Personal Banking Officer. A guide for newcomers to British Columbia

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2 Contents 1. Working as a Personal Banking Officer Skills, Education and Experience Finding Jobs Applying for a Job Getting Help from Industry Sources Working as a Personal Banking Officer Job Description Bank tellers or customer service representatives [NOC 6551] As a customer service representative in a financial institution you will perform some or all of the following duties: Explain and sell the various types of accounts and financial services Process customer cash deposits and withdrawals, cheques, transfers, bills, credit card payments, and other related personal banking transactions Answer enquiries and resolve problems or discrepancies concerning customers' accounts. Use computers to balance daily transactions for your service station Source: NOC, Loan officers [NOC 6235] As a loan officer you will perform some or all of the following duties: Interview applicants to determine the type of loan they need Promote the sale of loans and guide clients through the application Examine, evaluate, and process credit and loan applications Submit credit and loan applications to management with recommendations for approval or rejection Source: NOC, Last update January 14,

3 Industry Overview Many job openings are expected in the financial institution industry in British Columbia. Both the quality and the number of full time jobs are consistently high in the banking industry. These new jobs focus on building in-depth, value-added customer relationships. In keeping with this trend, banks are recruiting employees with higher education or skill levels. The majority of jobs in this sector are clustered in the Lower Mainland/Southwest and Vancouver Island and Coast regions of the province. Job Outlook in BC Customer Services Representatives - financial institutions (NOC 6551) Chart from Work BC (NOC 6551) Last update January 14,

4 Banking, insurance and other financial clerks (NOC 1434) Chart from Work BC (NOC 1434) Financial sales representatives (NOC 6235) Chart from Work BC (NOC 6235) Last update January 14,

5 The Employment Outlook for BC, job openings projections within BC regions: Customer services representatives, financial services, also bank tellers: Region 2010 Estimated Employment 2015 Estimated Employment Avg Annual % Change, 5 Years, 2010 to 2015 Vancouver Island 2,750 2, % Lower Mainland / Southwest 7,660 8, % Thompson-Okanagan 1,780 1, % Kootenay % Cariboo % North Coast & Nechako % Northeast % Source: Regional Employment Projections, BC Stats. Projections for development regions. gionalemploymentprojections.aspx [accessed October 2014] For loan officers, also known as account managers: Region 2010 Estimated Employment 2015 Estimated Employment Avg Annual % Change, 5 Years, 2010 to 2015 Vancouver Island % Lower Mainland / Southwest 3,570 3, % Thompson-Okanagan % Kootenay % Cariboo % North Coast & Nechako % Northeast % Source: Regional Employment Projections, BC Stats. Projections for development regions. gionalemploymentprojections.aspx [accessed October 2014] You can learn more about working as a Personal Banking Officer in BC from: WorkBC, Career Profiles at [search NOC 6551 & 1434 & 6235] Last update January 14,

6 Types of Employers Bank tellers and loan officers are employed by banks, trust companies, credit unions, and similar financial institutions. Salary In BC the average annual income for bank tellers or customer service representatives is between $33,000 and $44,000 per year. Earnings can depend on experience, employer, and location. Increases are based on performance and seniority. In BC the average annual salary earned by loan officers in BC is between $44,000 and $53,000 a year. However, those who work on large commercial accounts and who have additional responsibilities can earn more. Commercial loan officers, whose clientele are businesses, generally have higher earnings than loan officers who deal with consumer loans, such as residential mortgages. Job Bank Canada provides hourly wage information for regions in BC: Bank Teller / Customer Service Representative Source: Job Bank Canada [Search 1433] Last update January 14,

7 Job Bank Canada provides hourly wage information for regions in BC: Loan Officer / Account Manager Source: Job Bank Canada [Search 1232] In addition to a salary, bank employees usually receive benefits such as health and dental insurance, paid vacations, paid sick days, and contributions to pension plans. Many financial institutions also offer lower interest rates on loans and mortgages to their staff. From Career Cruising database (Profiles for Bank Teller, Loan Officer, Account Manager). Available from the VPL Online Articles, Encyclopedias & More page: Working Hours To serve customers better, many banks are remaining open in the evenings and on weekends, in addition to regular Monday to Friday business hours. Many bank tellers work part-time or "peak time", which means they work during the busiest hours, such as lunch time and weekend mornings. Many account managers or loan officers work anywhere from 8 to 12 hours each day. Some will work weekend hours. Last update January 14,

