I had just the best skills, great mindset and even better personality now that I have completed almost all the Banking and Finance Professional Program. Gradually, I am applying the psychological mindset, open-mindedness and make use of my RAM more often to my current job that is an independent private banking. And it is showing me better results on how I see opportunities in my current job and seeking more opportunities outside as well.

Before I came across benedix, I was searching for an online CFA course which I could do everyday (300 hours) and take the test. But sad to say since I graduated my university 4 years ago and have not attained 2 years of work experience, I was not qualified to take the course. On the other hand, I am even glad to come across with benedix during my further research on CFA. And I am even happy that I took this opportunity which even changed my personality and how to deal with opportunities right in front of me and make use of my RAM as often as I can.

After taking my psychometric test, my result is Sales and Trading. I am quite happy with it because I know that since I was in my university days, I have been actively involved in campus activities, did almost all the sponsorship deals for event funding, marketing paraphernalia, advertisements and campaigns for the 2 years in service of our student council. I know I have the pushy, wanting more and fire personality when I am into the game and I was just confused at one point because I thought my skills best fit M & A since they do more on deals and presentation. But I feel trading works best for me.

There is nothing to lose, we just need to work with our minds open and seek more. Thank you for your time and efforts on this magnificent training.

I recently had a telephone consultation with Jal Islam, one of the key players at Benedix; to establish whether I was a suitable candidate to take part in the Banking & Finance Mastery Programme. Like a large percentage of graduates I have found it difficult to break into the industry, apply to any job that I saw advertised.

Then I had a realisation, there was no point in aimlessly applying for roles that would not add any value to my CV; or studying towards a Masters with no guarantee of getting a job at the end of it. It was time to take the relevant steps to get the career I wanted.

The prospect of competing in a male dominated industry would perhaps put some women off. I believe a lot of people in general settle for second best. But I have never been one to let anything stand in the way of getting my dream career. It will be a challenge, but I know that once I have the skills and knowledge to succeed, I will have the potential to become an ambassador for women in banking.

I would definitely advise people to connect Jal Islam, or any other consultant at Benedix, to see whether a career in banking is right for you. The support that you will receive throughout the course is invaluable. What do you have to lose?

When I first came across this program, I was intrigued, but I had a list of questions of what it was about. (It wasn’t skepticism of the legitimacy as much as the quality of advice it gives.)

In any instant, we come across wave after wave of generic career advice of getting a grad job, but doesn’t quite work as well as we hope. The last thing I wanted, after just coming out of university with a pricey MSc, was to pay for something at inflated City prices and let it end up being an ineffective use of money. It had to deliver.

As I scanned every ‘crook and cranny’ of the website for answer my questions, particular things from speakers, that I came across during my time at university, popped up at the back of my mind (loosely quoted):
“We don’t normally look into graduates with 2.2s unless they are truly exceptional.”
“The grades we want only amount to a tick in a box…”
“We only look into your first degree.”
“The average life of a career in the City don’t normally last more than 5 years.”
“You will need to apply to over 100 institutions in order to get 1 interview.”
“There are 20000 applicants for every job we have” (to a reputable accounting firm before the Credit Crunch)
“You are competing with people who have been made redundant as well as other new graduates”
“We do reject applications from those who did attend top tier universities; it’s more about your fit to the job than your background”
“Employers want applications written especially for them and for the role they are applying for.”

At the time, I had a CV showing people that I had done a variety of things: joined societies to show team work; done volunteering to indirectly show my ability to do the job; a variety of temp jobs in offices to develop my reference. It wasn’t enough to secure a summer internship.

I later met a speaker who told me applying just for any job in hopes of getting into the company and then switching roles to something completely different is really difficult to do and not many make it through. The conventional advice wasn’t working.

The facts that program mentions must agree with some of these opinions and it must mention ways of getting around some of these odds and issues. It didn’t disappoint and the reviews checked out.

Taking on the course required a leap of faith (no matter how small), but the remorse dissipates quickly after the first session.

The program will cover basic career advice, but it goes into detail and it guides you through the similar tools Simon used to get to the top of his career before he became 29. The program will also go through additional material that will be useful.

A lot of the material covers self development of how to look at opportunities and how to influence. It is important because of the nature of business in the banking and finance industry as well as how you should use act during interviews. As I have done some of the work on influence a self development program already, the material didn’t quite seem all that new to me. On the other hand, if you never came across self development before and you implement what you are taught, it can completely change the way you see the world works. It is empowering and can change much of the results you are getting. (I can also vouch that the value you are getting, for the self development alone, is worth at least twice of that of what you are paying for.)

The course for the qualification was short, but intensive. It is like having a book from the FT crammed into a few hours, whilst being endorsed from a professional body. This qualification’s course serves as a great introduction into the functioning of the financial market and it signals your intent of working in the banking industry.

There will be opportunity for people to network with those who are also looking to get into the industry and with those who are leaders in aspects of banking and finance. I consider this to be the most important aspect of the program; the opportunity to network here allows you to meet influential people, who may be doing business with one day, and meeting like minded people, helps you get motivated to get things done.

Was it worth the £230 to get a point in the right direction and a step by step plan of what to do to get a job in the City? Yes. For me, to get a plan of what it actually takes to get to the top of my career whilst building on skills and knowledge I would expect to need in the future is invaluable. It’s especially important when you are applying for a career that requires you to be outstanding (‘excellent’ is now considered the new ‘mediocre’) and when you need to do to have a CV that does stand out in the right ways.

That’s not to say completion of this course will instantly make you God’s gift to banking and finance and automatically gets you a job. What this course does guarantee you is it gives you the framework that would make your efforts effective in securing that first job you need for the career you want and points you in the right direction to building a future that you want in the City. It is rare to see career advice this comprehensive and tailored to individual needs.

Although this is a course that will suit anyone looking for careers in the City, I think it would benefit most those in their first year at university, or who are yet to be enrolled on their first bachelor’s degree, and are considering a career in banking and finance, because of the time they can save. To me, anyone who is willing to invest £6000 per year on a degree that may have uncertain benefits and may not equip graduates with skills for the workplace, would likely want to invest in a £230 course that shows how they can get the commercial skills they need, how to use their time effectively whilst at university and be able to stand out from some graduates from even top tier universities.

If you are determined and dedicated to getting the job you want, dedicated to fulfilling your life’s goal through your career in the City, and rise up to challenges, this is a program for you and I hope that I too would meet you to secure business deals together in the future.

We learnt all the about proper way to secure a career in banking and finance by getting the right qualifications and having the right attitude. We also did warm-up exercises which was really unexpected . Now I have to put my plan into action…..

* A one day degree in Banking & Finance for anyone.
* What Simon teaches is rarely if at all taught on an MBA!
* Learn about the practical applications of “soft skills” that make all the difference, emotional intelligence and neuro-linguistic programming.
* Understand how money is created through debt, its connection to the cyclical debt of developing countries and the need for a paradigm shift amongst developed nations.

As for me, these were my key takeaways. In these times of global economic turmoil and future financial uncertainty, anybody who makes a financial decision of any kind, decisions related to personal finance, business finance, a charity, NGO or 501(c), quasi-autonomous NGO (quango) and definitely anyone even remotely interested in a career connected to the “money industry” needs to learn from this workshop that is presented in a simplified “finance for dummies” style.

Can all these comments be true? Go and find out for yourself! If you don’t you simply do NOT know what you do not know.