Getting into the corporate world

It’s more a story of ‘ending up’ in the corporate world

Like a lot of people, I simply ended up in the corporate world working as a banker. It wasn’t that I’d dreamed of working there my whole life, it was that I studied Commerce because it was broad and had minimal hours at university. A bank seemed to be a pretty logical place to work after getting through uni.

Regardless, as I trudged to my first job interview in my oversized suit (not cool Michael Jordan oversized suit), I was actually sort of excited at the prospect of being 1 of 39,000 employees representing one of the ‘fine’ corporate institutions of Australia. I quickly learned though…

Things don’t move quickly in the corporate world

After being told they’ll be in touch in the next couple of days, I received a call three weeks later. “Congrats, you got the job. Sorry about the delay, I’ve just been a bit busy.” I was quite chuffed – chuffed to have a pay cheque mainly. Time to get back in the baggy suit, and also make sure I buy a striped baggy suit with my first pay.

Looking back on this, the 3-week wait really foretold how my next 5 years would play out. Slow, uneventful and as motivating as my U/19 football coach (his motivational talk before our grand final was “I’ve got 3 words for you: Don’t…Fuck…Up.” We lost.).

While I did enjoy learning about adult topics like stocks, loans and interest rates and it allowed me to contribute maturely at all the dinner parties I was attending, it didn’t take long for me to become frustrated by the lack of impact I was having in the bank, let alone outside the bank. Given it is a minimum of 40 years that you’ll be required to work, it seemed like a long time to mindlessly rock up to a place to grab a pay cheque.

The corporate world is like a vacuum

It sucks you in with its good pay, (relatively) low stress and extremely infrequent weekend work. These factors don’t make the thought of leaving disappear, but they do push it to the back of the mind.

I spent 3 years racking my brain on what to do next, and having many discussions with colleagues and mentors. Essentially the only advice I could get was “perhaps look at Institutional Banking, or Corporate Banking…or Personal Banking.” It’s true that a majority of people within a bank are oblivious to the fact that jobs exist outside the bank.

I was certain that there were things you could do that would be personally rewarding, have a direct impact on a businesses progress, and help people and/or the world – so I quit without knowing what I’d do.

(The call to quit was ironically the only thing that happened quickly in my time. The exact response I received from my grateful boss was “ahhhh fuck, now I have to hire someone else.” 40 seconds later and I didn’t speak to him again. Emotional times.)

Finding the right help can be hard

Since I left, I’ve had a heap of people talk to me about having all these same feelings, but not having a clue of how to get out of the cushy job they’re in. I am absolutely no expert in psychology, nor am I planning on becoming a career counsellor next, but I can tell you about everything I’ve done – what I’d repeat, and what I’d do differently.

Having been in the corporate world, and then worked at a number of much smaller businesses including starting one myself, you may find it helpful.

I would’ve liked to speak to me now about 6 years ago anyway. Say g’day if you want.