Banker Resume Examples

Bankers are known as much for their customer service skills as they are for their banking knowledge. When you want to put together an effective banker resume, it can be difficult to figure out what kind of balance you should have between these kinds of soft and hard skills. Luckily, there are banker resume samples you can use to help determine just how your resume should look and to understand what type of information you should include.

Along with browsing banker resume samples, you should also look at formats for cover letters and reference pages to be able to create an impressive resume package. As bankers are known for being precise professionals who make their livings by having a strong eye for detail, you’ll want to be meticulous about making sure every element of your application is as impressive and professional as it can be.

If you want to land a job as a banker of any kind, then you need to know what type of information hiring managers need to see. You will notice that many banker resume samples include information such as years of experience, computer skills, and product knowledge. But you will also notice that no two banker resume samples are exactly the same. It is that creative leeway that can help your qualifications to stand out from the other candidates.

While no two banker resumes are alike, there are still certain sections that are common to just about all of the banker resume samples available online. Those sections include:

• Professional Training and Certifications
• Comprehensive Skills List
• Software Experience

You will notice that the banker resume samples you see are usually put into a chronological resume format. This is the most common type of resume format in any industry, and it dictates that the elements within each section of your resume be ordered from most recent to least recent. It’s best for people who’ve had a strong educational background highlighted by a gradual progression in the industry. Using this type of format can show a hiring manager that you have developed your skills over a long period of time, and now you are prepared to be a significant asset to their organization.

On the other hand, a functional resume format could be effective for bankers who have had large gaps in employment or who have recently changed careers. That’s because this format focuses less on job and education history and more on core skills and accomplishments. Bankers with many years of experience and an impressive list of certifications and accomplishments would also find functional resumes effective.

A good banker resume summary statement uses concise language to grab a hiring manager’s attention, communicate your accomplishments, and make clear the value you add to a company. You can also use this section to let the hiring manager know that you are a professional who understands your industry and knows how to get a point across.

Here are some examples of banker summary statements to help you understand the format you should be using and the information that should be included in your statement.

• Successful personal banker with a proven history of establishing valuable relationships with each client. Adept at utilizing a variety of computer software platforms to manage accounts and maintain customer service notes. Maintains a growing library of information on current banking products and tracks the trends that will lead to new offerings.
• Creative investment banker with the ability to utilize a variety of resources to track business trends both good and bad. Excels in developing client presentations that result in new opportunities. Innovates business solutions to a wide range of challenging issues, which results in the development of profitable relationships.

In the banker field, it is best to separate your formal education from your certifications and licenses. You should always list your most important college degrees first on your resume, and you should not include your high school information if you have a college degree. List the name of each school from which you obtained your degree, your GPA, the degree you obtained, and any special awards or commendations you received.

All of your industry certifications, pertinent licenses, and professional affiliations should be set aside in a separate section. In some fields, these certifications and licenses are critical to determining whether or not you get an interview for the job. You can help the hiring manager to choose you for an interview when you separate your important information and make it stand out.

When you write out your certifications, be sure to use the industry-standard terminology. Investments certifications such as CTFA, CFMP, CRCM, and CCTS are all familiar to banking hiring managers. In the business banking field, your Certified Lender Business Banker (CLBB) certification can also draw positive attention from a hiring manager.

As you browse the banker resume samples you find, you will notice that many of the work experience sections are comprehensive and look a little longer than those in other types of resumes. This is because banker hiring managers want to see as many accomplishments and job-related activities as possible to help make a hiring decision. The banker world is based on precise calculations mixed with strong customer service skills. A hiring manager will want to know exactly what you have done throughout your history to bring those two diverse types of skills together into a successful career.

Each entry in your work experience section should be concise, but it should also be packed with information that speaks to your specific accomplishments – not just your duties. A work experience listing that states that you doubled mortgage revenues for your region during the second quarter of 2014 is going to be much more effective than simply stating that you were responsible for increasing revenue. You need to use good action verbs and put information into your work experience section that will gather attention.

• Negotiated
• Built
• Doubled
• Increased
• Enhanced
• Maintained
• Assumed
• Networked
• Conducted
• Researched
• Evaluated
• Implemented
• Initiated
• Sustained
• Processed

When you develop your banker skills section, it is important to highlight skills that deal with leadership, technical ability, customer service, project management, and research. For example, investment banking hiring managers are always looking for professionals with excellent project management skills because of the nature of their business. Each investment opportunity is treated as a project, and you need to show that you have the skills necessary to manage every aspect of that project to successful completion.

As you list your skills on your banker resume, remember that hiring managers are interested in results-oriented professionals and concise language. The skills section is your chance to show how versatile you are and how much value you can add to their organization. It is important that you make this list as comprehensive as possible and show how every skill is relevant to your career in banking.

When you review banker resume samples, you will see skill sections filled with software platform titles such as SAP ERP Core Finance, Company Name Dynamics AX, and platforms by Infor. Your banker resume should list as many software platforms as possible, and it is also beneficial to add in spreadsheet programs on the Microsoft Office and Open Office platforms. The various banker resume samples will show you how to format these software skills and give you an idea as to what types of titles you can use to enhance your resume.

Your soft skills are client-related, but your hard skills pertain to the job of being a banker. Some of the hard skills you should list include cash drawer maintenance, processing commercial client transactions, transaction inquiries, and verifying client transactions.

• People who put together banker’s resumes often confuse the need for soft skills as a need for a narrative. Every section of your banker resume needs to be concise and professional if you want it to make the maximum impact. Do not make the mistake of using extraneous language where it is not required.
• A significant error people make with banker resumes is that their resumes lack focus. If you are applying to be a personal banker, then the hiring manager wants to see a resume designed to present the skills of a qualified personal banker. Do not make the mistake of creating a generic banking resume when you offer a specific skill set.
• Your banker resume will fail if you do not quantify as many of your accomplishments as possible. If you helped to bring in 18.65 percent of the profit for your investment banking firm, then use that number in your resume. The banking industry wants to see specific numbers attached to your accomplishments, and your resume will get ignored if you do not offer that specific information.
• Do not forget to include your people skills in your resume. If you have developed a reputation for having great professional networking skills, then make a note of that in your banker resume. Banks understand that their professionals need to be able to relate to customers on a personal level if they are going to sustain profitable relationships, which is why you need to show off your people skills on your resume.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the investment banking field will see a rise in job opportunities of 16 percent from 2012 to 2022. Personal bankers and personal financial advisors will see an increase of 27 percent in job opportunities from 2012 to 2022. Each time the economy has a crisis, the ensuing recovery always boosts the banker industry. People with means want to find better ways to protect their money, and ambitious business owners realize that starting a business during an economic recovery means taking advantage of weakened competition and a consumer base that needs products.

Professional bankers are becoming much more involved in the financial affairs of their clients, and that is also a good indicator for future growth in the banking industry. People are starting to do more investing through their local banks, and a growing economy means that businesses will need capital to initiate growth projects. The future looks bright for bankers, but the competition within the banking industry for jobs will also be intense. That is why it is important that you attend to the details of your banker resume and create the best representation of your skills possible.