[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-260577-105":53,"doc-detail-260577-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":119,"head_meta":121,"extra_data":123,"updated_unix":125},105,"en","hiring-universal-bankers-a-change-in-mindset","Hiring Universal Bankers - a Change in Mindset","","The article explains how community banks should redesign recruiting and hiring when adopting a universal banker role. It argues that technology and products alone cannot sustain the business model, so the “people” component must lead branch transformation. It details a shift away from prioritizing traditional banking experience toward assessing traits such as personality, high energy, adaptability, and change-oriented mindset. It also proposes a streamlined, accurate, multi-round panel interview approach with targeted screening questions and customer-interaction simulations to reduce turnover risk, especially in the first two years.",{"@graph":63,"@context":118},[64,80,101],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":16,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/resumes/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/hiring-universal-bankers-a-change-in-mindset/260577/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/hiring-universal-bankers-a-change-in-mindset/260577.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Theodora","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-09-13",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":47},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",{"@type":102,"mainEntity":103},"FAQPage",[104,110,114],{"name":105,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":107},"Why is the “people component” emphasized in a universal banker branch transformation strategy?","Question",{"text":108,"@type":109},"Because technology, products, and services alone do not guarantee a sustainable business model. The people component has the greatest impact on both bank performance and customer experience, even though it is difficult to master early.","Answer",{"name":111,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What should banks prioritize when recruiting for universal banker roles if traditional banking experience is no longer the main attribute?",{"text":113,"@type":109},"Banks should focus on natural traits and fit, especially personality, high energy, adaptability, and a change-oriented mindset. The goal is to recruit candidates who can be trained to become generalists.",{"name":115,"@type":106,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How does the article recommend structuring the hiring process to improve accuracy and reduce turnover?",{"text":117,"@type":109},"It recommends streamlining hiring while maintaining high accuracy, using an initial screening process with a flexible question suite and multi-round panel interviews. The process should also include exercises and simulations that demonstrate real customer interactions rather than relying only on rehearsed answers.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":120,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":122,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":124,"site_id":56},260577,1790691524,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":127},{"doc_id":124,"user_id":128,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":9,"category_id":15,"category_name":16,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":47,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":73,"language":135,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":136,"faqs":137,"seo_title":138,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":139,"read_time":9},687197207919,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/a000253d6f5f7c60be?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779446848396160552","Issue \\#32-August 2016  \nHiring Universal Bankers – a Change in Mindset  \nBy James Geeslin, CEO and President, Extraco Consulting,  \nand Lindsay Green, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Extraco Consulting  \nAs customer preferences and cultural shifts continue to evolve the way consumers want to bank, most community banks are in the process planning strategies or implementing strategies to remain relative or adapt to the massive changes . When developing a branch transformation strategy, it is critical for a successful implementation to start with the people component. Even the newest and most competitive technology, products or services alone will not ensure a sustainable business model in these dynamic times in the banking industry. While the people component is the most important aspect to master early in a branch transformation strategy, it is also the most difficult aspect to master. This is especially true if the organization is operating under or considering moving to a universal banker role . The people component will eventually have the greatest impact and benefits to the bank and customer experience . In order to maximize the results of a universal banker approach, the traditional recruiting and hiring practices must evolve and become more rigorous .  \nUnder the universal banker model, banks are in need of talent that can be trained to become ageneralist and not just a specialist, as was more typical in the traditional banking model. The FTE savings and overall efficiencies should be one of the main goals and utilizing the Universal Banker model. This is a true change in mindset and methodology for most community banks. The first step is to develop the job description and tasks for the new universal banker role, including the expectations and routines . This will be the foundation for building or adapting the recruiting approach. Under the universal banker model, recruiting candidates with banking background is no longer the top priority; in fact, this experience is actually a hindrance to the change management process if the candidate’s experience lies in a traditional banking role . In most community banks, the highest level of turnover occurs on the retail side of the bank, thus making it difficult for most financial institutions to solve the puzzle of recruiting, hiring and retaining the  \nright talent. It is imperative in a universal banker model to streamline the hiring process, while attaining a high level of accuracy for maintaining a low turnover ratio, especially within the first two years of employment. The cost and amount of time to train a universal banker is much higher than the traditional banking model, therefore the cost of a turnover is magnified, placing a larger emphasis on the importance of retaining talent. The hiring process needs to be developed to focus on the underlying natural traits of a candidate .  \nIf banking experience is no longer an attribute for a potential candidate, then what type of candidate should a bank, operating under the universal banking model, be looking for and through what type of adapted hiring model? A successful universal banker hiring model focuses on personality, a high energy level and adaptability. In fact, an employee with a change-oriented mindset is almost a requirement these days. Think about the amount of change you as a leader are digesting on a daily basis from payments to virtual tellers to Fintechs, and more . A banker didn’t have to digest this much change five to ten years ago on a regular basis, which reinforces the need for flexibility.  \nAn initial screening process must be defined, with an ample suite of questions to allow for flexibility in the interview process to drill down and customize the questions for the specific candidate’s potential weaknesses and strengths . Most organizations experience a high rate of success from implementing a panel interview process with multiple interview rounds, including intellectual exercises designed to f","cbCaikwSdTclglBT","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaikwSdTclglBT","pdf",87289,"English","# Hiring Universal Bankers – a Change in Mindset\n## People-first branch transformation\n## Developing the universal banker role and recruiting focus\n## Streamlined hiring and screening\n## Multi-round panel interviews and simulation exercises\n## Conclusion","[{\"question\":\"Why is the “people component” emphasized in a universal banker branch transformation strategy?\",\"answer\":\"Because technology, products, and services alone do not guarantee a sustainable business model. The people component has the greatest impact on both bank performance and customer experience, even though it is difficult to master early.\"},{\"question\":\"What should banks prioritize when recruiting for universal banker roles if traditional banking experience is no longer the main attribute?\",\"answer\":\"Banks should focus on natural traits and fit, especially personality, high energy, adaptability, and a change-oriented mindset. The goal is to recruit candidates who can be trained to become generalists.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the article recommend structuring the hiring process to improve accuracy and reduce turnover?\",\"answer\":\"It recommends streamlining hiring while maintaining high accuracy, using an initial screening process with a flexible question suite and multi-round panel interviews. The process should also include exercises and simulations that demonstrate real customer interactions rather than relying only on rehearsed answers.\"}]","Hiring Universal Bankers - a Change in Mindset | PDF",1789343686]