Bank Teller cover letter example

IfIf you love working with others and you happen to be a whiz with numbers, a job as a Bank Teller might be your perfect next career step. Half financial, half customer service, an entry-level job as a Bank Teller can lead to limitless opportunities in finance and banking.

Bank Tellers rely on a unique mix of technical and interpersonal skills to help customers with all types of financial transactions plus investment and loan services. To land this position, you’ll need to prove your knack for money handling, upselling bank products, and accurate records keeping, all while offering a helpful disposition that draws customers back in the door.

So how do you express the dynamic personality needed to succeed as a Bank Teller? 

A great cover letter is the first step to introducing your strengths, experiences and the unique qualities that make you a perfect fit for the Bank Teller position. Our Accounting & Finance cover letter examples plus Resume.io’s collection of resources are designed to help you land the job – hassle free.

This Bank Teller cover letter example along with our adaptable sample sentences will:

• Explore the reasons why a cover letter is your secret weapon in landing a bank teller job
• Provide free cover letter examples, samples and templates to simplify the writing process
• Explain how you can create a cover letter for a Bank Teller even with no experience
• Help you create attractive formatting that stands out and impresses your potential employer

Bank Teller cover letter sample and general info

There are some things to keep in mind when writing a Bank Teller cover letter. You can find a cover letter sample below, but knowing the nuances of the job is also important. Unlike many other entry-level positions, Bank Tellers candidates must possess a specific set of traits that qualify them for the role. Great mental math skills, ability to learn new computer programs and a strong sense of ethics are combined with a helpful personality and a great sense of customer service standards.

With such unique needs, hiring managers often rely on cover letters to help them gain more insight into the candidate behind the resume. A Bank Teller cover letter is a one-page document (about 200-400 words) that expresses your goals, experiences and skills to convince a branch manager that you’re the right choice for their bank.

Primary purpose of the Bank Teller cover letter

In a nutshell, a cover letter (including one for a Bank Teller) has one primary purpose: increase your chances of getting the position compared to other candidates. It usually does so by expanding on your personality, impressing hiring managers with your personal qualities, and explaining anything your resume couldn’t.

Your cover letter should expand on the relevant experience from your resume and offer brief examples of how you’ve handled situations similar to those you might face in the bank. It also gives a taste of your professional demeanor in order to encourage the hiring manager to contact you. We’ll dig deeper into the structure of the document later in the guide, but the Bank Teller cover letter sample below already shows the basic elements. See if you can guess them.

A great cover letter isn’t just about good writing. Formatting also plays an important role in how a hiring manager perceives your application. To stand out from other candidates without overdoing it, you’ll want to follow general guidelines on fonts, sizes and colors, as well as making sure your design is appropriate for the exact bank you’re applying to. You can find all our formatting tips, tricks, and advice right in our comprehensive cover letter writing example.

Now let’s take a look at an actual Bank Teller cover letter example that can be adapted to your exact experience and the job opening:

Secondary purpose of the Bank Teller cover letter

The second purpose of a cover letter is to cover/explain any gaps in experience, skills or qualifications that you might have — to smooth them over and provide context. This is especially important if you are transferring from another field or just starting your career fresh out of college.

As you might have gathered from the previous section, a cover letter is really about one thing: maximizing your chances of success in landing the position. For entry-level jobs, this becomes even more important since many candidates will be applying without previous experience.

If you’ve never worked as a Bank Teller before, your goal should be to highlight the transferable qualities and personality traits that you believe make you an excellent candidate to learn the field.

If you already possess some banking experience, you may be able to leverage that for a more experienced Bank Teller role. As ATMs and online banking allow customers to complete more and more transactions from the comfort of their homes, Bank Tellers are being asked to take on more complex duties. Knowledge of banking systems and the most frequent customers’ needs can give you an advantage when it comes to securing your next Bank Teller position.

Application letter for Bank Teller structure, writing examples

Some applicants fear the cover letter writing process because they think it lacks structure. While it may be more free-form than a resume, in this section we’ll walk you through the sections that make up a complete cover letter. And what’s more – this cover letter format can be applied to any field or job title so you’ll be prepared no matter where your career takes you.

Here are the key components:

• The cover letter header
• The cover letter greeting
• The introduction
• The letter body
• The cover letter conclusion and call to action
• The sign-off.

You can find even more tips on writing each of these parts, plus sample sentences and formatting advice in our overall guide on cover letters.

Cover letter header

As a hiring manager begins to scan your cover letter, the first thing they’ll likely notice is the cover letter header. This section sits at the top of the page and serves two main purposes. The first is to identify your document with your name and contact information so a hiring manager can quickly get in touch with you should they want to schedule an interview. 

Your header is also likely the only place on your cover letter where you’ll get to add some creative design elements and maybe even a touch of color. Therefore, this section also serves to capture a hiring manager’s attention, distinguish you from other applicants and express a bit of your personality.

The goal of the cover letter header: Label your document with your personal information so a hiring manager is never wondering whose cover letter they are reading, add attractive formatting to differentiate your application.

Cover letter greeting

Your Bank Teller cover letter greeting is your first chance to speak directly to the hiring manager so it’s worth getting right. Here’s the golden rule: whenever possible, try to address the hiring manager by name. Since banks are professional institutions, you’ll want to opt for a formal greeting. “Dear” followed by the correct salutation and last name of the branch or hiring manager is generally the right choice. It may be helpful to inquire about the name of the hiring manager to personalize your salutation (but be careful to respect barriers if you encounter any, as you don’t want to come off as prying or unethical). 

The goal of the cover letter greeting: Set a friendly and respectful tone for the rest of the letter by using the hiring manager’s name in your greeting or addressing the hiring team/department as a whole.

