I just stumbled into the business 20 years ago when i moved to Reading. They needed someone with good phone manner to collate orders from braches in the provinces & then route to the London market floor (before your time Porkie eh )

Liked the industry & I passed the exams required to trade

Worked myself up to Director of trading in Retail biz (pioneered the online trading model for the UK) processd £20bn through my desk yearly with 6 traders.

Now working as a sales trader finding & placing big lines of stock (mainly UK but some European) with institutions.
As example had a £20m order yesterday

Remember that in this business we work long hours though I do about 14 hours a day Ok travel 4 of them but still 10 hours at the desk

If you get it wrong IT COSTS !!