Most likely, you will begin your credit union career as a teller. Believe it or not, this is a great place to start. You will learn a lot of skills on the job and there are good opportunities to move up in the credit union and to transfer your skills to other organizations.

Entry-level employment at credit unions is a good jumping off point for a career in the consumer finance industry. Even if you can't advance at your credit union, career opportunities will open up for you after about a year's time, if not sooner. Here are some reasons why:

1. Any credit union employment will help you learn how the financial industry works. This makes you a more valuable employee than someone that has no knowledge of the field.

2. Credit union jobs with public interaction give you lots of customer service experience. If you aspire to a career as a stockbroker or business manager, you will need these people skills.

3. You'll work closely with people in other positions, such as loan officers and branch managers. This will help you with making the most of credit union jobs. You may find someone who will serve as your mentor.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn from others with credit union careers

Put the word out that you're looking for opportunities for advancement in your credit union career. There are surely others that will be happy to help you, especially those that started out in your position and have since moved on to bigger and better things.

I recommend: Network with others at your credit union during work breaks or at company sponsored events. If you can, attend credit union conventions. Any Credit Union National Association sponsored event will attract people with connections. Also, check out financial job fairs, like the National Financial Mathematics Career Fair.

Use your credit union job as a way to get training

Ask your employer to send you to seminars that can help you learn more about finance. This will make your more knowledgeable on the job and can help you prepare for future employment.

I recommend: Use the Credit Union National Association's website to find the credit union league for your state and see if it offers any training courses. Most do, and you may get a discount for being a credit union employee. Also, look for finance courses on the Web. Your company may allow you to take them while you're on the clock. Anne Arundel Community College has some good ones.

Don't focus solely on future jobs in credit unions

With your financial and customer service experience, there are a lot of opportunities out there for you that are not in credit unions. Consider jobs at banks, brokerage firms and call centers.

I recommend: Check out job search engines that specialize in financial positions, such as Jobs in the Money. This will give you a good idea of the opportunities available. Also, look for employment with the federal government. The government often hires people with financial skills and there are good benefits and job security.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Take advantage of your time working in credit unions. Jobs can materialize in unexpected places. Consider any interpersonal communication to be a networking opportunity. You never know who can connect you with your dream job. Don't rely solely on people in credit union positions. It may be someone you're waiting on in the teller line.

What's the difference between a credit union and a bank?

The Frank Capra film It’s a Wonderful Life offers a good, if simplified, illustration of the difference between credit unions and other financial institutions. Where the Bailey Building and Loan put community needs ahead of profit, Potter’s bank was out to make a profit regardless of the harm it brought to the community.

Though credit unions are rarely so munificent and bankers rarely so malevolent, the film’s scenario does point to the real community spirit that has always been the most important element of the credit union philosophy. If community spirit appeals to you more than profit does and you’re skilled with finances, a credit union job may be the right choice for you.

Though often run as not-for-profit institutions, credit union careers can also be financially lucrative.

As you think about whether credit union employment is for you, consider some of the basic philosophies of credit unions:

1. Membership in a credit union is voluntary and open to all who want the benefits of membership and can accept the responsibilities it carries. No discrimination is tolerated.
2. Credit unions are owned by their members and ruled by them, as well, with a one vote per member rule. All members are encouraged to actively participate.
3. Member funds make up the capital of the credit union. This allows all members to benefit from the pooled funds.
4. Credit unions emphasize education and information for their members, the general public and lawmakers.
5. Community spirit fuels credit unions, whose members generally create policies to help people of more modest means in the community, such as through low interest loans and other financial products.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Create a resume specific to credit union jobs

Whether you're applying for an entry level or mid-career position in a credit union, the right resume raises your chances of getting an interview.

I recommend: CareerBank provides financial resume writing services customized to your career advancement plans. For a one-on-one approach, you can work with Financial Resume Pros, who schedule a lengthy phone interview with you to make sure they have all the information they need.

Browse online credit union job postings

Credit union employment opportunities are on the same sites as jobs for traditional banks. Seeking out financial job boards lets you browse and apply for a large number of credit union jobs in a short time. Look for sites where you can post your resume to make the application process easier.

I recommend: Employment at credit unions can be found through Bankjobs.com, eFinancialCareers and Jobs in the Money. You can narrow your search by keyword to view only credit union jobs. Each job site also allows you to post your resume and maintain other information online.

Work with banking recruiters to locate a credit union job

Recruiters can help you get access to exclusive credit union jobs that aren't advertised, especially if you already have financial or banking experience.

I recommend: Register with NBFSN, an association of recruiting firms that specialize in the financial sector, to gain access to credit union jobs across the country. Hoffman Recruiters is a nationwide recruiting firm that specializes in the financial industry.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Visit individual credit union websites and contact local credit unions as you search for credit union employment.
• •  Getting an entry level credit union job, such as a teller position, can help you get to know the ropes of the credit union and can lead to more lucrative employment.

