Many banks, ranging from large financial institutions to small, local community branches, offer banking trainee programs for qualified individuals interested in pursuing a career in banking. These programs are similar to paid internships and are open to recent graduates of relevant degree programs like finance or accounting. A banking trainee will typically spend a few months working in various departments of the bank to learn where he or she is most interested in working, after which he or she may be recommended to become a trainee in a specific department in the hopes of being offered a permanent position.
Because a banking trainee is an entry-level position, anyone working in this position should expect to assist with administrative and office tasks as needed. Though the trainee’s goal is to learn how to work in more advanced positions, the point of these jobs is to learn about the bank’s daily operations and how everything works. The best way to do this is to get involved in as many departments as possible, which means learning everything from how to answer phones to how reports are processed and filed. Banking trainees may be trained as tellers in some banks to assist customers and learn how deposits and withdrawals are handled.
Of course, once a banking trainee has mastered the basics, he or she may have the opportunity to learn more advanced job skills. Most trainees will be rotated between departments on a regular basis in order to gain as much experience as possible and determine where they would like to work permanently. To learn how different types of loans work, a trainee might assist lending officers in the mortgage department, or in personal and commercial lending. Financial advisors or any other permanent positions in the bank could be shadowed the trainee.
A few months of dedicated work in a specific department is often the next step in becoming a banking trainee. After the trainee has had the opportunity to work in and sample a variety of departments, he or she may have a better idea of her specific interests. Working as a trainee in this department for a longer period of time, such as three months, is a good way to improve your skills and experience. After the trial period is over, the trainee may be offered a permanent position, and all of the initial training she received should help her transition smoothly.