doesnt think anything is wrong with wasting my time. They are collecting resume pools just in case. submitted by /u/canecorso50 [link”
“Hey guys I’m working for a bank in Pittsburgh I’m wondering what are the best banks to work for? submitted by /u/Stormy-secret [link] [comments]”
“If you don't like sales and enjoy your teller transactions it seems like an easy choice. Better to stay in the role your at and plan a move to a back office position. That being said, if that's your goal, having experience with other branches and ways of doing things is a bonus.”
“If I were you, I would negotiate for a pay bump to go to the new branch. If they won't hear it, stay where you are. Do not make lateral moves in banking.”
“I can’t tell from your post which part of your job you actually prefer doing. The best manager in the world isn’t going to makeup for you not being a fit for a role imo. I found that I did not enjoy the retail/sales side of banking, so I pivoted into the back office. I’ve found it to be a really nice change of pace and there are many career paths you can pursue depending on what you are interested in. Perhaps you should consider that? If you don’t enjoy selling, you’re going to hit a ceiling wit”
“TL;DR: I’ve been at my current branch for 15 months and have become really burned out. I think about work constantly and even dream about it. I’m currently a Universal Banker, but I was offered a Banker-only position at a different branch with the same pay, a slightly better schedule, a new manager, and a fresh start. The new manager seems really nice and supportive, and I’d get to focus solely on banking. The downside is that the new branch is older and more run-down, in a different part of tow”
“Option #2. I’ve been in your shoes. It doesn’t get better, and you are not appreciated for all of the work you are putting in. The other branch will be more of the same.”
“filling up notebooks with study notes on fraud, AML, and credit before day one of a banking career goes so ridiculously hard”
“I graduated in May and started my first full-time sales job shortly after. I work for a large company selling payroll. I genuinely liked the job at first, but over the past couple of months I’ve become pretty burnt out. A lot of the job is cold calling and trying to create opportunities from people who weren’t actively looking for what we’re selling. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to get people to answer calls, respond to emails, or even have a conversation. The territory and commute also”
“I was in banking for about 30 years. I heard all these customers "concerns" all the time too. This indicates to me that the every day Joe (and woman) is having a very, very difficult time in this economy. Yes! Nothing new here to see, BUT we must individually make financial changes! It's not gonna get any easier but in fact, get harder and faster!”
“Any job in retail is going to be primarily sales. A different branch won’t really change anything. Operations is a fantastic path. You still have “customers” but they are internal. What about a position where you work assisting branch bankers? I found that type of role very rewarding and no sales pressure.”
“I started as a teller and recently retired as an executive after over 40 years in banking. A CSR could mean a lot of things. If it’s a call center, I would avoid that. A branch position is a good start. Figure out if you enjoy sales or you like operations. Take every training class available. Ask what it takes to get promoted. As soon as you are eligible, watch the job postings for advancement opportunities. Be willing to commute for awhile if it involves a promotion. Find a mentor- someone more”
“When I was a universal banker I worked at a community bank and we didn’t have sales goals. I ended up transferring to a back office because it paid more and opened more path options for a career”
“Sounds like going back to your old branch is best. But it is difficult to make sales when you are telling, sales works best as an ally oop from the teller to the desk person. My old byline was one of two things, "Is it ok if I get you more money?" And "Can you please stop donating money to us?"”
“Yes it is more of a call center, that’s why I like your point of view, focuses more on the bank teller job .”
I’ll make sure to not only ask but research what the next level is, thank you!!
Thank you for being so detailed, I like how you focused on the teller job because I’ve seen most comments on “CSR over the Bank Teller”. I’m comparing both jobs and the…
“CSR stills starts with basic tellering and working up to office sales over 3-6 months. It’s a higher ceiling and probably higher pay than a strictly teller role.”
“After your first year, be clear that you're interested in higher level jobs. Ask what you need to do, what the timeline is, etc. Have a good attitude in the meantime and have a very open mind to performing tasks outside your job description. Banking has a wide array of high paying roles with weird jobs, so you never know what might get you moved into a different role.”
