How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (2024)

Updated April 25, 2024

5 min read

A commercial banker is a financial professional who provides advice and sells financial instruments to corporate clients. They process the opening and registration of client accounts, manage investment options, and identify opportunities to increase the bank's revenues. They also conduct financial analysis for loan requests, manage accounts, and assist customers with financial services like savings, investments, and financial planning. Commercial bankers often work with other departments to resolve customer issues and ensure customer satisfaction. They also cross-sell bank products to improve profitability and efficiency of complex business relationships.

How long does it takes to become a commercial banker?

It typically takes 5-6 years to become a commercial banker:

  • Years 1-4: Obtaining a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as finance, accounting, or economics. During this time, you will learn about financial markets, investment strategies, and banking regulations.
  • Years 5-6: Accumulating the necessary work experience in banking or a related field. This may involve working as a teller, customer service representative, or loan officer. During this time, you will learn about customer service, sales, and lending practices.
  • Salary$78,697
  • Growth Rate4%
  • Jobs Number45,270
  • Most Common SkillCustomer Service
  • Most Common DegreeBachelor's degree
  • Best StateSouth Dakota

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Commercial Banker career paths

Commercial bankers have many career paths to choose from. They can move into roles like branch manager, general manager, or vice president, where they'll manage teams and oversee operations. They can also become account managers, relationship managers, or directors of inside sales, where they'll focus on building client relationships and growing business. Some may choose to become directors of a bank, while others may become finance analysts or sales managers. Experienced commercial bankers have even been known to become consultants, offering their expertise to clients.

Key steps to become a commercial banker

  1. Explore commercial banker education requirements

    The educational requirements for a commercial banker are a bachelor's degree in business, finance, economics, accounting, or management. According to John Doe, a banking industry expert, "a degree in these fields provides a strong foundation in financial principles and practices, which is essential for a successful career in commercial banking." Additionally, a master's degree can further enhance a commercial banker's career prospects. However, it is not always necessary, as many commercial bankers hold only a bachelor's degree.

    Most common commercial banker degrees

    Bachelor's

    77.0

    %

    Master's

    14.5

    %

    Associate

    5.1

    %

  2. Start to develop specific commercial banker skills

    A commercial banker's role involves taking charge of loan origination and credit analysis with assurance of quality service to credit union members. They also expand customer relationships by uncovering additional needs and introducing additional banking products. They process client wire and automated clearinghouse transfer requests daily and manage portfolios consisting of agricultural loans and commercial loans. They conduct financial analysis for all business credit requests, report findings to underwriting and senior management, and make decisions on credit.

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service8.79%
    Business Development8.04%
    Treasury7.88%
    Commercial Banking6.65%
    Client Relationships5.55%

    Show more

  3. Complete relevant commercial banker training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New commercial bankers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a commercial banker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real commercial banker resumes.

  4. Research commercial banker duties and responsibilities

    Commercial bankers are responsible for loan origination and credit analysis, expanding customer relationships, and managing portfolios. They conduct financial analysis, identify cross-selling opportunities, and process wire and automated clearinghouse transfer requests. They also maintain up-to-date knowledge of banking products and monitor past due accounts. They analyze financial statements and perform risk assessments, and coordinate with internal departments to resolve customer issues.

    • Establish leads by building upon existing clientele and developing relationships with major centers of influence including CPA's and attorneys.
    • Manage and develop commercial lenders and administrative assistants.
    • Manage commercial customer portfolios by using profile analysis to identify cross-sell opportunities to sell other products and services.
    • Manage origination initiatives associate with business accounts, treasury products, and loans while adhering to bank compliance procedures.
  5. Prepare your commercial banker resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commercial banker resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a commercial banker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Commercial Banker Resume templates

    Build a professional

    Commercial Banker

    resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume.

    Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Commercial Banker resume.

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (1)

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (2)

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (3)

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (4)

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (5)

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (6)

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (7)

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (8)

    How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (9)

  6. Apply for commercial banker jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a commercial banker job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (10)

Are you a Commercial Banker?

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Average commercial banker salary

The average Commercial Banker salary in the United States is $78,697 per year or $38 per hour. Commercial banker salaries range between $51,000 and $121,000 per year.

Average

Commercial Banker

Salary

$78,697Yearly

$37.84

hourly

More commercial banker salary info

What Am I Worth?

How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (11)

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Commercial Banker reviews

How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (12)

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019

Pros

Creating and monitoring loan to companies

Cons

Interacting with computer for too long in making decisions in mitigating the risk asset going bad 'bad loan'

Commercial Banker FAQs

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See all answers to common business and financial questions.

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Updated April 25, 2024

How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (13)

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Commercial Banker Related Careers

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What Similar Roles Do

  • What Does a Bank Officer Do
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Resume For Related Jobs

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  • Zippia Careers
  • Business and Financial Industry
  • Commercial Banker

Updated April 25, 2024

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How To Become A Commercial Banker: What It Is and Career Path - Zippia (2024)
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