Investment Banker Resume Example, Template, and Guide

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What Should I Highlight in my Investment Banker Resume?

Investment banking is one of the most competitive fields in the world; according to CNBC, Goldman Sachs received more than 250,000 student job applications in 2016 alone. If you want to impress a recruiter and land a job in investment banking, then you will need a strong resume and cover letter to make your case. These tips will help improve your own resume.

It’s important that you think about resume format before you even consider your content. For example, while a functional resume format is a good choice for job seekers with necessary skills but patchy or short work history, a chronological resume places more focus on work history, which is a better fit for most investment banking jobs, which usually require more experience. You should also give some consideration to your resume design. Make use of a professional, easy-to-scan resume template from ResumeHelp to ensure that you get the right margin sizes, font type, font size, and the right balance of text areas and white space in your resume. This will give you the best chance of passing through applicant tracking systems that employers use to scan your resume, and depend on being able to parse a readable layout.

When it comes to actually writing your investment banking resume, you should focus on your technical skills, qualifications, and achievements. However, hiring managers in this sector also favor highly motivated and goal-driven individuals, so any relevant personal projects, unpaid work, or voluntary positions that led to success will look very good on your resume.

The Structure of an Investment Banker Resume

The resume format provided below adheres to a  standard reverse chronological structure as this is the most likely to provide good results for an investment banking resume. You can add extra sections for internships, professional certifications, volunteer work, and awards that you have won, but your work history should remain at the top of the resume.

Header

Your resume head is very simple; just include your full name, phone number, professional email address, and LinkedIn profile link. This necessary information makes it easy for recruiters to contact you if they want to invite you in for a job interview.

Resume summary or objective

A resume summary is a sum-up of the skills and qualifications that make you best suited for the role. A resume objective statement includes similar information, as well as a statement of your career goals. Either is fine for investment banking, but if you have a lot of experience and skills, a resume summary will be best for you. This section always sits directly below your header.

Work history

Your work history section should be listed in reverse chronological order, including up to the last 10 years of experience. List all previous job titles, even if they don’t offer banking experience. All you need to do is focus on what you learned and achieved. Present this information in light of the needs of the job posting you are applying for.

Skills

If you have relevant experience or qualifications, then writing a robust skills section should be straightforward. Review the job advert for the position in question to see which skills are most sought after for the role, and feature skills that you have that meet those requirements here. These are some of the most common skills on financial analyst and investment banking associate resumes:

Remember to only list the most relevant skills in your skill set – shoot for between six to eight.

Education

Your resume education section will be important if you are a recent graduate seeking an internship or entry-level role. As you gain professional experience, this importance will lessen. However, if you have a bachelor’s degree in banking or finance, you should list it.

Eight Important Do’s and Don’ts for Your Investment Banker Resume

Whether you are starting small or you want to work for a bulge bracket bank like J.P. Morgan, these resume writing tips will help you stand out from the crowd:

DO

• Use resume samples as a guide.

There are hundreds of resume samples and examples available online. Consider resume samples that match the job title you are applying for to get inspiration.

• Use a resume builder.

A resume builder offers a quick and reliable way to create an effective base resume using a resume template. Once you’ve created a resume with the builder, it becomes much easier to create a unique version for each job application.

• Consider the job description.

Potential employers tell you what they want in the job ads they post. Read the job description thoroughly to identify keywords that spell our crucial skills and requirements. Mirror these keywords in your resume where appropriate.

• Proofread well.

Typos are the easiest issue to fix and the quickest way to lose a recruiter’s interest. Proofread your resume at least twice before sending it out.

DON’T

• Use passive language.

Hiring managers in investment banking are looking for goal-oriented go-getters; passive language will make them drop your resume. Use active phrases like “created”, “achieved”, and “implemented” to grab their attention.

• Forget non-professional experience.

Investment banking is so competitive that even the smallest thing can give you an edge. Research the bank you apply to and showcase any non-professional experiences that emphasize important skills or values. For example, if the bank you want to work for regularly supports charities that care for disabled veterans and you arranged a fundraiser for a similar cause, speak about that.

• Mention your GPA.

Unless your GPA is exceptionally high, it probably won’t give you an edge in this field. In fact, it could hurt your chances if it falls below the average GPA listed by other candidates.

• Be humble.

Humility won’t get you a job in a field this fierce. Speak about all of your achievements with confidence, but be honest, as exaggeration can get you in trouble.

These simple tips will give your resume the best chance to pass through ATS and impress a recruiter. Remember, however, that this is a competitive field; you have to be prepared to make many applications.