CalNational Recruiting

Bank Branch Management – Do You Have What it Takes?

Check out this link to an article from Monster Management, Bank Branch Managers: More Than Just Number Crunchers.

Matt Krumrie, who writes about what makes a bank branch manager successful hits it right on the head.  Here at Cal National, we are really looking for those people who have strong sales, people-management, customer service skills AND can crunch numbers!

As a “big” community bank, we have many advantages to help you become successful as a branch manager.  We do focus on individual customer service, but also have many people at corporate to back you up on your day-to-day activities.  So we really do offer the best of both worlds.

Opportunity is knocking in the banking industry.  Open the door and come build your career at Cal National!  Check out our open positions here!

Linda Filep is the Recruiting Supervisor at Cal National Bank.

Sometimes, it’s okay to think about it….

As our Senior Recruiter, I am pretty intimate with the hiring process here at CalNational.  On any given week, I extend employment offers to candidates that we feel would be valuable assets to our organization.  Typically, once we identify a candidate we would like to hire, the entire process, from interviewing, testing (if applicable), background and reference checking, can take a few weeks.  During the hiring process, I keep in close contact with my candidates, updating them on their status and in general, getting to know them a little bit better each time.  Hopefully, when the day comes that an offer is extended, it’s a fun and easy phone call to make with no surprises.  What do I mean by “no surprises”? Simply put, prior to the offer is officially made, I make sure that each of my candidates knows what the salary offer is going to be, what their title and job functions are, and that we agree on an approximate start date.  I do this so that the candidate knows exactly what to expect if and when an offer is made.

Sometimes, even after all the phone calls, emails and meetings detailing what we are willing to offer, the candidate gets cold feet when I actually do make the official offer.   There are probably lots of reasons for this, but typically the most common reason is fear of change.  In the years I have been in recruiting, I have encountered candidates who really want to change careers for reasons ranging from distasteful work environments, lack of career growth or they just plain don’t like their boss.  These candidates almost always seem ready to give their current employer notice once they receive an offer from a new employer. Yet, some of them, at the moment of truth, shrink away.

While some recruiters and hiring managers take this as a sign of indecisiveness, I see it as an opportunity to show the candidate that their career choices are important and even though we’ve spent considerable amount of time discussing the opportunities awaiting them here, they need to feel comfortable.  I believe hesitation is often a need for more information, reassurance or further thought.  So when I’m faced with this situation, I give them all the information they ask for and then I ask them to think about it for a day or the weekend and then call me back.  I want our potential employees to know that it’s important for them to not feel pressured into making what typically is a big decision.

So, my point is, if someone offers you a job and you’re not ready to say yes right there on the spot, it’s okay to think about it.  Any employer who is demanding you to make an immediate decision may not have your best interests at heart.  Changing a job is a major life event – we want you to feel comfortable and happy in your choice!

Josh Heydorff is the Senior Recruiter for CalNational Bank.  When Linda offered him the job, he thought about it -- for five seconds.

CalNational Recruiting-Summer Tour-‘05

In the month of June, we will be at three (yes three) job fairs.  Job Fairs are a great way for us to get out there and meet a lot of potential candidates face-to-face and answer lots of questions about the bank.  It gives us the chance to promote the bank and our products and services as well.  Here’s where we’ll be this month:

Friday, June 3, 2005

The Career Info Fair

Location-Azusa High School

240 North Cerritos Ave.

Azusa, California 91702

Channon will be there along with Carolyn Gialamas, Branch Manager from our Azusa location.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Diversity.com Job Fair

Location-Los Angeles Convention Center

1201 South Figueroa

Los Angeles, CA 90015

10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Linda and Josh will be there. 

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

City Career Job Fair

Location-Embassy Suites-LAX

1440 East Imperial Ave.

El Segundo, CA 90245

12 p.m.-5 p.m.

Channon and Linda will be there. 

Stop by and say hello! Bring resumes! Tell us how you like the blog!

