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Breaking into investment banking is a highly competitive process, and having a standout resume is crucial to getting your foot in the door. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into the key elements that helped me secure an internship at Goldman Sachs’ investment banking division in New York City.

As a former Goldman Sachs intern, I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to create a resume that catches the eye of top investment banks. In this post, I’ll share the strategies and insights I used to craft a resume that led to interviews with prestigious firms like JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America.

Whether you’re a current student or a young professional looking to transition into investment banking, this guide will provide you with a roadmap to crafting an effective, SEO-optimized resume that showcases your skills, experience, and passion for the industry.

The Anatomy of a Winning Investment Banking Resume

An investment banking resume should be concise, impactful, and tailored to the specific role you’re applying for. Typically, these resumes are limited to a single page, as investment banks value brevity and the ability to quickly assess a candidate’s qualifications.

Contact Details

The contact details section is straightforward, but there are a few strategic considerations to keep in mind. In addition to your name, phone number, and email address, you may want to include your nationality or native language proficiency if it’s relevant to the role. This can help demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with international clients or colleagues.

Education

For most investment banking applicants, the education section will be the most prominent part of their resume. This is where you’ll showcase your academic achievements, relevant coursework, and any extracurricular activities or leadership roles that demonstrate your fit for the industry.

If you’re a current student, list your university first, followed by your high school. However, if you’ve transferred universities or don’t have strong high school credentials, you may want to omit the high school information and focus solely on your college experience.

When describing your university education, be sure to highlight your GPA, any relevant concentrations or majors, and any notable academic achievements or honors. You should also include a section for “Relevant Coursework,” where you can list finance-related classes that demonstrate your knowledge and passion for the field.

Professional Experience

The professional experience section is where you’ll showcase your relevant work history, internships, and any other experiences that showcase your skills and qualifications for an investment banking role.

Even if you don’t have direct finance experience, you can still highlight transferable skills from other jobs or internships, such as:

• Quantitative analysis and financial modeling
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work effectively in a team
• Problem-solving and critical thinking abilities

When describing your professional experiences, use concise, action-oriented bullet points that quantify your achievements whenever possible. This will help the reader quickly understand the scope and impact of your work.

Additionally, try to include experiences with well-known brands or companies, as this can lend additional credibility to your resume.

Skills

The skills section of your resume is an opportunity to highlight your technical proficiencies, language abilities, and any other specialized skills that set you apart from other candidates.

For investment banking, be sure to emphasize your proficiency with financial modeling, data analysis, and Excel. You can also list any programming languages or other technical skills that may be relevant to the role.

Language skills are also highly valued in investment banking, as many firms work with international clients and colleagues. If you’re fluent in multiple languages, be sure to list them prominently in this section.

Additional Information

The final section of your resume, often titled “Additional Information” or “Interests and Achievements,” is where you can showcase your well-rounded personality and interests outside of your academic and professional experiences.

This is an opportunity to connect with the reader on a more personal level and highlight any unique hobbies, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities that demonstrate your passion, leadership, or teamwork skills.

Some examples of relevant additional information for an investment banking resume include:

• Participation in competitive sports or athletic activities
• Involvement in student organizations or clubs
• Volunteer work or community service
• Certifications or specialized training
• Interests in finance-related hobbies, such as investing or personal finance

By including this section, you can help differentiate yourself from other candidates and provide the reader with a more well-rounded understanding of your background and interests.

Optimizing Your Resume for Investment Banking

In addition to the structural elements of your resume, there are several strategies you can employ to ensure your resume is optimized for the investment banking industry:

Emphasize Quantifiable Achievements

Investment banks value candidates who can demonstrate tangible, measurable achievements. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments in your resume, such as:

• Managed a budget of $X million
• Analyzed financial data for X clients
• Achieved X% year-over-year growth in a key metric

This helps the reader quickly understand the scale and impact of your work, making your resume more compelling and memorable.

Tailor Your Resume to the Role

While a one-size-fits-all resume may be tempting, it’s essential to tailor your resume to the specific investment banking role you’re applying for. This may involve emphasizing different skills, experiences, or coursework depending on the job requirements.

For example, if you’re applying for a role in mergers and acquisitions, you may want to highlight your experience with financial modeling and due diligence. Conversely, if you’re applying for a role in equity research, you may want to emphasize your analytical and report-writing skills.

Optimize for Keyword Search

Many investment banks use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes, so it’s important to optimize your resume for keyword search. This means incorporating relevant industry-specific keywords and phrases throughout your resume, such as:

• Financial modeling
• Valuation analysis
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Equity research
• Investment banking internship

By including these keywords, you’ll increase the chances of your resume being selected for further review by the hiring team.

Maintain a Clean, Professional Appearance

While the content of your resume is the most important factor, the overall appearance and formatting also play a role in how it’s perceived by the reader. Ensure your resume is clean, well-organized, and easy to scan, with consistent formatting and appropriate use of white space.

Additionally, be mindful of the font, size, and style you use, as these elements can also impact the professionalism and readability of your resume.

Putting It All Together: A Sample Investment Banking Resume

To illustrate the principles we’ve discussed, here’s an example of an investment banking resume that incorporates the key elements and strategies:

NAME

123 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005 | (555) 555-5555 | name@email.com

Education

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Concentration in Finance

• GPA: 3.8/4.0
• Relevant Coursework: Corporate Finance, Financial Modeling, Investments, Mergers and Acquisitions
• Teaching Assistant, Statistics Department

Professional Experience

Bellman, The Ritz-Carlton, New York, NY

June 2019 – August 2019

• Provided exceptional customer service to high-profile guests, ensuring a seamless and personalized experience
• Collaborated effectively with a team of 20+ bellmen to coordinate luggage handling and transportation logistics
• Demonstrated strong communication and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment
• Gained valuable experience in client relations and teamwork, which are essential skills for investment banking

Summer Analyst, Bloomberg L.P., New York, NY

June 2020 – July 2020

• Conducted in-depth market research and analysis using the Bloomberg Terminal, gaining hands-on experience with financial data and analytics
• Collaborated with a team of analysts to produce a comprehensive report on industry trends and investment opportunities
• Demonstrated a strong understanding of financial markets and the investment banking industry

Financial Auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), New York, NY

September 2020 – June 2021

• Performed financial audits for a diverse portfolio of clients, including the Volkswagen Group, gaining valuable experience in accounting and financial reporting
• Developed proficiency in financial modeling and data analysis using Excel, preparing detailed reports and presentations for client stakeholders
• Collaborated effectively with cross-functional teams to ensure the timely and accurate completion of audit engagements

Skills

Languages

• Fluent in English, Japanese, Mandarin, French, and Spanish

Computer Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
• Experienced in financial modeling, including the use of advanced Excel functions such as VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and macros

Additional Information

Competitive Sports

• Played competitive tennis and soccer throughout high school, earning several regional and national awards
• Participated in the IMG Academy youth soccer program and trained with a professional team’s youth academy

Interests

• Avid reader of finance and investment-related books, including “The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham and “Liar’s Poker” by Michael Lewis
• Enjoy running, hiking, and exploring new restaurants in New York City

Achievements and Certifications

• Recipient of the Cornell University Presidential Scholarship
• Certified in French and English language proficiency by the Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française (DELF) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)