member services representative

business analyst

assistant manager

customer support representative

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union

I worked at the corporate office/branch located in the heart of Orange County.  I was working within the Strategic Marketing group as a support Research Member Specialist.  There was no effective training protocols and all learning was done on the job or through CBT or computer based training.  They have a cultural indoctrination program and encourage team members to work together and engage in silly group exercises to enhance group cohesion; I don't think these had any effect whatsoever.  For the most part outside of my department the employees seemed very friendly and willing to help with a smile on their face.   However when you're involved with your own department the mask melts away revealing a litany of internal politics between people that was the antithesis to what the company preached regarding the positive working culture involving team work.  

Regarding my position, I initially learned a few new novel concepts or software systems such as how to create online surveys and deploying them via web to collect data regarding whatever issue was being investigated, using predictive modeling with SPSS to segment customers for better target marketing; but the position I had was a one year commitment at most; after a year I was literally bored to death.  It was more or less entry level position with no opportunity to progress career wise, but it compensated very well for being entry level; ultimately there was no room for vertical mobility within small the group I belonged to.  

Training was all computer based and very basic.  If you're looking for advancing your professional computer or technical skills this isn't the place to acquire them, but rather if you enjoy working with the public as a loan consultant or teller then this would be the company for you.  To learn about marketing analytics and research techniques this company sorely lacks in these competencies.  

My co-workers were easy to get along and friendly, but I wouldn't trust anyone with confidential information, because you never know when someone is going to stab you in the back; I felt many people were passive aggressive at the corporate level.  For example I was given the opportunity to leave with a severance because I embarrassed my boss on accident because he couldn't reproduce a report his manager needed and because he lost face I was reproached for his inability.   The most enjoyable part of the job was the work/life balance and location.

A typical day at work may seem repetitive because of answering phone call after call. However, each phone call is different which provides its variety. If you're used to a job where you interact with people face to face then this is an entirely different job, even though you interact with people on the phone. It requires to be patient with others and more so with yourself. There is much to learn when it comes to finances, particularly another's finances. I've learned how to further express empathy, enhance my communication, resolve conflicts without escalation, be positive and again have patience. Co-workers, you unfortunately won't be having a ton of interaction with on a personal basis because you'll be too busy focusing on the Members. The most contact you'll have with co-workers is transferring a phone call and explaining the situation. If there is a moment where the call center isn't as busy you might have a moment to chat with your neighbor. The hardest part of the job is the monotony. It is call after call and requires your undivided attention. If you seem to zone out of a conversation you might see yourself constantly asking "Can you repeat that?". The phone calls are always recorded and it will be notated for you adherence to almost each call. The most enjoyable part of being in a call center, specifically SchoolsFirst, you get hour lunches, a major background of finances that gives you a personal idea of how to further budget and plan ahead. Frequently you are awarded for you contribution to the call center. Each year there is a "Dream Team Conference" and it's engaging with the entire company. They even give the employees an opportunity to address whatever may be on there mind to the CEO and his affiliates. At the end, everyone is awarded with a special prize that typically leaves everyone going home happy.

Working for SchoolsFirst federal credit union is a great place to learn, a lot training, training is wonderful, you have great people that are willing to help you and see you grow. There are some favoritism because there are a lot of coworkers that have been working together for many many years but health insurance is great. The CEO and all the higher-ups really do care about their employees some of them even remember you by name which is amazing. I remember the first day of orientation I met our CEO who was Bill Cheney at the time and even after that first time that I met him I would see him probably once every 2 to 3 months in our meetings and professional get together‘s as well as other higher-ups it really makes you feel like part of them. The Members are actually very nice for the most part, you are working with school employees and educators and their family members so it really does have an impact on the type of clientele that you’re working with. The only reason I left was because I moved out of state and I wasn’t able to work remotely for SchoolsFirst credit union but if it wasn’t for that I would still be working for them.

Working for SchoolsFirst, you will immediately see the sense of Member service this company instills in its employees from day one. The company provides a fantastic benefits package and promotes from within, so there is room for growth. However, getting promoted differs from branch to branch, making the process unclear. It is a hit or miss with branch managers. Some branch managers are excellent, and the branches with those managers know it. Other branch managers are toxic and unfit to lead, creating a toxic work environment for employees below them. The pay raises are subjective and based on management opinion only and amount to a few cents a year, which is laughable given that this company consistently promotes caring for its employees. You will receive paid holidays and paid vacations. As a Member Service Representative, do not expect any bonuses, although supervisors and above do receive them, which the company never mentions. Also, due to the company being smaller than most big banks, news travels fast so it is not uncommon to hear rumors. The best part of working here is the benefits, work-life balance if you’re not in management and the annual picnics/activities hosted for company employees and their families.

