Pacific Capital Bancorp Reviews

Former Employee – worked at Pacific Capital Bancorp

Pros – Only if you plan to stay a Teller the rest of your life. The people you serve is about the best thing you face while employed here.

Cons – No one cares about anything but there own job. There is much to much effort taken on meetings that go nowhere and management time spent doing nothing more than watching you do the job. If someone at the Executive level really spent the time to see what was needed to be competitive as a "business" bank then there would be a much better effort given from the front line. I also have seen that there is little understanding of how a real business development effort could be run, instead we try things by those that never have been on the front line.

Advice to Senior Management – Learn how to work with your employees. I think they are top heavy and have too many layers of management to really know what is needed for success.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Former Employee – worked at Pacific Capital Bancorp

Pros – Great opportunity for advancement, Especially for a entry level positions. If a particular branch or department isn't good for you, then there are plenty others to transfer to. Benefits are equivalent to other financial instituions.

Cons – The new CEO assumed the helm in March of 2007. The bank itself was in a delicate-situation and the new CEO needed to take drastic measures to try and turn things around quickly. While I personally benefited from some of the changes, I think that communication between between senior management and the working masses should and could have been much more timely. There was a culture of policy changes put into effect immediately upon notification without any "Big Picture" vision given. This lead to A LOT of speculation and FEAR amongst lower level staff.

Advice to Senior Management – Treat all staff with respect. You take pride in hiring intelligent people, please treat them as such. Understandably, there are some things that people can't be privy to, but, giving simplified explanations keeps people on your side, and much less inclined to wasting time and energy on paranoia and gossip.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at Pacific Capital Bancorp

Pros – Stable Job, If you get in, you'll stay. Its got a cozy atomosphere, with decent componsation for hard work. If you're good at multitasking and initiative, this is your dream job.

Cons – Its a small bank in a tough market, Consolidation is a big element of problems. Be prepared to volunteer some Overtime or saturdays during hard times. Though its not negative to not do Overtime, its likely you wont move ahead.

Advice to Senior Management – Focus on supporting your hard workers

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend