Personal Bankers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of personal bankers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for personal bankers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of personal bankers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for personal bankers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Personal Bankers?
Do personal bankers need a degree? What kind of experience do personal bankers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for personal bankers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Personal Bankers
Jobs Postings for Personal Bankers By Education
- High School or GED: 74,773 (40%)
- Bachelor's degree: 59,897 (32%)
- No Education Listed: 46,064 (25%)
- Master's degree: 3,803 (2%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 909 (0%)
High School or GED is the level of education sought the most by employers of personal bankers. According to job data, a High School diploma or GED was required for 40% of positions. In 32% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 25% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Personal Bankers
Jobs Postings for Personal Bankers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 44,348 (45%)
- 2-3 Years: 39,124 (39%)
- 4-6 Years: 10,755 (11%)
- 7-9 Years: 3,335 (3%)
- 10+ Years: 1,512 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for personal bankers. In 45% of job postings for Personal Bankers, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 39% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 11% of job postings for personal bankers.
What Kind of Degree Do Personal Bankers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for personal bankers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 5 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective personal bankers, and in 2021 a total of 59,999 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective personal bankers.
Top Degree Programs for Personal Bankers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Personal Bankers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Finance, General. | 51,430 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 4,087 |
| Sales, Distribution, and Marketing Operations, General. | 3,435 |
| Business and Personal/Financial Services Marketing Operations. | 701 |
| Investments and Securities. | 346 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Personal Bankers
Develop the foundational financial skills needed to keep business running successfully, including financial reporting and analysis, managerial accounting, and federal taxes, so you can start your career as an accounting technician, tax preparer, payroll assistant and more.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Turn a head for numbers into a career as a financial associate or analyst, and help businesses turn financial data into actionable insights that can maximize investments, improve cash flow, and impact decisionmaking.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Master finance principles and develop all-inclusive corporate finance strategies for business firms and financial institutions.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Leverage customized solutions to help families and individuals organize life priorities and plan for their financial futures.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: IACBE
Distinguish yourself as a knowledgeable accounting professional with advanced technical, research, and communication skills.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 17
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Personal Bankers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by personal bankers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for personal bankers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Personal Bankers
Based on 0 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Personal Bankers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|
Top 5 Common Skills for Personal Bankers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 96,373 | 60% |
| Customer Service | 92,926 | 58% |
| Communications | 74,679 | 47% |
| Problem Solving | 48,228 | 30% |
| Operations | 46,583 | 29% |
Based on 0 job postings related to personal bankers, was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with % of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for were also highly sought.
As for common skills, sales was the most desired skill found in job postings for personal bankers, followed by customer service, communications, problem solving, operations and management.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 96,373 | 60% |
| Customer Service | 92,926 | 58% |
| Communications | 74,679 | 47% |
| Problem Solving | 48,228 | 30% |
| Operations | 46,583 | 29% |
| Management | 45,730 | 29% |
| Leadership | 30,377 | 19% |
| Time Management | 29,533 | 18% |
| Professionalism | 27,871 | 17% |
| Self-Motivation | 27,827 | 17% |
| Influencing Skills | 26,879 | 17% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 25,283 | 16% |
| Writing | 25,081 | 16% |
| Detail Oriented | 22,174 | 14% |
| Coaching | 21,838 | 14% |
| Microsoft Office | 21,425 | 13% |
| Multitasking | 17,647 | 11% |
| Critical Thinking | 15,108 | 9% |
| Microsoft Excel | 14,990 | 9% |
| Relationship Building | 14,585 | 9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about personal bankers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for personal bankers.
What do personal bankers do?
How much do personal bankers make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.