Josh Heydorff is the Senior Recruiter for California National Bank.

Building New Careers

This is a follow-up to our April 29, 2005 blog titled “Bank Teller Training Class.”  You might recall that Linda and I had the opportunity to visit with a group of students graduating from Bank Teller Training class at Los Angeles Trade Technical College.  I’m proud to announce that one of the students, Marisol, has accepted a Customer Service Representative position with our company!

Marisol was informed about Cal National employment opportunities from our presentation at LA Trade Tech.  She submitted her resume by mail to my attention on Tuesday, May 3, 2005.  After reviewing her qualifications, I proceeded with a phone screen that same day.  Our conversation lasted about 30 minutes.  The purpose for the phone screen was to find out about her work experience, skills, and future career goals.  Marisol had previous experience in the food industry for almost two years.  She began her career as a Crew Member and was later promoted to Shift Leader.  Some of the qualities I liked about Marisol were that she set goals for herself and was very motivated to achieve her goals.  She was very determined to enter the Banking industry.  After talking to Marisol, I forwarded my comments to the hiring manager.  The Branch and Operations Manager interviewed Marisol on Monday, May 9, 2005.  They were also impressed with her.

The next step in the hiring process was to check Marisol’s credit history and prior employment.  The credit was returned back to me within 24 hours.  Marisol’s background check came back clear.  I contacted her to schedule a face-to-face interview with myself in our corporate office.  The interview includes taking our pre-employment test and completing the fingerprint process.  Marisol interviewed with me on May 11, 2005.  Her fingerprint report was mailed back to me on Monday, May 16, 2005.

After receiving approval signatures to hire Marisol, I contacted her by phone.  She wasn’t home but she returned my call in less than an hour.  Then I proceeded to make a verbal employment offer to Marisol.  She accepted the position immediately.  Marisol started with Cal National on Wednesday, May 18, 2005.

I look forward to watching Marisol build her career at Cal National Bank.  In addition, I continue to look forward to hiring future graduates from the Bank Teller Training Class.

Channon Kelly is a Recruiter with Cal National Bank.

Mount San Antonio College Job Fair

On Wednesday, May 4, 2005, I went searching for new employees for Cal National Bank.  Mount San Antonio Community College (Mt. SAC) sponsored a free job fair for students from 11am – 2pm. The day started out really gloomy and overcast. I thought this might be great because the job fair was being held outdoors -- the less sun the better (as long as it didn’t rain!).

The directions that were provided for the event were great. Parking was free and close to Miracle Mile where the job fair was being held. Fortunately, I didn’t have an excessive amount of materials to carry, since I did have a minor hill to travel. Signs were provided so there was no possible way to get lost. Once I arrived, I signed in and selected a table. The career placement staff provided gift bags to the employers who participated. I must say I liked the gifts that were provided -- a calendar scheduling book, t-shirt, and information about the school.

Other companies that participated were Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Babies –R- Us, Knott’s Berry Farm, Office Depot and various law enforcement agencies, just to name a few. There were at least 20 employers, which was a pretty good amount of employers. However, I still felt we had the best story to tell and the best environment to work in!

The event was very organized and lunch was provided. Since I was alone, one of the representatives brought my lunch to me and other vendors that couldn’t leave the booth. I thought that was great by going the extra mile to ensure we were fed.

Throughout the day, I had various students approach the table and inquire about our company. Some students were prepared with their resume and some weren’t prepared. I met some interesting students that I thought were very intelligent and confident in their skills.

Currently, Cal National Bank doesn’t have many branches in the area, but we hope to expand that direction. However, I do have a Customer Service Representative position in Azusa, and I believe I spoke to some qualified applicants with the necessary skills to do the job. Their resumes have already been forwarded to the Branch Manager for interviews. We hope we can hire a student from the job fair.

I would like to thank everyone from the career placement services who made this experience a pleasure. I would definitely participate in future job fairs sponsored by Mt. SAC.

Channon Kelly is a Recruiter with Cal National Bank.

