Success in business is not only about having the best product, but also about having the best resource management. As a result, businesses operating as meritocracies have triumphied through their ability to recruit and retain top talent. When reading "Winning" by Jack Welch, he discusses new approaches to business for managers, such as pushing aside egalitarianism in the workplace and the importance of candor amongst staff. By studying a Business degree, I will gain the skills to achieve success by understanding the application of these approaches and also be able to handle the pressures of the workplace in the most effective way possible.   

My work experience at Invesco Perpetual gave me a huge insight into how an efficient business can be managed, using an investment method of "no short cuts to success". At this modern investment company, I was part of the emerging markets sector, and was given the task of producing research into Baidu and Piaggio Vespa's comeback within the Asian market. It was important to not only examine the financial figures, but to also focus on the social factors around the companies, for example will the local economic climate help the business' growth? Once the various forms of data had been examined, the firm was in a position to decide which investments should be made. I aspire to have a career in Investment Banking. Therefore the Finance and Economics Units of the degree will be especially helpful. Over the last few months I've been gaining experience in a completely different field. At SureCloud, a compliance management company, my role has been to both analyse and develop software for standards like ISO 27001 and PCI DSS. Besides this practical knowledge, I've gained an appreciation for what it takes to run a small company. Employees need to be flexible in both their skills and working hours in order for business to grow and continue to strive for success.  

When attending the High Wycombe Management Conference, teams of students were given the chance to run a virtual pizza company. We were required to take into account important business concepts like location, pricing and methods of service, which led to our performance being calculated against competitor teams. The teamwork aspect enabled me to grow my creative and lateral thinking skills, and gave me a chance to use some of the leadership methods learnt during my Business A-level. Another time my team communication skills were important was during an expedition around the Norwegian mountains. By being the group's fund manager, I was tasked with the responsibility of coordinating the group's currency exchanges and daily finances. This required me to forecast and organise the team's spending, so that we remained in budget.   

Aside from teamwork, I have developed independently through representing my school at cross-country. It has taught me how important self-motivation and perseverance is for reaching goals. I plan on expanding on this by taking part in Blenheim Palace triathlon, which will require me to become focused and disciplined in my training. In terms of hobbies, I enjoy photography and learnt a lot about this art form when taking a GCSE in the subject in combination with my AS levels. Such topics like focal points and framing stress the importance of leading the viewer within a photo. I feel that this draws parallels to business; the way ideas need to be presented with emphasis and clear structure.  

I regard my A-level choices of Maths, Chemistry, Computing and Business Studies, and the addition of AS-Level Further Maths, as a good demonstration of my time management skill, as I have successfully divided my workload between them all. Finally, I look forward to developing myself on a personal level with the experiences offered at University.