Job Change Jump-Starts Walter’s Career
Nearly 10 years ago, Matt Walter changed roles from a loan assistant to an executive assistant to the chief operating officer at MidWestOne Bank. It was a move he says helped him find direction on his career path. “This job change jump-started my career and helped me gain exposure to all aspects of banking while I built the skill set that led me to my current role,” he said.
Today, he is a customer information and analytics officer at MidWestOne Bank in Iowa City. In this role, he’s part of the business intelligence and data analytics team and runs the company’s customer relationship management software.
When looking back on your banking career, what are you most proud of?
Looking back, I think I’m most proud of my decision to work as executive assistant to the chief operating officer nearly a decade ago. I’d worked at MidWestOne Bank first as a teller, then a loan assistant but hadn’t really decided on a career path yet. This job change jump-started my career and helped me gain exposure to all aspects of banking while I built the skill set that led me to my current role.
What piece of advice would you give to your past self or to anyone considering a career in banking?
Take the time to learn about the banking industry and get a good understanding of the bigger picture. Especially for those in back office roles, it can be difficult to find meaning in what you do. But if you understand the role banks play in our customers’ lives, in our communities and in the overall economy, it becomes much easier to connect the dots and find that meaning.
What is your best elevator pitch for why banking is a great career?
Easy – bankers get every federal holiday off work. Seriously though, banking is a great career because it’s really all about helping our communities succeed. We get to help people buy their homes, start/grow their businesses and succeed financially. What’s better than that?
How does getting involved with the Iowa Bankers Association help you and your bank?
Being involved with the Iowa Bankers Association is a great way to get connected with peers, get involved with advocacy efforts and stay informed with what’s going on in the industry. The IBA also has a lot of really good educational programming — I’m headed into my second year of the Iowa School of Banking and have been really impressed with the quality of the course material.
When you’re not at work, what do you like to do most?
When I’m not working, you can most often find me either training Brazilian jiujitsu (shout out to Citadel BJJ Iowa City!) or trying to sound like Jimi Hendrix in my guitar room.
What is a quote or guiding principle you live by?
Learn constantly to continually improve. This is one of MidWestOne Bank’s five operating principles and I think it’s really important to be a lifelong learner. In fact, I’ve made a career out of challenging myself to learn things that were outside of my comfort zone at the time.