8 2. Skills, Education and Experience Skills excellent customer service skills strong oral and written communication skills work well with others detail-oriented and problem solving enjoy working with numbers able to multi-task able to keep customers financial information confidential Education and Experience Bank teller/customer service representative Combination of high school diploma and on-the-job training Experience working in a fast-paced customer service oriented environment A degree in finance (or something similar) and/or the completion of the Investment Funds in Canada course, is an asset. Loan officer/account manager High school diploma and extensive banking experience is usually required A bachelor's degree or college diploma in a related field is preferred Completion of a loan or credit training program Note: Workers in this group must be bondable, have basic security clearance, a confidential security clearance, as well as a criminal record check. Qualifications This occupation is not regulated in British Columbia. Last update January 14,

9 3. Finding Jobs You ll find job advertisements in local newspapers, trade journals, and electronic sources. Local Newspapers You can look at the Vancouver Sun and The Province at Vancouver Public Library for free. Check the job postings daily, the careers section in the Vancouver Sun on Wednesdays and Saturdays and in The Province on Sundays. Job White Pages Available in print at the Central Library or online at (see category Finance/Banking/Investment) NOTE: You can only access this database from the Central Library or VPL branch libraries. Access is NOT available from home or outside the Library. Online Job Postings Banking Jobs.ca Indeed.com Find jobs posted on a multitude of company career sites and job boards Last update January 14,

10 Canada s largest banks have extensive job sites: CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) TD Bank Financial Group BMO Bank of Montreal Scotiabank Professional Associations Career Resources Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) Identifying the Right Position When you browse job advertisements, you ll find a range of different job titles that are relevant. For bank tellers, look for these related job titles (from NOC 6551): Customer Service Representative Credit Union Teller Financial Customer Service Representative Foreign Exchange Teller Financial Services For loan officers, look for these related job titles (from NOC 6235): Credit Officer Mortgage Officer Account Manager Last update January 14,

11 Creating a List of Potential Employers You can use directories to produce lists of employers in the banking industry in Vancouver or the Lower Mainland. Contact them directly to find out if they re hiring. You can photocopy from the print directories at Central Library, or use the online directories from a computer connected to the Internet. Financial Services Canada Available at the Central Library, F49 Contact information for Canadian banks, credit unions and other financial services Associations Canada Available at VPL Central Branch, 060 A84 Canadian Bankers Association List of Canadian banks that are members of the Canadian Bankers Association. Reference Canada Go to the "Reference Canada" database, choose the "Custom Search" button, and select both "Keyword/SIC/NAICS" under Business Type and "City" under Geography. In the top search box enter "banks" and click LOOKUP. Select the appropriate headings. Lower down, select the Province, choose the cities, and click the "View Results" button. Available from the VPL Online Articles, Encyclopedias & More page NOTE: You can access these databases from a Library computer. If you are using a computer from outside the Library, you will need a Vancouver Public Library card to login to these databases. After clicking on the database name, you will be asked to enter your library card number and PIN (usually last four digits of your telephone number). Last update January 14,

12 4. Applying for a Job In Canada, employers usually expect to receive a resume (curriculum vitae) and a cover letter that identifies the position you are applying for and summarizes your relevant experience. Use the library catalogue, to find books on writing resumes and cover letters specific to your industry. To learn about applying for jobs in Canada, use the following pathfinders which are available in print at the Central Library or online at Writing Resumes and Cover Letters Go to [Search Writing Resumes and Cover Letters] Getting Canadian Work Experience Go to [Search Getting Canadian Work Experience] Networking for Employment Go to [Search Networking for Employment] Learn More About Working in BC and Canada Go to [Search Learn More About Working in BC and Canada] Last update January 14,

13 5. Getting Help from Industry Sources Industry Associations There are associations for banking professionals in BC and Canada. These associations provide assistance to organizations and individuals working in this sector. Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) Credit Institute of Canada (CIC) Canadian Securities Institute (CSI) Industry Journals Search the Vancouver Public Library catalogue for journals related to your profession, for example: The Banker Available at Central Library B2181 And online at Money Sense Available at Central Library M742 And online at Questions? Please ask the Information Staff in the Central Branch, Vancouver Public Library or telephone Please note that the information in this guide is also available online through the Skilled Immigrant InfoCentre website at Last update January 14,