The place overall is excellent and I regret leaving the place for better career growth.  This is a place for people with family and like stability and the benefits.  Its employees comes first over the customer here.  If you are college graduate and looking for advancement in your skills and promotion this is not the place due to intense politics.  Working here makes it hard to leave for better career advancement.  You need to decide if culture/people is important or your own career path.  This makes it hard to leave a beautiful company that cares about the employees.
Plus:  Culture- World-class and make the place exciting everyday.
                        Events, team building conference, family oriented, etc.
          Benefits- Fully paid plus perks.  Excellent 401K
          Stability- No layoffs ever during the worse of times
Negatives: Politics- Promotions is all about connection, not about skills
          Pay- Below average to compensate for free benefits
          Career growth- Stale since employees don't leave.  Its a retirement job and not for people that wish to move up in roles.
         Manual process- Passionate about old school manual process.               Almost nothing automated across most departments.
         Slow to take action- Change is slower than the Federal government to pass a law.   
         

I loved working for the company, as a whole they care about their employees however, when you get down to each department it ultimately depends on the management you have. Some managers will put 110% to see you succeed and help you with your Members others will throw you under the bus to cover their own behinds. Just depends. If you get a supervisor/manager that is not supportive or just doesn’t like you (because they DO play favorites) This makes things uncomfortable in the work environment. They will give you more tasks when they see you work hard and will not compensate you for these additional tasks even when you bring it up just state that it’s under your “job description”. 
Pros: Now they do give merit increases each year. They do Gallup yearly surveys as well and actually implement based off what employees say needs to be improved. The benefits are amazing! 401k match up to 6%. Minimum OOP expenses. Great eyeglasses credit. Annual picnics, free lunches, annual Holiday celebrations/activities. They truly try to engage their TMs as much as possible and they mean well. I would recommend SF to anyone...just be mindful that there are some managers that can make it difficult for you and sometimes even have a vendetta and try to get you fired. I’ve seen it too many times. 

I worked at the company for 10 months. It was great at first because you are told you can grow fast and eventually work into full-time if you work hard. Spent 10 months there waiting for this to happen, was worked to the bone and had high numbers. Turnover is very high that even the President of the company told us in a staff meeting that most of the people who work there are gone within a year. Management is phony. They act all nice to your face but then are talking behind your back and backstabbing you. Benefits are excellent if you have no family members, but if you are part-time and have a family to support, the out of pocket is so high that you better have a spouse or someone that you has health insurance so your children are covered. The pay isn't fair either. I found out that people who just got hired got paid WAY more than me for doing the same job and it was their first job and it wasn't because they had a college education, because they didn't. The management made the money while the workers worked hard to get them their raises and the raises you DO get is like 10-25 cents! Your schedule varies so it's hard to work a 2nd job and it's all about who sucks up to the management!

Every bank comes with micromanagement, especially if you are working at branch retail. Majority of the time, managers there are looking out for their best interest, NOT you. You will always need to fight for your promotion or opportunities that may arise. Regardless, how many times you share your career grow as it was asked from, it will totally be neglected. Therefore, the opportunity will be a slow process.  Compensation is great. If you wish to work for this bank, seeks to work in corporation. Try to avoid branch retail stores. It will drain your days not only from the Members, fellow team members, but especially your managers. Because you are in the frontline of the organization, your impression such as the way you speak and the way you dress are very important! Your ideas will not be welcome and your hard work most of the times invisible.  I would recommend SchoolsFirst Credit Union but not any position at the branch unless it’s and advisor position.

I receive inbound calls and assist Members with their everyday banking needs. Banking needs range from processing transfers, making payments, assisting with products that can help benefit the Member and also occasionally assisting upper management with training the new hires with side by side reviews.  Lots of volunteering opportunities which I love to take part in. Everyone, and I mean everyone is a pleasure to work with, which is not very common in work places. I wouldn't say that there is a difficult part of the job that I do. I love assisting individuals in any aspect of life so it is always a routine to share a little bit about myself to the Member and create a lasting relationship with each Member I come across. Once you share a little about yourself the Member always do the same, a bond with your Members creates better trust and like I said earlier a lasting relationship not just with the Bank or institution but with you as well/  Great place to work

Fellow employees are kind and helpful. My asst manager and manager frequently checked up on me to see if they could help with anything but also just to get to know me on a personal level which I appreciated. 

I worked in the newly constructed Tustin office which has a fantastic cafeteria that is very reasonably priced and has plenty of options so you can skip pricy coffee and long drives to get lunch.

For better or for worse, SchoolsFirst is pretty old school. On one hand, that means change is slow and it will definitely feel like an office from the 90s. On the other hand, that means there is a lot of stability since they actually want people to work there for their entire careers. People do get promoted or take jobs in other departments but it can be hard to move up unless you're very proactive about it.

Overall, if you want a stable career, want a positive team environment, and don't mind slow career growth this is a perfect company to do it in. If you like to move fast and want to really make an impact at work this may not be the best place for you.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Member services representative 2 salaries reported	$14.75 per hour
Business analyst 3 salaries reported	$100,333 per year
Assistant manager 3 salaries reported	$92,333 per year
Customer support representative 1 salary reported	$17.50 per hour

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