SHOCKING BUT TRUE STORIES!!!! THINGS THAT DESTROYED A CANDIDATE’S CHANCES.

Sometimes, we get a candidate who looks great on paper, sounds wonderful on the phone, but then they arrive to the actual interview and things go south in a hurry.  Candidates can find all kinds of ways to undermine their chances of getting a job. I’d like to share a few examples I’ve encountered.

The wrong attitude about work.

What do I mean here?  Well, I’ve had candidates literally walk into an interview and act like they were the Duke or Duchess of York (no offense to you real royals out there!).  I’m talking about people who truly believe that they have “gone past” or “are above” certain tasks that a position requires – like filling out an application form, providing references and getting fingerprinted.  For another example, I’ve interviewed candidates for administrative jobs who have told me “I don’t want this job if it involves filing or paperwork.” Uh, hello?  It’s part of the job and was clearly referred to on the job posting.  Having this type of attitude only signals to the interviewer that you’ll be trouble down the line.  Bottom line, there are certain things at work no one likes to do, but we do them anyway.

The overly demanding candidate

Oh boy, talk about high maintenance!  These candidates have killed any chance they may have of getting an offer by demanding too much, too early.  For example, one candidate I interviewed was asking for a salary that far exceeded the range that we were offering.  When I explained to her that her salary needs were not in step with what we pay, she responded with “If you want me to work here, you will meet my expectations or I will go somewhere else.”  Well, I couldn’t accommodate her salary needs, so I had to pass.  Interestingly enough, the same candidate contacted me six months later inquiring about the same position, stating that she would be willing to accept our salary range.  We had already filled the position and I had also heard from other recruiters that she had gone all over town pulling the same move (demanding an extraordinarily high salary).  It is always best to wait for the recruiter to bring up the salary range and negotiate from there, rather than walk in and demand something that is unreasonable from the start.

The disappearing candidate

Believe it or not, I’ve had candidates who interviewed well with a branch manager and then when it came time for them to meet with me for a second interview, they simply wouldn’t return my calls, or would reschedule the interview several times over.  While we understand that scheduling can be a concern, unless you act like you want the job, you’ll never get the job. This means calling recruiters back in a reasonable time frame and showing up for a scheduled interview.

The candidate who should have quit while they were ahead.

I can think of a few instances when candidates should really have kept their mouths shut in an interview.  The most glaring example is when we ask about how they got along with their previous or current supervisors and co-workers.  An interview is not a chance to vent about your current position and how much you despise your boss or how moronic you think your co-workers are.  This type of talk doesn’t reflect badly on your boss and co-workers, it reflects badly on you!  It signals to a recruiter that you may be tough to deal with at work or hard to get along with.  If an interviewer asks you about your past co-workers, be as professional as possible.  Instead of saying “I couldn’t stand them” consider saying something like “I was able to maintain a professional relationship with them, even though we didn’t always agree on everything.”  Most recruiters have worked with difficult people in the past and we understand that it happens.  But continued negativity towards your past boss, co-workers or company can be a red flag.

Everyone knows that looking for a new career can be frustrating, filled with paperwork and seemingly endless talking with recruiters and hiring managers.  Recruiters and candidates really want the same thing – we want you to find a new job that you’ll love with us!  Be open-minded, flexible and willing to ride out the process.  Present yourself in the best possible light by NOT doing some of the things above.  Remember, we’re here to find out about you and your experiences – how you’ll fit into the job and the culture.  You might be the perfect candidate for us – so don’t be your own worst enemy by sabotaging your efforts before you’ve even gotten the offer.

Josh Heydorff is the Senior Recruiter for California National Bank

Computer Skills Important – Royalty or Not!

Check out the latest on Prince Harry.  Seems that during his PC competence assessment, he demonstrated that his computer skills weren’t as strong as compared to others entering the Royal Military Academy.

Hmm…..even a Prince needs strong computer skills?  Wow!  That tells you that the rest of us “commoners” need those strong computer skills even more!

