financial representative

First Interstate Bank

Operations Center in Billings Montana

No advancement unless you are cherry-picked by a manager. I've tried everything to move to a different department and had to basically demote myself in order to do so. Managers do not care about your development and they will expect more from you than what is required in your specific job description. Don't bother bringing up any concerns or issues related to your job or improvements because they don't care. They "say" they are all about change, but the reality is, you are supposed to be stressed out and take on more responsibility than what you expect to. Micromanaging, no care in your personal development and your ideas are shot down. Some managers will allow bad behavior from other co-workers to continue and they make you feel like it's your fault instead of fixing the issues. Too many managers that are not involved in helping out their departments. The other things that truly suck are spending more time logging your work and "numbers" than actually helping the customer or doing the actual work. You have to account for everything you do. Breaks are strict too. Everyone gossips in this building and you have to log in and out of your phone even if you are walking to the printer or helping another co-worker. Think about going to a branch instead of Operations. Operations Center as a whole treats you like children and it won't change. They need to fire the micromanaging managers and the ones that are so out of touch if they plan to be successful in adding more banks to their portfolio. I will not and won't recommend this company.

When I originally was Hired during the interview process they told me all  about how they motivated and pushed people for growth. I quickly realized that was far from the truth. It’s a favoritism game, if your manager is friends outside of work with your coworker and you are competing for a role good luck. Favoritism plays a big role here. 
Managers half the time have no idea what they are doing, need to call many different departments for answers could be on hold for an hour before getting anyone and they might not even have the answer.

Systems are down at least once a month, causes many escalations with “Customers”.

Very low quality training that does not set you up for success. If you have no financial institution background be prepared for a lot of self education without any sort of guidance.

If you are asking for tool to improve and move up be prepared for non straight forward answers and beating around the bush.


If you’re a self motivated person and love being involved in community events and volunteering this is not the place for you, many events I had signed up for or attended I was the only person who bothered to be there or people would call out sick or busy for events…..

As I was being hired, I was warned by several peers I knew personally that work at First Interstate about how bad it was going to be. I thought to myself "Every place has its pros and cons, this will be a great job" but I was very very wrong. As a trainee, you are treated awful; they will teach you a few things and expect you to know everything. When you're training and make a mistake, you will receive ridicule right in front of customers. This bank makes fun and mocks customers when they're not around in the most unprofessional way I have ever heard of. They make comments about their customers in a way that is harsh and hits home. The workers know a lot about their customers such as their financial situations and personal issues they may be dealing with. Instead of First Interstate employees simply doing their job and being empathetic, they choose to do the opposite. If you want a job where you are miserable every day, if you want a job where you're upset whether you're at work or not because of how you are treated, and if you are interested in a job that treats you like less than a human being...I HIGHLY recommend First Interstate!

Working here hasn’t been too easy. I’m only a teller I and when management found out I was looking at leaving they were begging me to stay. Our systems constantly went down causing the customers to become upset, and it seemed to happen at the worst possible times. 
The training is poor for someone who has no experience in banking. I’ve been with the company for about 9 months and I still don’t fully understand many aspects of it unfortunately.
Because of lack of staff the lobby at our branch has been closed for 2 weeks making us drive through only. As someone who’s station is on the commercial lane, this has been even more stress on top of everything else. At this point, something has to give because they can’t continue to expect the good employees to stay if they are constantly picking up the slack of the bad ones. 
It really shows that because of their poor management decisions, people are leaving in large numbers. Some of which who I’ve gotten to know have left their positions with not even a two week notice and nothing else lined up just to improve their mental health…

I loved this job at the beginning. I can say the pay isn’t very good compared to all the other bank institutions we have in the Rogue Valley, even as a Teller 1. Usually when you start a new job, the manager or the person a step down from the managing position should be the one training. I didn’t get any training, except for the videos they made me watch for the first 2 weeks I was there. Only a select few people at one specific branch would get recognition every single day, and nobody else. The manager was hardly ever there and it was hard to get in contact with the manager when we had important questions. Upper management definitely picks favorites and you can by the emails being received every morning. I don’t believe this is the best work environment and I’m glad I don’t work this company anymore. 

Management lacks and are very fake so beware. Their motto is everyone is replaceable. Pay is low compared to other banks. No raises unless you meet their goals. No appreciation given after 100% loyal and dedicated work to their company. Training consist of procedures on-line. Long and stressful work days. Their is no enjoyable part of being a team member unless you get along with your team mates and if there is reciprocal appreciation for one another and none of that at branch I worked, very mean and spiteful people working there they should have retired a long time ago. Customers are mostly on the kind side and is nice when they come back to you for more help.  Returning clients  was the most satisfactory of working there.  First Interstate in Southern Oregon has a high turn over and that speaks for itself. Run 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The co workers are amazing and the benefits are great


What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The local management is terrible,  micromanaging and lazy. Very much a favoritism situation and the people actually doing the work are treated terrible.  People in leadership rolls can't even do the jobs they are supposed to help. I watched the very least qualified being promoted and the knowledgeable treated awful 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The culture of the company as a whole is terrific! They treat employees well and have great benefits.  
Unfortunately the local work in environment in the Flathead is one of extremely poor management and a culture of treating operating staff very badly. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Stressful, busy,  I often didn't get lunch or breaks all the while watching other employees having 2 hour lunches and gym time in the middle of the day.

While the pay advertised for the position, $16 an hour, was pretty good, net take home was a joke. I was taking home way less than any other job that I have had that I worked for the same wage. The net pay was about what you get if you were working for $12 or $13 an hour. 

The leadership team for the branch I was at never listened to tellers when we said we needed help and support. We told them exactly what we needed and how to give it to us and both the teller supervisor and branch manager would say tell us we didn't need help. I was often spoken down to like I was stupid and didn't know what I was talking about. When I reported it to upper management, their response was "you are responsible for your own work environment."

They were never interested in hiring me on as a full time employee.  They just kept renewing my temping contract as to not have to pay benefits for me and give me what i deserved to be paid for the work i was completing. The hired 3 other people during my time in the Mortgage department from outside sources.  When i was told they didn't have the budget to hire me on as a full time employee.  I got two inner departmental departments caught up during my 6 month there.  I applied for positions that became available and was told they were going with someone else even when one of the jobs was exactly what I was already doing.  Great group of gals to work with Manager needs to prioritize her departments needs and want.

First off, this IS a bank. It's a banking environment, which professional clothing and a generally conservative outlook. But FIB says it's invested in the community, and it truly is. With dedicated volunteer days, a foundation that donates 2% of the company's gross income to local charities, and constant work with local nonprofits, the company is wonderful to work for. They have also handled COVID better than other financial institutions I've observed. At the beginning on 2020, they instituted a universal minimum wage of $15/hr and have programs to help employees pay off student loans. My issue is not with the company as a whole, but the managers on a local level, who seem to play favorites with advancement. So, a great company to work for, as long as you don't get a bad manager (just like any employer).

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