Banks employ many people in a number of different positions. Most banking industry jobs are in the commercial banking sector, and include positions such as bank tellers, loan officers, customer service representatives, branch managers, and debt collection associates. Education requirements and salary depend on the position that is held.
One of the most widely held banking industry jobs is that of bank teller. This position requires daily interaction with bank customers. A teller handles deposit and withdrawal requests and may also assist customers with purchasing traveler's checks or money orders. As banking services increase, many bank tellers have also been given the responsibility of selling services such as enhanced checking accounts to bank customers.
Loan officers assist customers in applying for loans. A person holding this position helps a customer choose the best loan — such as a mortgage loan, business loan, or line of credit — for his or her needs and then processes all the paperwork that is involved in the loan application process. A loan officer analyzes the information provided and then recommends either approving or denying the loan based on the customer's creditworthiness.
Customer service representatives help bank customers open or close accounts and also assist in answering account questions or fielding customer complaints. People holding these banking industry jobs may work directly with customers in a bank branch, or they may speak with customers over the phone or via e-mail. The nature of this position makes it necessary for customer service representatives to be very familiar with all of the services and accounts that a bank offers.
Branch managers are responsible for all aspects of a bank branch. Supervisors of different departments answer to the branch manager, and the manager implements policy to increase productivity and branch profits. The manager also resolves any customer complaints that can not be fixed by a customer service representative. A person in this position may work with high profile customers who have large amounts of money in the bank's system.
Banks offer personal, small business, and mortgage loans as well as home equity loans and lines of credit. When a customer who has received a loan defaults on the required payments, a debt collection associate will contact him. If the customer is unable to pay the total amount due, the debt collection associate may work with the customer to set up a repayment plan. People holding these banking industry jobs recover vast amounts of money for banks each year.