Fifth Third Bancorp, one of the region’s largest employers, is adding almost 40 new jobs in the Cincinnati-Dayton-Springfield region for personal bankers, an effort to beef up its staff that interacts directly with customers to drive more business, the company said.

Personal bankers work at local bank branches, sit down with customers and talk about how to match the customers’ needs with Fifth Third’s financial products. The new jobs are in addition to hiring for any normal attrition in the position, Fifth Third said.

The bank hopes to have all 38 jobs filled by the end of October, said Mike Butera, senior vice president and head of retail banking for Fifth Third in the local area.

“One of the things we’re trying to do is continue to look for ways for us to be more convenient to our customer base,” Butera said. “As a result of that, we were able to add personal bankers that could ultimately help our customers more.”

Under a new slogan this year of “The Curious Bank,” a key attribute of potential applicants needs to be curiosity, he said. Applicants need to be good with people, good listeners, self-motivated and customer-focused.

It’s not considered an entry-level job. Fifth Third is looking for people with experience in banking or dealing with customers, or college graduates with aptitude to work with customers, he said.

The jobs have paid training, typically eight weeks. To apply, go online to www.fifththirdbank.com/careers.

“From the customer standpoint, if we do our job well, they feel more financially sound and in a better position and they feel better about where they’re going. From our side, the deeper the relationship with our customers; one, we have a more loyal customer base; two, we build a better relationship,” Butera said.

The Dayton Daily News recently reported that the region’s biggest banks have more than 600 open jobs, half of which are at Fifth Third. Fifth Third is one of the region’s largest banks by deposits and employs approximately 7,000 in the area from northern Kentucky north to Lima, including its Cincinnati headquarters operations.