In this interview, a Bank Branch Manager discusses his typical day at work, the qualifications needed for the job, the best and worst parts of the job, and advice that can be used by students considering this line of work.
So, you want to be a Branch Banking Manager…
1. Task number one. Being a branch manager for our national banking organization and on a day-to-day basis, my primary job function is to find solutions for our clients, to help them save money, protect their money, save them time. I do this not only myself, but I also spend a large majority of my time coaching my teammates to get them more adept at finding solutions for our clients. In addition to that, of course, we’ve got to make sure, we’re fully staffed. We have teammates available to service our clients. Also part of my job on a daily basis is to go out and generate business, talk to the business owners in our community and find out, what their needs are, what solutions are looking for, whether it’s cash flow, whether they need a loan to help them get through a seasonality during a certain season. In the branch banking industry part of what I do is trying to manage the teller line, which is more transactional and then we have the platform side, which is our sell-side, to service our clients. That’s what I do on a day to day basis.
2. Task number two. Something else I do on a day to day basis is Lobby management, it’s very important. We get to greet our clients when they walk in, and we’re glad to see them, we want them to feel appreciated and to feel warm. In addition to that, there are also morning Huddles, where the team gets together and just like we want our clients to feel warm and feel welcomed, I want the teammates to feel the same way. That work for us, to feel warm and to feel welcomed and to fill appreciated.
The stress level for me is minimal, but I think, it’s individual accountability. How people interact with other people and how much they’re not prepared for their day. And for those who cannot cope with stress because of resume writing, I would recommend contacting specialists: https://resumesbot.com/cover-letter-writing-service/ Even if you are an experienced employee, good advice will never hurt.
2. Task number three. At the end of the day, our team gets together and we debrief. “Hey, what was successful today& What was not successful?” And we learn from those things, so the next day comes along, and we adapt. That’s what I do on a day-to-day basis generally from 8:00 in the morning till 5 o’clock in the afternoon.
Job requirements
A four-year degree is really needed to become a branch manager for a banking organization. The different colleges, which you might want to consider, would be a degree in accounting, finance, marketing and even communications. Also you may need to prepare some sample cover letters for finance jobs just in case the recruiter wants to check it. No longer is the focus on so strongly on math, your special skills needed. I would say it would be relationship building and rapport building, getting to know the client, getting the client to trust you. Those are very important things, as far as being licensed. About 80% of branch managers are licensed in the realm of investments. That is securities, health life, variable annuities. It’s a way, that we can further service our clients. As far as additional skills, that may be needed. Both Excel and Word are very useful, but there’s not a lot of numbers crunching in the branch banking manager position.
The best and the worst part of the job
The best parts of my job are the people I get to come in and see every day. There are wonderful people, I’ve got to see them grow. When my feet hit the ground in the morning, I said “I get to go in and see so-and-so” And I think about how long they’ve been with the organization I’m with and it’s a pleasure to see them every day. I’ll look forward to seeing them every day, because I depend on them so much, and they don’t let me down and that gives me a good feeling and I’m excited about that all the time.
Another part, that I find very exciting or the best part of my day is the people I help finding solutions again. I find solutions, the organization I work for find solutions for our clients, which makes them happy.
The worst part of my day. We all have accountability, and we all have to reach goals and the worst part of my day is when I don’t reach my goals. Because I’ve left my organization down, I’ve let myself down, I’ve let my teammates down, I’ve let our team down. And it’s what most industries are gauged on an annual basis. In the banking industry we’re gauged on a 30-day basis, what have you done:
- What kind of month have I had
- Have I reach the goals
- What goals I haven’t reached
- How can I reach those goals
- What can I do to reach those goals
So, I’ve got 12 years that I’m looking at every 30 days. That can be the worst part of the job, when those goals are not met.
Final advice
The final advice for someone considering entering the banking industry, specifically as a branch manager, is been patient. You’re going to have offers from other organizations to come work for them and you’re going to think the grass is greener on the other side. That is not always the case. You can step back and always ask yourself about the organization that I work for. Have they been fair to me? If you can say “yes”, you’ve got to stay with that organization just because someone’s going to say ” Hey, we’re going to give you a thousand dollars more a year, come work for us”. That itself does not justify you making that decision. That’s the best advice I can give you.
One final note I would like to add. During the last 10 to 15 years there’s been a migration from the branch manager position from a number-crunching, loan gathering information position to a sales position. It’s really a good part of what I do is trying to match up client’s needs with the solutions, that we have to offer. It’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s not for everyone, especially in today’s economic environment. It really takes someone, that cares about their clients and someone, that wants to help their clients to find solutions. And just to reiterate, it’s not a number-crunching job. It’s migrated more towards a sales position job.
