Andy Keusal spent almost two decades in commercial banking before he started teaching about it. But it was his first 12 months on the job that inspired him to help others get their start.
"My first year was the hardest," Keusal said. "There's so much to learn, you're trying to connect the dots. And so I thought I'd like to create something that could make that first year, especially, easier for people."
For Keusal, that first year was 1997, when he landed a job at National City Bank in Columbus, Ohio. Over the next 18 years, he worked as a credit training manager at National City, a relationship manager at KeyBank and a vice president at Huntington National Bank, all in Columbus.
Then, in 2015, Keusal left what he called "the best corporate banking job I'd ever had" to strike out on his own — this time as a teacher. That year, he published his first book, "Breaking Into Banking: Cracking the Code on Launching a Successful Career in Commercial Banking." And since then, he's built a career training beginner bankers through online courses, starting with "Breaking into Banking 101."
It's a subject that's in demand. The
"There's obviously a lot of interest," said Bill Chittenden, the school's president.
Even with an education in banking, the first year on the job can be tough. Nate Zahn graduated from the
"College doesn't really teach a whole lot of soft skills," Zahn said. "With Frost, you're working with 10 to 12 lenders at a time. … So communication is extremely important, because every single lender is different."
How can new graduates and career changers break into this popular, multifaceted field? Educators and early-career bankers have a number of tips to share.
1. Talk to a banker
In a world where almost all job applications are done online, the value of an in-person conversation can be easy to overlook. But according to Chittenden, one of the best ways to decide whether to become a banker is to talk to one.
"It may sound silly, but go to your local bank and visit with one of the bankers," Chittenden said. "Ask them about what their day is like. What do they do? What do they love about being a banker?"
From there, it's an easy transition to the next question: "Is this a good place to work?" And if a job is available, the prospective banker can apply for it — with a friendly connection already established.
When Zahn was applying for jobs, he used a version of this technique. First, he'd use LinkedIn or another jobs site to find someone who was in the kind of role he wanted. Then he'd contact the person and, if possible, take them out for a bite to eat.
"I can understand just through those conversations: Is this going to be a good fit for me, culturally? And vice versa — will I be a good fit for them?" Zahn said. "And on top of that, too, now you also have a reference."
2. Ask questions
After landing a job, the next step is to make it through that crucial first year. The bank will most likely offer some training, or match the new hire with a more experienced employee to shadow. In either case, Keusal said, the most important thing to do is not to try to master everything all at once — which is impossible — but to "ask a thousand questions."
"The advice I always give people is to spend your first year just understanding that you're learning," he said. "You were paying a lot of money to learn in school. Now you're getting paid to learn. That's a phenomenal opportunity, so don't squander that."
During the first six to 12 months, Keusal said, learning about banking can be "like drinking from a firehose." In his own first year, Keusal remembers asking his first manager some of the same questions again and again, apologizing each time. His boss not only tolerated but encouraged the queries, because it was the right time to be asking them.
"When you're on the job five years, that's not the time to be asking questions on the fundamentals," Keusal said. "You should have it down by year two or year three. But when you're in your first six months, it's totally expected."
3. Keep learning
New bankers will pick up plenty of knowledge on the job, but that's far from the only place to learn. Conferences, publications, schools, online classes and state bankers associations all offer ways to continue one's education. Keusal urges bankers not to neglect these resources.
"Every industry has its own language … It's kind of a culture you've got to pick up on," he said. "And so I recommend that people spend a little bit of their time not just on the nuts and bolts, but on figuring out this new world that they've jumped into."
Such immersion is good not only for beginner bankers, Chittenden said, but for those who are long past their first year. The marquee program at the SW Graduate School of Banking is recommended for bankers already three to five years into their careers, and the school offers continuing education classes as well.
Outside the classroom, both Chittenden and Keusal encourage bankers to read up on industry news and attend events.
"Always be learning," Chittenden said. "There's lots of opportunities out there. Take advantage of them."
4. Don't always follow the money
After the first job, bankers will come across new opportunities. When facing a crossroads, Chittenden has some advice that may sound strange coming from a banker: The money isn't always the most important thing.
"Don't pick the position or the job or the company just because the pay is better," he said. "If the pay is better and you're miserable, it's not worth it."
On the other hand, choosing a more fulfilling job can pay off in the long run — in more ways than one.
"If the pay might be a little bit lower, but the work is enjoyable, then you're going to flourish there, and then excel," Chittenden said. "That's going to be recognized, and then the money's going to come later down the road."