If you’re interested in banking but would also like to dip a toe in the not-for-profit world, a credit union career could be the perfect match for you. That’s because credit unions are member-owned cooperatives.

Credit union employment opportunities are available at all levels. Some common credit union job titles are tellers, who work with members making basic transactions, like deposits; member service representatives, who handle loans and other more in-depth services; and branch managers, who are responsible for supervising all employees at the credit union location. Jobs at credit unions are also available in corporate offices in marketing, collections and information technology. Here are some things you should know before you apply:

1. Employment at credit unions is not the same as work with publicly traded companies. If you're hoping to get a job that offers you stock options, it's best to search elsewhere.

2. Salaries for credit union job opportunities are good but not astronomic. This goes back to the not-for-profit aspect of credit unions.

3. The majority of credit unions are small. Very few are national or even regional. This can make for little room to advance in your credit union career, but can also provide a better work environment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find credit union jobs in your area

There are a lot of credit unions in the United States. The problem is that they do not publicize jobs, since they don't actively recruit or advertise to people outside their field of membership. Luckily, there are other ways to find out about jobs.

I recommend: Go to findacreditunion.com's national search page. It's an easy way to find credit unions near you. Once you locate a credit union, you can go to its website to search for employment opportunities. If that search doesn't work for you, try the Credit Union National Association's page. It's not as user friendly but has a more comprehensive list.

Learn about the financial world to prepare for a credit union job

Most people with credit union careers know a little something about money. Whether you'll be dealing with cash directly or helping a member with financial planning, you need to know what you're talking about. Your knowledge or lack thereof will come across in your job interview.

I recommend: If you don't know a lot about finance, spiff up your skills before you start pursuing credit union jobs. You can learn the basics at your local community college or through a free online seminar at CNNMoney.com.

Start your credit union career with an internship

At credit unions, jobs will be more forthcoming to those who already have their foot in the door. Getting an internship before seeking permanent full-time employment will give you good experience and allow you access to people with the authority to hire you.

I recommend: Check out nonprofit job boards, such as Idealist.org. They often list internship opportunities at credit unions. Another good place to look, which may surprise you, is in the job listings on MySpace. You don't need to have an account to apply for jobs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If a credit union doesn't have employment opportunities posted, stop by in person and ask. Companies don't always advertise credit union jobs publicly.

Credit union jobs are usually pretty stable, and they are great for people who are friendly, detail-oriented, accurate, efficient and honest. Job seekers and credit union human resources employees will benefit from understanding key terms related to credit union jobs. Job seekers need to know the terminology in order to sound professional and knowledgeable in their interviews. Credit union human resource workers need to know what to look for in potential employees in order to reduce turnover (and the high costs that come with it).

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Member-owned cooperative

Credit unions often use the term 'member-owned cooperative' when defining themselves. This means that the members of the credit union are actually the ones that own it. Because it is a cooperative, the organization exists only to serve its members. No one makes a profit. Understanding this concept is important for anyone seeking a credit union job, because it's important to realize that you will be working for a not-for-profit organization.

I recommend: Check out My Credit Union Is Me for a definition of what credit unions are and how they are structured.

Tellers

Credit union tellers are the face of the organization. They are the ones that greet members, introduce members to new products and services and conduct the daily transactions with members. Credit unions will want to hire tellers who are honest, personable and accurate.

I recommend: This article from Workforce explains not only characteristics that are desirable in credit union tellers, but also how they manage to recruit and hire those employees.

Member service representative

These credit union employees work at call centers. A member service representative at a credit union has the job of answering phone and email inquiries from member-owners.

I recommend: This is a full job description of a member service representative at Kemba Financial Credit Union.

Branch managers

Credit union branch managers have a very important job in the corporations. Branch managers are also called financial managers at some credit unions. These people supervise and direct all of the other employees in a given branch, making sure they do their work correctly and efficiently. Branch managers at credit unions are often promoted into their position from other jobs within the credit union. Many branch managers started out as tellers or loan officers.

I recommend: Spokane Teachers Credit Union has a detailed description of a branch manager’s work.

Loan officers

As with other lending institutions, such as banks, credit unions need to employ loan officers. The purpose of this job is to help member-owners obtain financing for homes, vehicles, commercial ventures, college education or other large-ticket items. A credit union loan officer will sit down with the member to obtain his information, run a credit check and process the application.

I recommend: For more information on the position of loan officer, read the entry in the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Supervisor of operations

A supervisor of operations oversees the daily workflow of a certain area in the credit union. This job requires someone with superb organizational and managerial skills.

I recommend: Alliant Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in the Midwest, has a job description of a supervisor of operations.