Investment Banking Resume Examples

Writing a stellar investment banking resume can be as complex as navigating a high-stakes merger. The competition is fierce, and missing out on critical details can mean the difference between landing your dream job or getting lost in the shuffle. Whether you're transitioning from another role or seeking a promotion, crafting a resume that truly stands out is essential. You'll need to highlight your analytical skills, attention to detail, and financial expertise while avoiding common pitfalls that could hurt your application.

Let's dive into what makes a great investment banking resume. The right resume template can frame your experience and skills in the best possible light. Templates tailored for investment banking are designed to showcase your high-value qualifications prominently, ensuring you catch the recruiter’s eye immediately.

Don't settle for generic templates. Check out our collection of over 700 resume examples to help you create an impressive resume that will make you a top contender.

What to focus on when writing your investment banking resume

An investment banking resume should clearly demonstrate your analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to perform under pressure. You need to showcase your financial expertise, experience with transactions, and knowledge of market trends. Highlighting your education and certifications can also boost your credibility.

Here are a few things you can include:

• Specific deals you worked on and your role in them
• Relevant courses or certifications you've completed
• Internships or previous roles in finance
• Key software skills, such as proficiency in Excel or Bloomberg

Must have information on your investment banking resume

Crafting a compelling investment banking resume requires including core sections that highlight your qualifications and experience. Key sections you should include are:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary
• Work Experience
• Education
• Technical Skills
• Certifications

Consider adding additional sections like Professional Affiliations and Languages to showcase your well-rounded expertise. These sections can make you stand out in a competitive job market.

Which resume format to choose

For an investment banking resume, a reverse-chronological format is best as it highlights your most relevant experiences first. Choose modern fonts like Rubik and Montserrat instead of Arial or Times New Roman for a contemporary look. Always save your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting integrity. Keep margins at 1 inch to ensure readability and make sure your section headings are clear and ATS-friendly. Using headings like "Experience" and "Education" ensures that applicant tracking systems can easily parse your resume.

An investment banking resume should have the following sections:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary
• Work Experience
• Education
• Skills
• Certifications and Licenses
• Awards and Honors
• Professional Affiliations

Resume Mentor's free resume builder handles all of this, making the process easy and efficient.

How to write a quantifiable resume experience section

When you're writing your investment banking resume, the experience section is crucial. It should be easy to read and highlight your accomplishments. Start with your most recent job first. This is called reverse-chronological order and is what hiring managers expect. Focus on the past 10-15 years of your experience. If you've held several similar roles, choose the most impressive titles to include.

Resume tailoring means adjusting your resume for each job application. Highlight experiences and skills that match the job posting. Use strong action words to describe your accomplishments. Words like "led," "developed," and "increased" are powerful and clear.

The first example is poorly written because it is too vague and focuses only on tasks, not results. It does not provide any specific achievements or measurable outcomes. The language used is generic and does not convey the candidate's real impact.

The second example is excellent because it showcases specific, quantifiable achievements. Each bullet point uses action words and includes metrics, making the candidate's impact clear. The language is straightforward yet powerful, which makes the accomplishments stand out to potential employers. The roles listed are relevant and tailored to the investment banking field.

Investment banking resume experience examples

Welcome to the section of the resume experience where we’ll ensure your past is as bright as your future! Whether you’re an overachiever or a problem solver, these examples are here to help you put your best foot forward. Let’s dive in and make a “bankable” impression!

Achievement-focused

Highlighting your achievements showcases your capability to excel and meet goals in investment banking. List specific accomplishments that set you apart.

Skills-focused

Emphasizing your skills helps employers understand what you bring to the table. Focus on the abilities most relevant to investment banking.

Responsibility-focused

This approach sheds light on the duties you’ve been trusted with, showcasing your reliability and capability within investment banking roles.

Project-focused

Discussing specific projects allows you to demonstrate your hands-on experience and the variety of tasks you can handle in investment banking.

Result-focused

Focusing on results highlights the tangible impacts of your work. This is especially important in investment banking, where outcomes are key.

Industry-Specific Focus

Emphasize your deep understanding and expertise in investment banking, showcasing industry knowledge and specific achievements.

Problem-Solving focused

Showcase your ability to identify issues and develop effective solutions, a critical skill in the fast-paced world of investment banking.

Innovation-focused

Highlight your ability to think outside the box and implement creative solutions in investment banking.

Leadership-focused

Demonstrate your leadership capabilities by detailing how you have guided teams and projects to success.

Customer-focused

Highlight your dedication to client satisfaction and your role in managing relationships within investment banking.

Growth-focused

Illustrate how your actions have directly contributed to the growth of your previous employers’ businesses.

Efficiency-focused

Showcase your ability to streamline processes and improve efficiency within investment banking operations.

Technology-focused

Demonstrating your tech-savvy skills can be a huge plus. Highlight how technology has played a role in your investment banking experience.

Collaboration-focused

Focusing on teamwork and collaboration demonstrates your ability to work well in dynamic investment banking environments.

Training and Development focused

Highlighting your training and development experience showcases your capability to mentor and improve team skills within investment banking.

Write your investment banking resume summary section

A resume summary is a short statement that provides an overview of your skills, experience, and career goals. For an investment banking resume, your summary should capture your expertise in finance, analytical skills, and key accomplishments. Aspiring candidates can shine by demonstrating their ability to contribute to the firm's success. Using strong, clear language will ensure that your resume summary stands out.

