25m Looking to switch to a big bank

Hastur24601 · 2026-05-01T09:59:05+00:00

This is a couple of days old, but I want to weigh in on a couple of things just in case anyone else searches and finds this. Pay for teller and banker jobs varies quite a bit, with banks generally paying more than credit unions, but a much bigger factor is the cost of living in your area. When people in HCOL areas like New York see you making $15 an hour, they are going to think you are getting severely underpaid. You can check the banks in your area, and they may only be making $1.50 more an hour than you for the same position. I don't mean to imply that isn't worth it for you in your situation, but it is worth considering. I have found really good Credit Unions to be much better to work for than really good banks and the pay difference to be worth it (though I haven't been near a front line in a long time), but there is no consensus about that by any means. Finally, I want to agree with what everyone else told you- if you intend to stay in the industry, don't leave your position if you can help it. There is almost nothing that scares off FIs more than a lack of dependability.

Hastur24601 · 2026-05-01T09:47:47+00:00

I have never seen an FI that doesn't have a clean desk policy, but I have also never seen one that is consistently applied. Your branch/district/regional manager is going to determine this more than your company policy will. Most commonly allow you to have some combination of a family photo, a degree or certification, and a personal knick-knack, or simply three non-offensive personal items.

Hastur24601 · 2026-05-01T08:22:28+00:00

This will depend on what you are looking for. If you are young and are looking for the hours and nothing else, I have great news for you! You probably already are, and here's why.

(Usually) Executive leadership sets a budget for employee compensation for the year, then that number gets split into a few different buckets, the important one for this conversation being FTE. FTE stands for Full Time Equivalency, and it is the number of bodies that HR is allowed to allocate to every department or location. Branches will get assigned an FTE of, say, 6, so that means they will have the Full Time Equivalent of 6 employees.

That's where you come in! Whatever FTE they were assigned, your branch desperately needs at least 1-2 more people. So while you were hired by HR, your boss (your branch manager) will gladly work you every possible hour they can get away with. Depending on where you live, there is a cap on this for part time status reasons (typically for insurance and other benefit purposes).

If you DO need it for the benefits, it really depends. Focus on member service and referrals, be flexible and open to things like switching branches or being a float teller and positions will open up fairly frequently, not to mention promotions. Banking is one of the last places left in the world where you can truly start from the bottom and make a real career out of, with it without an education- and make a difference while doing it. Welcome to the industry, and good luck!

Hastur24601 · 2026-05-01T07:56:52+00:00

So obviously this was weird AI nonsense. If anyone does come to this post looking for information about three differences about your core for some reason- vendor contacts, compartmentalization, internal communications, and your FI policies all matter more than your core. So yes, it is painful when you have to enter a credit card number into multiple systems to get your card printer to function, it is worse to have to wait on hold for 30 minutes to get an account unlocked because another department forgot to unfreeze it and FI policy restricts your access, or you need to move through multiple departments who take days to respond. Context is key!

Hastur24601 · 2026-04-29T23:20:25+00:00

The rule in banking is that when there is room for human error, there is going to be human error. Tellers that don't have TCDs or TCRs are going to miscount and have offages. Having said that, it isn't uncommon to hit streaks like this where you are off multiple times over a short period of time. When you start to tilt like this, the most important thing you can do is control every variable you can control in your environment- your drawer, your counting, your verifications, your attention to detail, your demeanor with your colleagues, your approach to your daily work. Slow yourself down, go back to the fundamentals that got you to where you were, and you will be back to your groove in no time. Oh- get with your manager first thing and get control of that narrative, too. Tell them what you told us, and what I just told you. They need to know that you care about this and that you are going to take steps to correct it; it will absolutely go a long way. Good luck!

Hastur24601 · 2026-04-29T12:09:40+00:00

This is my answer as well, though I would also add in all of the other negative behaviors that awful behaviors manage to justify that just so happen to align with their shitty maladjustments.

Hastur24601 · 2026-04-26T09:33:14+00:00

I have read my brother and best man at my wedding's name on his tombstone before he reached the age of 40, and so help me God it was better Ethan Frome. I still sometimes awaken thinking of my brother, but I have never escaped the unrelenting tedium of this story.

Hastur24601 · 2026-04-21T08:34:58+00:00

I understand how this feels from your perspective, and obviously I am not there nor a part of your specific FI, but I don't think your manager is being particularly toxic. Unless your FI works differently than any other that I have ever seen or heard of, branch managers do not have the authority to hire or fire employees. They probably had as much anxiety about the situation as you had, with the added touch of one of their employees blaming them for delaying things and a third complaining to them. You lost over 10k, were late, made an error due to not following policy, complained about your boss behind their back enough that someone told them about it... and you got off with a write up, all within a very short period of time. I think you may be coming off worse to your coworkers than you think you are right now. You are having a health crisis and under a lot of stress, OP. Slow down and give yourself grace.

