A monkey's questions answered by a banker
I recently got a PM asking me these questions after my last thread (found here). Here was my response to the message, thought other monkeys might like to hear it too.
MONKEY: What I want to ask you is: why banking (besides the typical exit opps, learning about companies and helping them grow, etc.)?What about your work do you find interesting? What are your short or long-term career goals? What music are you currently listening to? What films do you enjoy watching in your spare time? And most of all, are you happy?
To answer these I am going to break them out.
MONKEY: What I want to ask you is: why banking (besides the typical exit opps, learning about companies and helping them grow, etc.)?
I am a social person and I really like talking to people about business. On the other hand I am analytical and kind extraverted. Investment banking is a nice blend of analytical and social. On the social side you have to talk to clients and be able to get along with them. On the analytical side you have to be able to build models and be able to understand them in and out. This often leads to long hours of no contact with others. It is a nice blend for me personally.
MONKEY: What about your work do you find interesting?
I really like meeting with CEOs and CFOs of companies. If you just let them talk and listen you can learn so much. They have 50+ years of knowledge from living and they have so much insight that can help you for your future.
It is also awesome when you correctly value a company on the first try or build a report that makes your boss and client extremely happy. I have also received emails from CEOs and CFOs thanking me for my great work and quick turnarounds, those always make you feel great.
MONKEY: What are your short or long-term career goals?
I would love to be an executive of a company someday, but that is a long time from now. It would be interesting if I stayed in banking, which I could see happening. Right now I am focusing on working hard as an analyst. I have a lot of growing to do and things to learn. When I was hired I was told that I might be able to help start another banking office in a couple years if I proved myself, which could be interesting. The office that we just started in a new geographical area for the company is doing great; so far I have been proving myself. I am just going to keep working hard and figure out what to do next when that comes.
Don’t forget to enjoy the present. I spent a lot of my last couple years looking forward to being a banker and killing myself studying technical questions in my free time. If I could go back I would have enjoyed college a little more. Don’t become a drone that says ibanking or death, that was me, never again!
MONKEY: What music are you currently listening to?
I listen to a lot of trance music. I like this music because it doesn’t have very many vocals and the beat keeps me energized. Most of the cds or podcast I listen to are two hours, so I don’t have to keep changing the song, which is nice when I am busy. Every week I listen to A State of Trance with Armin Van Buuren, and Group Therapy Radio with Above and Beyond. Those radio shows always give me something to look forward to during the week. Great uplifting music!
If you are interested in the music, check it out here.
MONKEY: What films do you enjoy watching in your spare time?
I don’t have time to watch movies anymore. My favorites are Wall Street, Dumb and Dumber, and American Psycho. As far as TV shows, I always really liked Wall Street Warriors and Teen Mom 2. I loved Teen Mom 2 so much because I couldn’t believe how these girls acted, so needy, entitled, and lazy. Janelle was by far my favorite; I don’t even know how a person acts like that to their parents. Sloots gonna sloot. Good show to make you value your life and learn what not to do. I also grew up in an area where everyone had kids by age 19 and that show was like being in my hometown again. Almost no one from my high school went to college, I can count the people that did on two hands.
MONKEY: And most of all, are you happy?
Yeah, I am. Every day I am still shocked that I finally got into banking. It has been a while now, but I am still extremely grateful. I also know that there are tons of other people out there that would kill to be in my position, so I work as hard as I can every day. I love my job, the company is growing, and the future for me looks good. I am very happy man!
A lot of people in banking rely on things to make them happy, cars, clothing, or fancy food. I sold my car, I can’t remember the last time I bought clothing, and the nicest meal I have bought myself since getting into banking is a deep dish pizza. The company has bought me nicer meals than pizza, but personally I don’t spoil myself. I have learned to be happy with myself and not things. This makes me sound like a hippie, but I am a pure capitalist. I would rather keep my money than spend it all on things I don’t need.