“I started in Banking as an Electronic Banking Associate...I was the guy you would call if you got locked out of your online banking account or had fraud on your debit card or lost your debit card. It was in a mid sized state wide bank. It was a lot of customer service but allowed me to spend a lot studying a lot of trainings. I was able to get the bank to pay for some classes through their education assistance program and took accounting classes so I could try to move into Internal Audit. 3 year”
“If the CSR rep is in the branch, it still might be worth taking, but if it’s in a call center type of thing (or better WFH), 💯 take it. I’ve been trying for 6-8 months to get out of retail banking, and while I may need to wait a while yet still now, it’ll be worth it when I don’t have to be in the branch anymore.”
“I guess that's what I'm still trying to put a title on, I love the idea of helping people and learning things well enough to explain them clearly, solve problems, and help people make the best decision for themselves, which is why I got interested in banking. I'm open to advice on courses, different areas of banking, or any opportunities I could word towards while I'm in one of these positions. For the long term goal, Id love to find an area where I can keep learning, build real”
“I mean what do you want to do? Investments? Sales? Service? I personally hated sales and didn't have a college degree so didn't move to investment I moved to become a csr for UHNW clients and am much happier for the time being since I'm doing school. but yeah what's your ultimate goal?”
“Hey everybody, I have at least two banking opportunities coming up soon, and I'd love to get some feedback. One is a Customer Service Rep. at a bank and the other is a Bank Teller position, and I'm still deciding which one one would be the better fit for me. My goal is to eventually move up in bank as I continue learning and building my knowledge. I've already started studying on my own on my own and have about two notebooks of notes covering things like banking fundamentals, account”
“That definitley makes it sound less like cross-training and more like sales pipeline cleanup under a TC title.”
“Yes just even 1 day asking leave is also a sin in banking . They say what will happen to business if you ask for a leave. Leave is not a privilege in banks . That's the problem”
“Don’t be discouraged. Be eager to learn. Be very up front that you just started and are happy to help hut don’t put the thought that you might not be able to unless it is something complicated. Definitely smile . People get grumpy if you focus on your computer screen in order to help them but fail to smile enough. Stupid, I know, but they do. Smiling also helps them believe you’re confident. Fake confidence is fine. Don’t let the clients/customers/members smell your fear. All this said with love”
Ditch the bank teller role - that is mainly customer service.
“The 2028 plan is not unique to Citi though I agree Citi is a uniquely shitty company. I started my banking career there and left after I was pressured by management to do some things that were just wrong. My compensation was also very poor against my peers. Leaving was not a difficult decision.”
“I think the very best advice I've received from another banker is to "always be hungry."”
“Associate banker at blue octagon: ~$27/hr and I feel behind. Trying to play catch-up after finally landing myself in a place and time where my boss and other colleagues love me. I am terrible at work politics, have some personal trauma that unfortunately set me back longer than I wanted to be set back. but I learn quickly and have a good work ethic/pain tolerance.”
“I came across a LinkedIn post from someone describing their experience at Revolut, particularly around training, buddy support, probation, quality failures, and gardening leave. What stood out to me was the sequence of events. They reportedly received limited practical support during training, their assigned buddy was frequently unavailable, and concerns raised with the Team Lead apparently did not result in additional support. Then, close to the end of probation, they received multiple quality”
“what would you say is a better entry-level position then? i was honestly considering applying for it because its easier to enter into, but then i'm not sure”
“No it isn't - we all take one form of ethics courses at banks either quarterly or annually - the only correct answer is: report. It isn't: think about it, report but only if no drama, etc... It is black and white on purpose. Edit: another wrong answer would be, "Ask reddit about it for guidance".”
“for some context, i am over treasury/online banking at my bank. been here for a few years. i am the main floor with all of the personal bankers/commercial bankers. our bank just hired a new personal banker. shes not been here long but she brings lots of experience as shes been in banking for a long time prior to being hired. i was getting her setup with admin online banking access so she will be able to assist her customers as well as training her on how to use the system. i navigated her to our”