Free Investment Banking Resume Template
April 15, 2024
Investment banking is one of the most competitive fields of work, with elite firms attracting thousands of applications for only a handful of coveted roles. To stand out from the pack, your investment banking resume needs to be flawless. In this condensed format, you have mere seconds to make an impression and convey why you deserve to be considered for the role. Follow our expert tips to craft an investment banking resume that will help you land multiple job offers.
Font, Size and Spacing Resume Tips
Your resume should fit on one page. Try to avoid very small margins, no smaller than 0.5”, aim for 0.75″ or larger. The body of the text should generally range from 10 – 12 font size, if you run out of space reduce your font rather than your margins. Times New Roman, is most widely used font in resumes, however Arial, Calibri, Garamond and Georgia are also commonly used. Make sure your text is aligned and your sections are evenly spaced.
Section 1: The Header
The header seems straightforward, but getting the details right is crucial. Center your name prominently using a slightly larger font size than the body text. List your address, phone number, and professional email address on one line beneath.
Some key pointers:
- Include your full address, phone number, and email address
- Use a professional email prefix (e.g. firstname.lastname@email.com)
- Double check for typos in this section – spelling and grammar mistakes are unacceptable
- Do not include photos or any other information
Section 2: The Education Section
As a student or recent graduate, education should be the first section after the header. This section must include:
- The name of your university and the degree(s)/major(s) you’ve pursued
- Your anticipated or actual graduation date (month/year format)
- Your cumulative GPA in the U.S., preferably on a 4.0 scale.
- Classification of your university degree(s) in the U.K (e.g. First Class Honours, Upper Second Class Honours)
Optionally, you can list:
- Your major GPA if higher than your cumulative
- Relevant coursework like finance, accounting, economics classes
- Academic honors or Dean’s List recognition
- Format this section cleanly with bullets or lines separating each item
Section 3: Work & Leadership Experience
This is the section that will receive the most scrutiny. Every single bullet point needs to highlight transferable skills and quantifiable achievements. Here’s how to maximize this critical section:
- Use a project-centric format for any finance roles or internships. For each position, start with a bolded summary line, then list 2-3 of your highest impact projects or deals you have worked on. Quantify everything, from deal sizes to the number of companies analyzed and results achieved.
- For professional experience outside of the finance industry, use a task-centric approach listing key responsibilities and achievements. Quantify where possible by including metrics, revenues, sales figures, etc.
- Consolidate leadership roles into this section as well, giving prominence to prestigious roles such as university club president.
- Focus on highlighting technical financial skillsets – modeling, valuation analysis, investment research, etc.
- Use strong action verbs to describe your specific contributions (e.g. “Conducted discounted cash flow analysis to value…”)
- The goal is to prove your relevance through by highlighting monetary impacts, analytical capabilities, and direct finance/deal experience.
Section 4: Skills & Additional
List your skills strategically in this section:
- Lead with language proficiencies. Investment banking is global business, so the ability to speak and understand multiple languages is highly valued.
- Highlight technical skills in technical programs, accounting/ERP systems, Bloomberg, VBA, Python, etc. Do not waste space listing MS Office – the bank will assume you have proficiency in this area.
- Include relevant certifications like the CFA, GMAT/GRE scores, or any finance training courses completed such as Financial Edge Training’s The Investment Banker micro-degree (link to MD).
Next, concisely list:
- Academic awards/honors
- Relevant extracurricular activities aligned with interests in finance
- Finally, include your hobbies and outside interests.
In Conclusion:
With intense competition for investment banking roles, it is essential to submit a perfectly structured and formatted CV.
Additional Resources
Everything You Need to Know about Investment Banking Spring Weeks