I loved working at the RBA.
But I left because of this reason.
My time at the RBA was awesome!
It’s a place that attracts some of the smartest and kindest professionals you’ll ever meet.
I was surrounded by people who deeply cared about what they did and how they did it.
After joining the RBA, I aspired to work on the Trading Desk and ultimately advance to London or New York.
And two years in, I’d set myself up well.
I was performing strongly and getting the right feedback from the right people.
Then one day, the Head of the Aussie trading floor pulled me aside and told me something I’d been hoping to hear:
“Ben, we’ve got a seat on the floor lined up for you.”
I was stoked!
But then he added, “You just need to complete an 18-month rotation in another department first”.
When I heard this, something shifted.
Not because I was disappointed
But because I was clear.
In that moment, I realised that my real dream wasn’t to get a seat on the Trading Floor.
The dream I’d had since High School was to be a Fund Manager.
And I knew that 18 months in a different part of the Bank wasn’t going to serve that goal.
So there and then, I made the call to go after what I actually wanted.
And one month later, I was working as an analyst at a Fund Manager.
It was incredible how quickly my career pivoted with that one insight.
I have nothing but gratitude for the RBA.
It helped shape my thinking, gave me incredible experiences and it genuinely set me up for future success.
But sometimes the greatest clarity comes from getting what you thought you wanted.