As someone who learned computer skills as an adult, I can tell you there is always some anxiety with learning something new.  And sometimes that anxiety is worse than the actual task.  Once I started working on my “word processor” in the 1980’s, I was hooked and wondered why I was ever fearful at all!  Now, as someone who has also been recruiting for many years, I also know the importance of computer skills to many of the careers for which I’ve recruited.  Even more now, computers are just a part of daily life – even my boss has had problems with the computer in his washing machine!!!  And to apply for most jobs now, you need the access and knowledge to do it on-line.

Best career advice?  Computers are here to stay – and will be more and more required in the future.  So do yourself a favor now – take a class, learn from your kids, buy a book, go to the library to “play” on the computers available – do whatever you can to improve those skills.  It will only help you in the long run – and make you that much more marketable as a candidate.  After all, we don’t have the riches of the English monarchy to fall back on.

Five Resume Rules

Ah, the resume.  It’s a snapshot of your professional accomplishments; a view into your background and it can be the key to an interview.  However, a poorly prepared resume can also spell disaster if it doesn’t present your qualifications and work history in an accurate light.  I’ve reviewed well over 100,000 resumes in my career.  I’ve seen plenty of good ones, a few great ones, and LOTS of bad ones.  While there are thousands of books written on the subject of writing a good resume, I thought I’d focus on 5 things you should always make sure your resume includes:

1.)    Your name should always be the first thing people see on your resume.  This means that it should be on the top of the page, preferably in the center or to the left.

2.)    You should only use Times New Roman, Arial or similar crisp fonts.  Avoid using script, “cutesy” or hard-to-read fonts -- they can make you come across as juvenile and unprofessional.

3.)    List your work experience in chronological order, beginning with your most recent work experience.  We’re looking for career progression, level of responsibility, and length of service at each position.  If you are currently utilizing a “Functional” resume (a short list of your employers, dates, and titles, followed with a few paragraphs summing up your experience), consider changing it to a chronological resume.  Functional resumes are appropriate for creative or artistic careers (such as graphic design) but for general business careers, chronological is the preferred way to go.

4.)    You get ONE page for every ten years of work experience.  If your resume has more than one page, and you’ve only been in the work force for four years, consider doing some editing to get it down to one page.

5.)    Make sure all of your contact information on the resume is correct and current.  How can we contact you if the phone number or email address isn’t accurate?  Sounds basic, but you would be surprised how many resumes we get with old contact information or disconnected numbers.

Of course there are lots of other things you should keep in mind to craft a great resume, but if you follow these five simple suggestions, you’ll be in great shape.

Josh Heydorff is the Senior Recruiter for CalNational Bank.

Customer Service Representatives – We need ‘em!

When people ask me what I do, I tell them that I recruit for CalNational Bank.   The next thing they usually ask me is; what do I recruit for?  Well, I do recruiting for lots of different divisions within the bank, but the majority of my recruiting is for our retail branches.  In the next several blogs, the team and I would like to cover the various positions we have open frequently at the branch level

The branch openings include Customer Service Representatives, Customer Service Supervisors, Relationship Bankers, Senior Relationship Bankers, Operations Managers and Branch Mangers.   These are all people who interact with our customers on a daily basis and who shape our reputation.  The “front line” of our customer service is our Customer Service Representative position (CSR). I thought I would give an overview of the position and what we look for here at CalNational.

General Description

A CSR is what most banks call a teller; this person conducts all routine teller transactions in a retail bank branch.  They are responsible for managing an assigned cash drawer, explaining and promoting our products to our customers, and they are also entrusted with ensuring our customers are given exceptional service.

Career path

While the career path of a CSR can vary, it is the first step many people take when they choose banking as a career.   Typically, our CSR’s can move into a Supervisory or Relationship Banker role within a few years.  In fact, many of our Regional Managers and Retail Sales Management got their start as a CSR years ago.  They can each attest to the fact that banking is truly a career – you can grow from the ground up with the bank.