Cover letter introduction

Many hiring managers are inundated with applications for each opening they post. That means your Bank Teller cover letter introduction – even just the first sentence – can be the deciding factor as to whether they continue to read your cover letter. There’s no reason to stress, though. By avoiding dull, generic openings and opting instead for a relevant anecdote, statistic, or skill, you can surpass dozens of candidates and pique a reader’s interest.

The goal of the cover letter introduction: Encourage a hiring manager to keep reading your cover letter by offering them an interesting statement, fact, anecdote or statistic that gets to the point and flows into the rest of the letter.

Cover letter body 

Your Bank Teller cover letter body takes up the bulk of your page because it’s the place best suited for all your most relevant experiences, traits, and skills. In the first body paragraph, you can use the STAR method to offer examples of times you dealt with difficult customers, went above and beyond to meet someone’s needs, or otherwise accomplished something relevant and noteworthy relating to the Bank Teller position. First list a Situation, then the Task, your Action and the positive Result you achieved.

In the next body paragraph of your cover letter, you can more directly point out the appropriate skills and traits you possess based on the job description and answer the questions Why me? and Why this position in this bank?

The goal of the cover letter body: Use the STAR method to highlight examples of your strengths in action, offer your potential contributions and make your case as the right choice for the bank’s opening.

How to end a Bank Teller cover letter (conclusion & and sign-off)

Once you’ve made it to the conclusion of your Bank Teller cover letter, you’ll want to wrap things up with a Call to Action. This line expresses your interest in the position and invites a hiring manager to contact you without sounding demanding or entitled to an interview. You can then finish your letter with a professional and formal signature. “Best regards,” and “Sincerely” can work well.

The goal of the cover letter conclusion (and call to action): End your letter with an effective Call to Action that encourages a hiring manager to get in touch, sign off with a polite and professional “Best regards” or “Respectfully”.

Writing psychology – cover letter tools and strategies

When applying for a bank teller position, there are a few key qualities you’ll want to convey in your cover letter.

• Integrity: It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that a job like a bank teller (that involves handling money all day) requires a healthy dose of integrity and a strong moral code. Your future employer will likely check your credit score and other financial indicators but a tone of professionalism and trustworthiness in your cover letter can go far.
• Interpersonal skills: Customer service is at the heart of what bank tellers do. You can convey great communication and a knack for helping others not only through the examples on your cover letter but also with error-free writing and an upbeat tone.
• Willingness to learn: While you should already know your way around a computer, you’ll likely be learning the banking software and other key programs on the job. An eagerness to learn and a teachable spirit are a must.
• Attention to detail: Accuracy is key when it comes to handling deposits, withdrawals and transfers. You can demonstrate attention to detail through previous positions you’ve held – even as a volunteer – that involved accurate bookkeeping or records keeping.

How to land a Bank Teller job with no experience

Today’s Bank Tellers aren’t just rote money counters. They are helpful, friendly assistants who are growing increasingly involved in more complex transactions and a variety of bank services and products. And what’s more, you don’t even need a college degree to get started as a Bank Teller. This role can serve as a jumping off point for career moves in the financial industry all with just a high school diploma.

So how do you land a Bank Teller job with no experience? The secret is to leverage your transferable skills and highlight qualities like interpersonal skills and a strong moral code that are hard to train in others if they don’t already possess it.

If you’re a fresh graduate looking to work as a bank teller, you might be well-served to first try your hand at another customer service role. From there you can paint yourself as the right person to be the face of your local branch.

Here are some related roles that may help you find qualities to highlight on your bank teller cover letter.

• Customer service representative
• Sales associate
• Bookkeeper

Even work as a restaurant server or a medical receptionist can be used to make the case for your people skills, attention to detail and professionalism. Make sure to choose examples of tasks or accomplishments that have a clear connection to the bank teller role, such as closing out the cash drawer, upselling products or services or handling many transactions efficiently.

Bank Teller cover letter format and common mistakes

You can instantly put yourself ahead of a large percentage of candidates applying for the same Bank Teller position by avoiding these common pitfalls:

• Grammar and spelling errors: Not only do these types of mistakes call your attention to detail into question, too many of them can also make your cover letter unreadable. Show a hiring manager you care about hearing back by asking a friend to proofread and make sure your cover letter is free of typos before you submit.
• Poor tone: Banks are formal, financial institutions, yet the Bank Teller role is all about friendly customer service. Striking that balance is one of the most critical aspects of your cover letter. You should strive to come across as approachable without sacrificing your professionalism.
• Formatting mistakes: Too many bright colors, not enough white space, and other poor formatting choices can leave a hiring manager with a bad impression right from the start. Make sure your Bank Teller cover letter is highly readable with just a touch of style. When in doubt, less is more.
• Generic letters: Even though many Bank Teller roles require similar duties, a one-size-fits-all cover letter is not the right approach. While you don’t have to change every word, make sure you customize each letter to explain why you’re drawn to the particular bank or branch and what you can offer them based on the job description.

Key takeaways

1. Your cover letter is the perfect place to expand on key accomplishments, skills or traits from your resume – don’t pass up the opportunity!
2. Each cover letter you submit should be customized for the specific bank and branch you’re applying to. Use the job description to make sure you present yourself as the right candidate.
3. Follow the trusted cover letter structure to make sure your document includes all the necessary components, in the right order and strung together with the right tone.
4. If you don’t have any experience as a Bank Teller, use other work experiences to draw out similar skills, tasks or qualities that would help you quickly adjust to the banking industry.
5. Your formatting plays a big role in how hiring managers perceive your application. When in doubt, use a neutral and professional cover letter template that blends with the bank’s branding.