I have always loved working with my hands, but it seemed I was doomed to be working with my brain, and a calculator for most of my working life. It was cool, I actually enjoyed being a Loan Officer, helping families get into a car loan they could afford, skirting around personal loans they could not, "you mean you haven’t made a payment on your credit card in 4 months but feel a quit trip to Hawaii will help make better future decisions in business and personal financial matters? OK…we need to talk….."
And, when people actually listened to me, it was wonderful. I had customers that I financial counseled and they actually thanked me for turning down a car loan that would have stretched their budget. Course the auto dealer didn’t quite feel the same way. I think the high point was when we were having a customer service contest, and after I had to turn down a customer for a loan, and explained why, and how to correct matters, I felt good, till I noticed he took one of the "Rate Me, how did I do?" slips of paper, the winning employee of the month got the glory, and donuts and a beautiful 14k Gd Cross Pen with BofA on the clip. I got the pen! And, of course, the donuts, which I still carry on each thigh.
The low point, turning down a home equity loan, financial counsel again, had graphs, really set up a budget, went over things, I felt I covered the points I needed to but felt I failed them. The couple would not meet my eyes. Wasn’t till lunch time I realized I had dressed in costume of Victorian Lady MOUSE. FULL MOUSE FACE MAKEUP. It was Halloween, and we on the platform were to comply with costume days. I personally liked my tail. had a big bow at the end. Too bad the customers couldn’t have seen that. My hat was nice too, I had worn costume to our local Victorian Dickens Faire Christmas Faire with my husband, we worked it every year. Beautiful satin hat, big brim, tip to side, red roses, lace in loops with ribbon, you would have loved it. Hair was in a Gibson girl. Course, the face was pure Mickey Mouse.
To conclude, if you are a bank employee, on the platform, see if you can effect change for the Halloween celebration, if you deal with loans, having minimal costume be allowed, as the job you do should have a certain amount of decorum as I learned with the rejected loans and attempts at counseling for future financial freedom. Dressing yourself as a bum, a scarecrow or actually I can’t think of anything other than a car salesman or attorney you could pull off on the platform.
In actuality, dressing for Halloween when you work for a bank is not all that bright an idea. Those of us who work there are ever fearful of that date anyway, customers come in to do their banking dressed in costume if at their job, it was the thing to do, but then, it could be a bank robber coming in to hit the teller line, and they would blend in. Who would notice one more masked clown.
Plan ahead for next year…