What we look for in a CSR candidate

Cash Handling Experience–While you don’t need to have previous banking experience to be considered for a CSR position, you DO need to have at least six months of cash handling experience.  Some examples would be that you’ve worked behind a register and were responsible for the cash in that drawer, or perhaps you’ve worked as a food server and had to carry your own bank.

Customer Service Skills –Since this is our front-line position, we need to hire those people who are able to ensure that each and every customer is treated with the highest level of service and professionalism as possible.  I always ask any applicant we get for this role what their customer service philosophy is and also to give me specific examples of how they’ve followed that in the past.

Attitude and Personality – The best CSRs we have possess many of the same attributes -- they are professional and personable at the same time.  Outgoing, detail oriented, responsible applicants tend to demonstrate this type of behavior.

Ability to Grow and Willingness to Learn - Our CSRs all attend training from time to time on banking and new products the bank may be rolling out.  The best CSRs excel in these courses and execute the new practices in the branches after they’ve received the training.  They exhibit continuous learning.

What we typically DON’T look for in a CSR.

There are a lot of good candidates that come our way every single day.  However, not all of them make the cut. Here are a few things we try to avoid in candidates:

Poor Customer Service Attitude – I’ve had a candidate come in before and tell me “I would have stayed at my last job if it wasn’t for the customers.”  What!!  Our customers ARE the bank – without them, there wouldn’t be a Cal National!  Customer Service isn’t for everybody, but it is the biggest part of being a CSR.

Job Hoppers – You’ve had 10 jobs in 2 years and your longest position lasted for a month?  None of them were agency temp jobs, either?  Job Hoppers tend to leave new jobs very quickly because they either fear commitment, keep getting in trouble at work, or quit for a myriad of other reasons.  Whatever the case may be, we like to hire candidates that we know will be around for a while.  We invest a lot in your training and we expect a lot.  And the upside for you?  We offer a chance to enter into the world of banking, and maybe just make a career of it!

Josh Heydorff is the Senior Recruiter for CalNational Bank.

What School Didn’t Teach Me: How to Make a Great Impression at the Interview!

Like most of you, I spent a good deal of my years sitting in a classroom. By the time I was ready to enter the workforce, I thought it was going to be easy-boy was I wrong!

Leaving an academic environment may prepare you for a good many things like dealing with deadlines, interacting with people and working on projects together, as well as finding creative ways to prepare and serve Ramen noodles. School usually doesn’t prepare you how to effectively market yourself to a potential employer. I’ve learned the hard way what doesn’t work and what does. Here are some tips and suggestions that will help you make a solid impression.

1.    Invest in some nice shoes.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? You may already have a couple of pairs of good-looking shoes sitting your closet right now. However, if your idea of “nice shoes” is an unscuffed pair of Nikes, chances are you’ll look like you’re on your way to the student lounge rather than the executive boardroom. When shopping, look for styles that are classic and not too trendy. For example, square-toed shoes were all the rage a few years ago, but are falling out of fashion now.

Men:  Don’t even THINK of buying a shoe that is not black, brown or cordovan. Only consider a classic dress shoe or loafer. Anything that you can also wear with jeans is probably not the best choice.

Women: Your heels should be a conservative height (leave the stilettos at home) and should be closed back/closed toes.  While women typically have a greater range of choices when it comes to shoe color, it’s best to stick with black, brown, beige, or navy.

Remember; always keep your shoes shined and free of scuffs! A good pair of shoes may seem expensive, but they will also last you for a long time if you take care of them.

2.   Invest in a nice suit.

Nothing screams “I don’t get it” louder than someone who shows up to a job interview wearing clothes that look like they have been wadded up in the corner of your closet or borrowed from someone much larger or much smaller than you are.  More and more companies are moving away from casual dress and returning to business dress, so invest in a good suit now – you’ll need it eventually.

