Applicants trained to provide a variety of financial services, along with those seeking part-time work, should have the best job prospects. The bank teller is the person most people associate with a bank. Tellers make up 28 percent of bank employees, and conduct most of a bank's routine transactions. Among their responsibilities are cashing checks, accepting deposits and loan payments, and processing withdrawals. They may also sell savings bonds, accept payment for customers' utility bills and charge cards, process necessary paperwork for certificates of deposit, and sell travelers' checks.
Some tellers specialize in handling foreign currencies or commercial or business accounts.
Being a teller requires a great deal of attention to detail. Before cashing a check, a teller must verify the date, bank name, identification of the person to receive payment, and legality of the document. They must also make sure that written and numerical amounts agree and that the account has sufficient funds to cover the check. The teller then must carefully count cash to avoid errors. Sometimes a customer withdraws money in the form of a cashier's check, which the teller prepares and verifies.