teller

branch manager

call center representative

member experience specialist

cashier

First South Financial Federal Credit Union

I worked for FS for 10 years. Management for the first few years was good. However,  when employees began being promoted based on popularity rather than skill and experience,  the power quickly went to their heads. They lack business knowledge and they are horrible at the hiring process and vetting employees for roles. If you have ideas of your own or possess any marketable skills, they will overlook you for everything.  They are only interested in retaining people that they can use and manipulate to their liking. 
If you are a strong employee with the desire for a fantastic place to work....RUN the other way. First South management will tell you what you wat to hear, but their true colors do come out. They watch you on the cameras in the branches and they have people watch your social media and they use that against you no matter what the content is. 

Upper management is a joke. They have not worked anywhere else but think they are God's gift to banking and employees. They will forever be at FS and they know it. 

They are running that ship into the ground. They treat people as disposable commodities. 

Leaving this place was the BEST thing I ever did. I'm just sad it took me so long to do it. Even still, they have people try to spy on my social media and will call current employees and harass them if they think anyone is talking bad about them. It's ridiculous! 

STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! 

I was with this company for a decade worked my way up and in the beginning it was a great company. The operations manager at the time and HR were very knowledgeable, available, cared. As time went on and new people took over those roles, the culture changed drastically. Many long time employees left and then they kept hiring the wrong people consistently.  They promoted their favorites so someone actually qualified and a good worker was constantly overlooked. They say one thing and do another. Upper management ran as a clique so any grievances you had especially if it was about management was ignored. Their favorites they will let get away with anything but then turn around and try to make an example of another person for doing the same. There is no accountability taken on upper managements part. They lie, actively gaslight you for bringing inconsistencies to their attention. They will hound you with long emails about one thing you’ve done wrong and completely ignore the 99 things you’ve done right. There were so many good people there at one time, and we truly looked out for one another. The company is trying expand and rebrand and it’s costing them. They truly believe they have a family like culture but talk with any employee in the branch and it’s not that way at all. Everything trickles down from the top and it’s toxic.

Great stepping stone to get into banking. However, do not recommend for long term employment. The higher in management you are (if you're lucky) pay is actually less than the average in the area for the position - do not let management tell you otherwise and that it is fair pay alongside with incentives. It is not. Especially post COVID.

BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHO YOU TALK TO, from MRS all the way to senior management, the gossip grapevine is REAL no matter what "antibullying" campaign they are legally required to make you acknowledge. 

PLUS they prefer a slimmer down team so you are tasked with many responsibilities that honestly would work better if a few more people shared the work load and properly trained.

The amount of people who are not properly trained would then fall on those of us seasoned enough to pick up the slack on top of our "normal" duties - in turn making us work harder with little to no reward. 

There is a reason why there is a high turn over at First South. 

Great to start out in the industry, but once you are experienced enough - I promise you there are better institutions in the area that would LOVE for you to be part of their team and pay you what you're worth, recognize your hard work, and have better standards and management.

This credit union has so much potential however management is poor. There is no office manager to guide or support the employees so there is constant mistakes made, customers ignored or misguided, terrible culture, and very low employee morale. The office environment is filthy (there is a cleaning crew however one cannot tell) and not wiped down daily to prevent spread of germs/viruses. There is no supply of disinfectant. There are bugs in the office due to no pest control. The building is very cold with heat (same with being hot during that season) regulated by managements terms not by employees needs. This place of employment absolutely needs a complete overhaul overseen by qualified human resource staff to prevent inflexible rules, filter gossip, curb unprofessional behaviors, and put employees first. 

After over a decade with First South, I can truly say that I can't imagine working anywhere else. The culture here is "people first," and that goes for the members and employees. First South works hard to ensure that all staff have work/life balance and see a career path. They ask your strengths/weaknesses, goals, what motivates you, which area of the credit union interests you, etc., in order to effectively help you along your career path. The training provided for both new and existing staff has improved tremendously over the years, and remains something that Senior Management continues to focus on and works to find further improvements. Staff is given a voice and many avenues to openly discuss or suggest improvements in all areas; processes, policies, training, etc. I would say that First South makes decisions with their human side over their business side as often as they can. Throughout COVID, I have felt extremely taken care of and that my safety and that of my peers and members has been the top priority, which means a lot.

First South Financial Credit Union is a wonderful place to work. They make you feel like you are a part of something besides just a job! They give all employees every opportunity for advancements within the company. I have been here a very long time and have always felt valued and they take time to listen to suggestions. If you want a company to advance with First South is a great place for you. They value their employees and always put families first.  They have good benefits such as 401K, Insurance, and PTO you earn bi-weekly. They have been great through this difficult time with COVID. They make sure they e-mail out guidelines from CDC on what is happening and have a cleaning staff coming in to make sure our buildings are safe for us and our members.  If you work for First South the knowledge you gain here is far more than you can imagine. If you work hard here you do get noticed and are very much appreciated. First South truly cares about staff and our members.   

No one is held accountable for mistakes made to customers. They say they are accommodating but when it becomes to much they will find a way to dismiss you. Upper management responds to your questions when they see fit, NOT IN A TIMELY MANNER. I have never worked for a more unprofessional unorganized company such as this one. Upper management has no ideal what they are doing. They will decide not to promote, give you things to improve on but NEVER actually promote you but instead give the option to a less qualified individual.

The job description is false because certain parts they will never teach you or properly train you.

Be prepared to just be expected to know things without them being taught. Can regularly be left without manager supervision, even though many transactions/processes REQUIRE authorization to proceed. It's always a great look to have a full lobby and drive-thru any have to drop everything to call another branch because you need a remote override to deposit a check.

Upper Admin are out of touch with hourly associates, and there is a reinforcement of sales being more important than day-to-day operations, though they say differently on paper. Expect to eventually make cold-calls trying to sell auto loans and credit cards.

In short, while the credit union is pretty decent to their members, I would not recommend working there.

I have been with this credit union for over 30 years and am so very thankful for all that I have learned here and to be where I am today. I have been blessed with wonderful and caring supervisors in the different positions I have held over the years. The culture has always been very family oriented and that has been my biggest reason for staying here all this time. My family always came first and I was able to be with them, when needed. I was also able to learn and grow right along with the credit union as we expanded and added more branches along the way. My supervisors were always available when I needed guidance and still are. I am very proud of my career here and all the friends I have made. 

First South Financial is unlike anywhere I've ever worked. They invest in you as an employee and the possibilities are endless. They hire on personality instead of background and skill set so movement within the Credit Union is possible. They promote within so I don't feel like i have to move employers to get where i want to be. They have employees with just the drive and passion to learn move into areas they have no background in and excel due to their training. They are family oriented and truly care. I know that if my family is sick, I can take care of them without fear of my job. They like to have fun too! They are always awarding lunch on the Credit Union, Company Outings, Jean Days...etc. It is great!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Teller 9 salaries reported	$36,000 per year
Branch manager 1 salary reported	$65,000 per year
Call center representative 1 salary reported	$17.05 per hour
Member experience specialist 1 salary reported	$43,000 per year
Cashier 1 salary reported	$40,000 per year

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