Men:  If you don’t have one good suit, now’s the time to buy one. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars either. Great deals can be had at places like The Men’s Warehouse, Nordstrom’s Rack, 3-Day Suit broker, and the Fashion District in Downtown L.A. The important thing in choosing a suit is finding one that is well-made and neutral in color. Therefore Charcoal grey or Navy Blue in a conservative style are your best bets.  Avoid loud colors like Mustard Yellow or Green. Also, make sure you take the time to have it tailored. An expensive suit can still look awful if it doesn’t fit you right.

Women:  How can you tell if the outfit you’re eyeing is good for an interview? Well, if you would wear it out clubbing, it probably isn’t. Go for a classic and conservative look. Good color choices are Navy, Black or Grey.  You can always brighten it up with a colored blouse or stylish scarf.  It’s important to pick an outfit that won’t be outdated next week and also one that projects a professional image.

3. Body Art

No matter how cool you think you look with that pierced eyebrow/tongue/lip, it just turns employers off. Unless you are going to work at Hot Topic or an Indie record store, get rid of any piercing on your face. You want the interviewer to be able to focus on you, not the 1” plugs you have in your ears. Even if your friend works there and has a pierced tongue, TAKE IT OUT FOR THE INTERVIEW!!

4. Smoking/Cologne/Perfume

If you smoke, DON’T do it before or during an interview. You’ll only offend the interviewer if they don’t smoke. Plus, it makes your nice new suit smell and dry-cleaning is expensive! Also, if you wear cologne or perfume, use it sparingly. Nothing is more awkward than a job interview where the employer is sneezing uncontrollably because someone decided it was a good idea to lacquer themselves in Obsession.

5. Your resume

ALWAYS bring a couple of copies of your resume with you to the job interview. Make sure it is on nice paper and free of typos. We’ll cover resumes in another article, because it’s a topic all by itself.

6. Make eye contact/Say “Yes”, “No” and “Thank You”

All the things your parents told you to do, “Sit up straight, speak clearly, be polite” apply here. Want to stand out? Don’t say “yeah” or “nah” or “uh-huh”,  say “Yes” or “No.”  AVOID verbal pauses like saying “basically” or “uhhh” every other word and NEVER, EVER use profanity. Employers hire people who they know can project an intelligent, professional image of their company.

7.  After the interview is over, send a thank you letter.

It doesn’t have to be long and drawn out, just a quick note thanking the interviewer for their time is a great gesture. It shows them you are considerate, interested in the job, and are detail oriented. Also, mail the letter rather than emailing it.  Studies show that a hand written note on nice stationary has a deeper impact than the same message conveyed on a computer screen.

8.  Study up on the company you are interviewing.

Most companies have websites these days, which in itself is a wealth of information. You can ascertain things like company goals and direction by just spending a few minutes researching.  Sometimes you can even get an idea of what the company culture is like and if it’s right for you.  We spent some time putting together our Careers page on the website – it’s there for you to use!

9. Remember WHY employers hire.

All employers hire for one reason -- to solve a problem. That problem may be in the form of not having enough people at a bank branch to service customers, or maybe not having enough staff that is adequately trained in a certain field.  Remembering this, go into your interview with the mindset of “how do I solve this problem” or “how can my skills/experience help California National Bank?”  It sounds a little strange, but it works.  We’ll tell you in the interview what working for us can do for you, too!

10. Don’t lie

If you think that getting your friends to act as former employers or supervisors in order to increase your chances to get a certain job is a good idea, think again.  With heightened security and an ever-increasing need for good talent, employers are leaving no stone unturned with respect to thoroughly evaluating a candidate. Bottom line?  Don’t lie to an employer.  We do extensive background checks prior to hire and we hate to discover information later that could have been dealt with successfully up front.

Between the three of us (Channon, Josh and Linda), we’ve been doing recruiting for a lot of years.  Believe me, we’ve probably seen it all.  Helping you avoid some of the pitfalls is our pleasure – we really want to get to know you and your experience.  Best advice we can give you is to relax, be yourself, ask questions – and help us to discover what makes you a great potential employee for us!