Thinking About Being a Bank Teller? Think Again

For those without a college education or much valuable work experience, work as a bank teller seems like a promising job. It is by no means hard work and you can get to do it in a nice air conditioned building. This is certainly a better work environment than a hot kitchen, much less outside. Nevertheless, being a bank teller is not all it is thought to be by many people. Here are some things to consider before you look for employment as a teller at a bank or credit union.

Depending on the location and the time, you may alternate between long periods of being very busy and long period of doing absolutely nothing. Furthermore, while certain times are usually a little busier than others, you never know when a "rush" is going to hit. It seems that just as soon as someone leaves to go to lunch, the lines in the lobby and in the drive through get longer and longer.

Like I said, though, you usually have long periods of boredom too. Of course, many financial institutions will find busy work for their tellers to do during down time. Others let you read, do homework, or pretty much whatever you want. If, however, the bank you work for does not make you do busy work, but neither lets you bring things to work to entertain yourself during down time, you are going to be very bored a lot of the time.

While being a teller is not hard work, it is certainly stressful work. When the lines start getting longer and longer, there is a great deal of pressure to rush through every transaction. Doing that, however, makes it easier for you to make a mistake. Given that every mistake you make can potentially cost the financial institution thousands of dollars (and you your job), you certainly do not want to rush though everything.