Bank Teller

Job Summary

Tellers promote their financial institution's products and services, open and close accounts, keep records of transactions, accept payments and receive and pay out money.

Qualifications

High school diploma

Responsibilities

Duties vary from one employer to another but, in general, tellers:

Promote the bank’s products and services

Handle transactions for current accounts (savings accounts, personal chequing accounts)

Sell foreign currency, traveller's cheques, money orders and drafts

Guard against loss (e.g. from fraud or impersonation)

Balance your transactions at the end of the day

They may also process term deposits; retirement savings plan contributions; automated teller transactions; night deposits and/or mail deposits.

When customers wish to deposit or withdraw money, tellers enter transaction information on computer terminals, which automatically confirm transactions and make the necessary entries in the customer's account record. They must make sure that cheques are valid and authentic before processing transactions.

At the end of each working day, tellers may be required to balance cash holdings to ensure against errors. When debits and credits do not balance, they must search through the day's transactions to find their mistakes.

Personal Qualities

• Good communication skills

• The ability to consistently serve customers accurately, efficiently and courteously, even when there is a long line-up of people waiting

• Empathy (perceptive and sensitive to the feelings and attitudes of others)

• The flexibility required to work effectively in a variety of situations and adapt to new ways of doing things

• The ability to keep customer information confidential

• The ability to work effectively in a team environment

Advancement Opportunities? 

With experience, tellers can often move into sales positions or other departments. Many banks provide funds to help their employees further their education on a part-time basis, provide in-house training programs and allow employees to transfer from one branch to another to broaden their background knowledge and advance to more senior positions.

Pay Range

$ 8.57 - $14.70 per hour depending on position and experience