Greetings from down under

Hi Everyone,

I've been lurking on this site for quite a few months now, and decided it's time to finally get involved. My interest in banking goes back to when my father (a truck driver) read me the richest man in Babylon as a child. As I have grown up, I have always been interested in businesses, empires, great leaders and the stories that follows them all. I did not excel at school, despite being a relatively capable learner, I was a terrible student. I'm now in my early 20s, without a degree, working full time in a junior analyst role for an insurance company's call centre.

I have chosen banking as a goal because I have seen and got very frustrated working alongside lazy, generally stupid people. I think PE sounds like the place I'd like to end up forging legacy as best I can, but until I have more time around people involved in the industry, this is a very poorly educated guess. Buy side, or sell side, the entire nature of economics interests me, the concept of the trade and the deal excites me and the long hours give me something to really test my mettle against.

I am studying full time via distance learning, but given the competitive nature of banking, I am looking to transfer to a more reputable campus in Melbourne, whilst continuing to work. Learning to study and apply myself has been the biggest challenge of my very effortless life. I have somehow found my comfort zone to be, by most definitions, a very good place to be. This has meant, several years too late, I am trying to reinvent myself.

My job allows me to rent and live comfortably in the city by myself, and if I continue working here I will have a comfortable life, working 9-5; however, this does not seem to be where I would like to be in 10-15 years time. Earning a reasonable salary, with lots of recreation time to continue wasting every passing hour.

My current goal is to get a full time job at a universal bank in their commercial arm; however, until several other steps are completed, this is going to be difficult. The goal is to get the maximum amount of work experience and exposure relevant to the industry before graduating to give me a professional edge against greener, younger graduates. The obvious risk here would be that I wouldn't be as easily "moulded" to the bank's preference, in my experience, I have been able to close a deal if I am dealing with an even slightly open mind, but I have not been competing against people of the calibre banking attracts. Once again bringing me, nearly full circle to the simple point of: becoming a better student.

That's my story, and hopefully I'll be able to assist you in some small way with yours. I have some experience with excel, though I expect it pales in comparison to many of the people here, I will still try to help wherever possible.