Pros
You were able to really pave your own way. The way the company is setup the Branch Manager is really a business banker that is in charge of acquiring new business and doing assessments of current business relationships to deepen and enhance the loyalty to M&T Bank. The Assistant Manager is left in the branch daily to run everything while the Branch Manager is out cultivating new business, either alone or with the Business Banker assigned to that branch.
Cons
The Assistant Manager is left in the branch daily to run everything while the Branch Manager is out cultivating new business, either alone or with the Business Banker assigned to that branch. The Branch Manager has to be the business banker as well as oversee the other remaining relationships in the branch. You are also expected to create other opporunities outside of branch hours like networking events so that you can develop more centers of influence for your branch. The problem with that is that the hours are pretty much around the clock because of all of the expectations placed on you. The work/life balance is non existent. The stress is deafening and there is no concern with the level of stress that is placed on you as a person. It's handled as if its par for the course and the more you have going on the better. Regardless of your other commitments outside of M&T Bank. They want your life to be M&T. And if you can do that then you'll be successful. If you decide to commit to other areas of importance that are very real factors in your life, like your family or your church, forget it. You're a sinking ship. This company needs a constant HR rep present in all branches. But they have HR reps that aren't even in the same city and aren't committed to getting one.