When describing yourself in a resume summary, focus on specific achievements rather than vague qualities. Use impactful phrases that showcase your results-driven nature and expertise. Steer clear of generic statements like "hard worker" and instead highlight your measurable successes.

A summary differs from other parts of the resume such as an objective, profile, or summary of qualifications. A resume summary highlights your experience and achievements in one to two sentences. An objective mentions what position you're aiming for. A resume profile gives an overview of skills and career path. A summary of qualifications lists bullet points of your top skills and accomplishments.

Here’s a poorly written resume summary example:

This summary is ineffective because it is vague and lacks specific achievements or skills. Phrases like "very hardworking" and "good at finance" don't tell the recruiter anything concrete about your experience. Additionally, "a lot of experience with money" is too general and not impactful.

Here’s a well-written resume summary example:

This summary is effective because it uses specific numbers and details, highlighting significant achievements. Stating "7+ years of experience in equity research and M&A advisory" shows expertise, while "led teams to close deals worth over $3 billion" provides a concrete accomplishment. This summary also mentions key skills like managing client relationships and financial modeling, making it a strong, detailed introduction to your resume.

Listing your investment banking skills on your resume

In your investment banking resume, the skills section is critical. Skills can be showcased in a dedicated section, but they can also be highlighted within the experience and summary sections. Your strengths and soft skills demonstrate your interpersonal abilities and how well you work with others. Hard skills, on the other hand, are quantifiable abilities you've learned through experience and education.

Sales and strengths utilized throughout your resume can function as keywords. They help your resume get noticed by recruiters and applicant tracking systems (ATS), ensuring your application stands out.

This skills section effectively involves eight elements commonly sought after in investment banking. Its simplicity ensures clarity, and it emphasizes essential industry-specific skills, making it comprehensive yet easy to read.

Best hard skills to feature on your investment banking resume

Hard skills are the technical abilities that demonstrate your expertise. They need to communicate your proficiency in key areas and reassure potential employers of your competency.

Best soft skills to feature on your investment banking resume

Soft skills are personal qualities that show how you handle tasks and interact with others. They should communicate how you approach work and how you get along with colleagues and clients.

How to include your education on your resume

The education section is an important part of your investment banking resume. It shows your academic credentials and helps potential employers gauge whether you have the right knowledge for the job. Tailoring your education section specifically to the role you’re applying for is crucial; leave out irrelevant coursework or degrees. It's best to include your GPA if it’s strong, as well as any honors like cum laude. Make sure the degree is clearly listed with the institution’s name and the dates you attended.

A badly written education section example:

This example is bad because it includes an irrelevant degree, and the location is unnecessary for this section. The GPA field is improperly formatted and the inclusion of bullets is not needed here.

A well-written education section example:

This example is good because it emphasizes relevant education, includes a strong GPA, and highlights the cum laude honor. The section is concise and to the point, with no unnecessary details.

How to include investment banking certificates on your resume

Including a certificates section in your investment banking resume is essential as it highlights your commitment to continuous learning and professional development. List the name of the certificate first to draw attention. Include the date you obtained it to show relevancy. Add the issuing organization to validate the credential.

Certificates can also be included in the header for immediate visibility. For instance, "Jane Doe, CFA Level I, SIE Certified."

Example of a standalone certificates section:

This example is good because it includes highly relevant certifications for investment banking, such as CFA Level I and SIE. Additionally, it shows the issuing organizations, providing credibility. The layout is clear and easy to read, making the information accessible and quickly understood. This approach emphasizes the applicant’s qualifications effectively.

Extra sections to include in your investment banking resume

Creating a refined investment banking resume is essential to make a strong impression on potential employers. By carefully including key sections, you can present a comprehensive picture of your skills, experiences, and interests. Here’s how to incorporate various sections effectively.

• Language section — Highlight your fluency in multiple languages which can give you an edge in serving global clients and working in international markets.

• Hobbies and interests section — Share hobbies and interests that demonstrate valuable soft skills or stress-management abilities, such as playing chess or engaging in team sports, enhancing your problem-solving and teamwork capabilities.

• Volunteer work section — Mention volunteer activities to show your commitment to social responsibility which can convey strong ethical values and community involvement.

• Books section — List finance-related books you’ve read to showcase your dedication to continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends and concepts.

Incorporating these sections into your resume can help illustrate a well-rounded personality, appealing to investment banks looking for dynamic and adaptable candidates.

Pair your investment banking resume with a cover letter

A cover letter is a document that accompanies your resume, offering a brief introduction and highlighting your key qualifications. It provides an opportunity to explain why you are the ideal candidate for a specific job, adding a personal touch that a straightforward resume might lack.

Crafting a strong cover letter can significantly benefit you by showcasing your communication skills and passion for the role. It allows you to tailor your experiences and skills directly to the job description, making a compelling case for why you should be selected for an interview.

When applying for an investment banking position, your cover letter should focus on your analytical skills, attention to detail, and experience in financial modeling and analysis. Mention specific coursework or projects from your studies and any internships that demonstrate your readiness for the intense demands of investment banking.

Creating a cover letter with Resume Mentor's cover letter builder is quick and effortless. It ensures your formatting and content remain pristine with easy PDF exporting. Start your cover letter today to make a strong impression.