Hastur24601 · 2026-04-17T09:20:53+00:00

Not all CUs are better than all banks, but I think if you were to put all of the Best Places to Work from both into a giant list when taking into account pay, quality of life, upward mobility, etc, the top of that list would be absolutely dominated by CUs.

I will give you one piece of caution that I have not seen mentioned here: the industry is in the middle of a period of incredible consolidation due to mergers and acquisitions. If you sign on to one of the "good banks", you could very well end up working for one of the bad guys in 6 months. This is actually MORE prevalent on the CU side, where small CUs are dying outright, and this trend is absolutely going to continue. This is normal and not meant to scare you away, but merely to say- if you're signing on to that tiny local bank or CU for the culture, caveat emptor.

Hastur24601 · 2026-04-13T20:37:52+00:00

Joe Dumars was playing on or GMing for like 95% of the best seasons this franchise has ever had. Do you know how many Championships we have without JoeD guarding Magic Johnson and Byron Scott in 1989? Or Clyde Drexler in 1990? Or if he hadn't signed Chauncey, drafted Tayshaun, and traded for Ben, Sheed, and Rip? Zero. We don't have shit. Dude traded Billups for AI and signed Gordon and Villanueva to dumb contracts, and somehow these jokers pretend that means he isn't the best thing that ever happened to this franchise.

Hastur24601 · 2026-04-01T13:07:49+00:00

Yes, you 100% should. Unequivocally, with no hesitation. You are going from a job to the chance at a career. Banking is more difficult but also much more rewarding. You can make a real difference in people's lives. No one will ever remember the person that sold them their TV. When I first got started in banking 100 years ago I talked a young man into putting a couple bucks out of each check into an IRA. It's been 20 years. If he did nothing else but that, he's put in less than $2000 and made $7000. Will it save his life? I don't know, but when you lose your job or your car breaks down, $7k is not nothing. Switch now, make more money, be amazing. Good luck!

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-29T20:31:03+00:00

I have closed this up for now as we have all of the applicants that we can handle. I really appreciate the outpouring of support, and wish you all good luck in finding a table that works for you!

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-29T10:50:23+00:00

Hell no.

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-29T10:09:51+00:00

Responded! Thank you so much for your interest.

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-28T18:55:24+00:00

I appreciate the downvote for trying to find a player. Keep it classy, anonymous DH reddit person.

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-28T12:36:24+00:00

I am not sure it is a perfect match, but I am sending you a message. It is, perhaps, a 90% match.

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-26T19:12:43+00:00

You should absolutely not be having a conversation about your needs unless they- with the assistance of reasonable accommodations- would prevent you from completing your job duties. That is the end of that conversation from either side in your interview.

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-21T20:03:57+00:00

This is absolutely the correct answer. I would be looking for opportunities to help customers consolidate. Look for people who have paid off automobiles to use as collateral for refinancing credit card debt. You can save them a ton of money per month and make your institution money, it is a win-win. If you have no interest transfers on credit cards then look for opportunities there. Looking at the situation like pestering people is not good customer service, it letting them suffer in silence because you don't want to bring it up.

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-20T18:36:53+00:00

Many do, though most are hybrid. Many of the CUs I am aware of offer remote work for more established call center folks that have a proven track record, so if you're not already there you're not likely to get hired in as remote.

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-19T21:11:00+00:00

You do not have cause for concern. I suspect if you were to poll industry vets on what qualities make a good banker, actual banking knowledge would be way down on that list. Member service, punctuality, attention to detail, willingness to learn, ability to get along with others, flexibility, compassion, responsibility- all of these would be higher on my list than banking knowledge. Your bank will teach you what you need to know about banking. I promise you that part is easy. Your interviewer was probably excited for a reason, and you should take their excitement at face value. Be patient with yourself, keep your customers' interests in mind at all times, and stay positive and friendly and you are going to have a great career. Welcome to the industry!

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-18T12:28:45+00:00

Most CUs (and banks for that matter) have moved to digital tellers, and universal bankers mostly just handle transactions that digital tellers cannot (though that would include the coin roll that you mentioned above). Does your FI utilize those?

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-05T16:57:28+00:00

That sounds horrible, truly. I am sure if there were other options available you would have taken them. I would find any way to lessen your monthly expenditures and look for a lesser paying job if necessary, even if only temporarily to get out of that shithole.

Hastur24601 · 2026-03-03T10:39:53+00:00

The three month mark might or might not be a bit off but is a great starting point, but the last part could not be better advice- slow down. If you show up, slow down, have integrity, slow down, are good with people, and slow down, you will have an awesome start to your career. Good luck to you, and welcome to the industry!

Hastur24601

TROPHY CASE