NEW TECHNOLOGY

• The job: The teller is the worker most people associate with their bank. Among the responsibilities of tellers are cashing checks, accepting deposits and loan payments, and processing withdrawals. Tellers make up approximately one fourth of bank employees and conduct most of a bank's routine transactions. Tellers in many banks are being cross-trained to perform some of the functions of customer service representatives.

• Outlook: Banks are opening new branch offices in a variety of locations, such as grocery stores and shopping malls. Banks are also keeping their branches open longer during the day and on weekends. Both of these trends are expected to increase job opportunities for tellers, particularly those who work part time. Most openings will arise from the need to replace the many tellers who transfer to other occupations.

• Experience: Most tellers are required to have at least a high school diploma, but some have completed some college training or even a bachelor's degree in business, accounting, or liberal arts. Once hired, tellers usually receive on-the-job training. Tellers should enjoy contact with the public. They must have a strong aptitude for numbers and feel comfortable handling large amounts of money. They should be discreet and trustworthy because they frequently come in contact with confidential material.

• The not-so-good: Tellers work in an office environment. They may experience eye and muscle strain, backaches, headaches, and repetitive motion injuries as a result of using computers every day. Tellers may have to sit for extended periods while reviewing detailed data.

• Pay: Salaries of tellers vary with experience, region of the country, size of city, and type and size of establishment. Median annual earnings of tellers were $22,140 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $19,300 and $25,880 a year.