Mentorship

Where I started

My first bank job in North Jersey was as a part-time teller, during my college breaks. I was studying finance at The College of New Jersey, and the teller line taught me things a classroom couldn’t: how people actually feel about their money, and how much a patient explanation is worth.

Years later I went back to school at the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking and served on the board of the ABA Commercial Lending School. Today I’m part of Leadership Palm Beach County’s Engage class of 2026. None of it happened alone. At almost every step, someone more experienced took the time to explain something to me.

A few things I’d tell my younger self

1. Take the front-line job seriously. The branch is where you learn to listen. That skill matters more the further you go.
2. Ask the question. The people worth learning from are almost always glad you asked. Nobody expects you to know everything early on.
3. Keep learning on purpose. Formal programs, industry schools and good books all compound, the same way savings do.
4. Say yes to the extra seat at the table. Committees, boards and community groups are where you meet the people who will shape your career.
5. Pay it forward. Someone made time for you. Make time for the next person.

Want to talk?

If you’re a student or early in a career in banking or finance and would value a conversation, LinkedIn is the best place to reach me. I write about personal finance at Bank on FI, and you can read more about my background at chrislinteris.com.