As a bank teller, you’ll do more than process customer transactions. You’ll promote and offer bank products and services, resolve customer complaints and act as the bank’s ambassador with each customer you interact with. You'll need to pass a test that measures your administrative and numerical abilities as part of your application process. The number of female bank tellers has remained steady since about 1980. Then, about 85 percent of all bank tellers were women, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2009, the last year for which data is available, women held 87 percent of these jobs.
Bank Knowledge
A bank teller test will measure how much you already know about working in a bank. For example, you may need to pick from a list what a bank considers valid identification. You may also need to identify forms a bank customer needs to fill out if she deposits more than $10,000. Other questions on the test may measure how well you can understand a customer’s instructions. For example, you may need to figure out how much change to give a customer who gives you a check for $1000 but wants to only deposit part of it.
Numerical Abilities
A prospective employer will use a bank teller test to measure how quickly and accurately you solve the types of math questions you’d encounter during your work as a teller. For example, you may need to calculate how much a deposit that includes 10 $10 bills and three $5 bills is. You may also need to answer math problems. For example, you may need to figure out the answer to questions that require you to add, subtract, multiply or divide a series of numbers. You may also need to answer these questions without using a calculator. A prospective employer may ask you to solve math problems without using a calculator to measure your attention to detail as well as how quickly and accurately you can complete math problems without help.
Administrative Abilities
The administrative abilities part of the bank teller test measures your verbal skills and how quickly and accurately you can solve simple problems. A prospective employer will use your answers to these questions to measure your basic vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension and grammar, punctuation and capitalization skills. A prospective employer may also measure your speed and accuracy by asking you to find specific names in lists and then match the names to a different value, such as a dollar amount. You may need to complete questions or test sections in a certain period of time.
Work Style
A prospective employer will use the work style section of the bank teller test to figure out if you have the right personality to work in a bank and as a teller. For example, you may need to answer questions related to how well you adapt to change in the workplace, how you handle difficult situations, how you handle criticism and if you are reliable. You may also need to answer questions about how willing you are to work with and encourage others and how likely you are to complete work tasks.
References
- KForce.com: Teller Test -- Part One
- Bank of America: Realistic Job Preview -- Teller Positions
- Talentlens.com: Occupational Solution -- Bank Teller -- User’s Guide
- Walden Personnel Testing and Consulting, Inc.: Management and Administration Tests -- Bank Teller Skills Test
- Workers World: ATMs, Jobs and Profits
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Winners and Losers: Who They Were During 1972-80
Writer Bio
William Henderson has been writing for newspapers, magazines and journals for more than 15 years. He served as editor of the "New England Blade" and is a former contributor to "The Advocate." His work has also appeared on The Good Men Project, Life By Me and The Huffington Post.