How did you all learn to model while on the job?

How did you all learn to model?

I can handle basic three-statement, DCF, and LBO modeling, the kind you often see on YouTube or in various courses with simplified, dummy numbers. But when it comes to working with my bank’s actual templates and real operating models, I find it much more challenging. The structure and approach seem different, and adapting to my bank’s specific templates has been difficult.

How did you get comfortable with your bank’s modeling templates? Did any of your coworkers take the time to help you?

I’ve noticed that only a handful of juniors seem to know how to model, while the rest either never learned or weren’t given the opportunity. I’m trying to improve, but it seems like the people who do know how to model aren’t particularly interested in teaching others. I get why, but it’s still frustrating.

3 Comments
 

Best thing is to take a finished one and build it from scratch, cell by cell.

It’s tedious but it will show you how everything truly flows, and also shows some beauty to the madness if that makes sense

 

Have you explicitly asked some of the juniors to teach you? They probably won't take the initiative themselves ,or want to hand hold you through the entire hours long building of a model, but I would hope some are receptive if you go "Hey, I'm trying to learn more about these models to prepare myself for the future. Could you briefly walk me through how you went about building this?" and then they'll give you a verbal / quick explanation. Jot down as notes everything they tell you. Then try to follow their instructions, and make assumptions/guesses when there's a hole. Then, call them over again and again ask for 15 mins of their time. say "Hey, I tried to rebuild this model based on our conversation earlier. I made abc assumptions (click them through the model). I'm still confused on xyz - how did you approach that? etc"

 

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