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According to Business Insider, being a banker can be a great life choice for people who are interested in finance. There are many options ranging from personal banker or investment banker to corporate banker or banking analyst. These are five essential skills that every banker should possess regardless of a chosen concentration.
1. Attention To Detail
Being able to identify discrepancies at a glance is a valuable skill for a banker. One digit can make a major difference and cause a great deal of expensive problems for a bank. A banker must develop a habit of checking and double-checking his or her work for even the smallest errors. Bankers must be able to maintain a high level of accuracy at all times. This also requires the ability to stay focused.
2. Personable Attitude
This skill is a must for all bankers whether they are personal bankers or investment bankers. Since banking is a competitive business, bankers must build relationships with their customers. Remembering names, being friendly, asking helpful questions and being able to explain things in a simple manner are all good practices for being more personable. Customers need someone who they know understands them and cares about their needs. Bankers should keep these priorities at all times for new and existing customers.
3. Discipline
Bankers do not always go home when the afternoon ends. Part of their job is putting in long hours and hard work. Since they do not always have a set schedule, discipline is key to putting in the necessary work. From a new analyst to a top-level director, long hours are a must to keep up with the demands and pressures of the workplace. Bankers who struggle with discipline can improve themselves by setting goals for demanding tasks. Students who are planning to become bankers but struggle with discipline should join a sports league or take on a similar commitment that requires discipline.
4. Problem Solving
Not all of a banker’s problems are related only to client accounts or a set of numbers on a sheet of paper. Although math is an integral part of the job, there are much larger problems. Bankers must understand the jobs of other workers and how they relate to their own jobs. They must look at the work of their colleagues and their client accounts as a large puzzle with tiny and complex pieces. Bankers must know how everything connects, why it connects and how to consistently reach optimal results. The problem-solving bankers are the ones who are usually promoted and maintain positions of leadership.
5. Good Communication
A banker can be good at solving problems, put in long hours at work and maintain a high level of accuracy but still be bad at communication. When coworkers misinterpret unclear directions from a banker or are not informed when they should be, important information may be lost. This can cost the bank money, time and even customers. Bankers must be able to form their thoughts clearly, communicate them clearly and know when to communicate. This is true for interacting with both customers and coworkers. Every student who plans to become a banker should make a habit of employing clear and concise communication through written forms, electronic sources and verbal dialog.
Technological skills are also important for every banker. Most business is conducted electronically, and bankers must know how to put their skills to use with apps and programs for computers, phones and tablets. The first step toward building the necessary personal and technological skills is finding the right degree program.
