An excellent way to learn about the career of branch manager is to get in on the ground floor and become a teller or customer service representative. Although age requirements vary by bank, some banks hire applicants as young as age 18. If you can’t land a job at a bank, consider conducting information interviews with branch managers about their careers. You can find potential contacts on LinkedIn or you can try to set up an appointment with the branch manager of your local bank. Leadership positions in school or community clubs will provide you with an understanding of what it’s like to manage staff and budgets. Finally, familiarize yourself with banking lingo by checking out glossaries such as the one offered by American Banker at its Web site, https://www.americanbanker.com/glossary/a.html.
Bank branch managers have a wealth of duties—ranging from keeping customers happy and educating them about the bank’s financial services, to managing staff and various bank departments, to interacting with regional managers and meeting performance metrics for themselves and their facility. Job duties vary by the size of the bank branch and the number of employees, but most branch managers have the following responsibilities: