Investment Banking Example & Writing Guide

Step into the world of high finance with our definitive guide on crafting a resume for an investment banking role. In this article, we'll delve into the nuances of the job role, outlining the key skills and attributes that top-tier banks are scouting for.

Get ready to bank on our expert advice as we guide you through writing a resume that not only ticks all the right boxes but also invests in your professional future. We'll illustrate key points with sample text, ensuring your resume accrues interest from potential employers!

What Does an Investment Banker Do?

An investment banker plays a pivotal role in the financial sector, primarily focusing on raising capital for companies, governments, and other entities. They are involved in underwriting new debt and equity securities, aiding in mergers and acquisitions, and providing guidance for issuers regarding the issuance and placement of stocks.

For an aspiring investment banker, a resume should be a portfolio of skills showcasing expertise in financial analysis, strategic thinking, and effective communication.

Skills to Highlight on an Investment Banking Resume

• Financial modeling and analysis expertise
• Proficient in mergers and acquisitions
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills
• Knowledge of capital markets and securities
• Exceptional problem-solving abilities
• Proficient in Excel and financial software
• Effective communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Detail-oriented and highly organized
• Relationship-building and networking skills

How to Write an Investment Banking Resume

Your resume should be a well-organized, single-page document that effectively communicates your suitability for the high-stakes world of finance. 

Here are the essential resume sections to include:

• Contact details
• Personal Summary
• Work Experience
• Education
• Projects
• Skills

While it's important to include all these sections, the emphasis should vary based on your career stage. 

• Recent Graduates and Undergraduate Students: Highlight your education and project work to demonstrate potential.
• Mid-Career Professionals: Focus more on work experience and showcasing your proven track record in the field.
• Senior Professionals: Focus on work experience and the results you have achieved in your career.

The goal is to tailor your resume to showcase your strongest assets in alignment with the demands of an investment banking career.

1. Choose a Resume Format

The format of your resume is critically important, as it not only conveys your professional information but also reflects your organizational skills and attention to detail. 

A well-structured, visually appealing resume can significantly boost your chances of catching a recruiter's eye. 

There are three main types of resume formats to choose from. Here is a look at each one and who they are suitable for.

• Chronological Format: Your resume highlights your work history, starting with the most recent experiences and achievements. This is the most common type of resume and is suitable for most investment banking positions.
• Functional Format: This type of resume revolves around your skills. They are suitable for when you want to highlight skills over career progression. Consider this if you are switching careers or are a student without formal work experience.
• Combination Format: By combining the focus on your skills and work history, you get the combination format. This can work well for entry-level and seasoned professionals. 

Consider using Rezi AI Resume Builder to create a perfectly formatted resume. 

2. Start with Your Contact Information and Name

The contact information you include in your resume is the same whether you’re looking for an investment banking internship, your first investment banking job, or a senior position after 20 years of experience.  

This means you should include the following: 

• Full Name
• Phone Number
• Professional Email Address
• LinkedIn Profile URL (optional, but recommended)
• City and State (full address is not necessary)

This ensures employers can easily reach you and also provides a glimpse of your professional online presence.

3. Write a Strong Professional Summary

The goal of the summary section in a resume is to provide a succinct, impactful overview of your professional profile, highlighting key skills and experiences relevant to the job role.

It should encapsulate your expertise, career achievements, and how they align with the job requirements.

Resume summaries are usually 3 to 4 sentences long. Many follow a similar formula, such as those listed below:

• [Job title] + [experience] + [skills] + [results]
• [Descriptive word] + [job title] + [credibility] + [skills] + [value proposition]

While you don’t have to use these exact formulas, doing so will help you write a summary that meets the expectations of hiring managers at investment banks and effectively showcases your skills. 

Sample Professional Summary: "Dedicated investment banking professional with 3 years of experience in financial modeling, mergers and acquisitions, and capital markets. Proven track record in delivering robust financial solutions and strategies."

This summary works as it concisely presents relevant experience and expertise, aligning directly with key requirements of an investment banking role, therefore making the candidate immediately appealing to potential employers.

You can also check out our list of 40+ resume summary examples for more inspiration and how these formulas look in practice. 

Generate your resume summary with AI

Rezi AI Resume Summary Generator is an easy way to create an optimized summary that stands out to recruiters for each job you apply for. Just tell it the role you’re applying for and the skills you want to highlight, and then the tool will analyze your resume to create a concise and professional summary.

4. List Your Relevant Work Experience

The work experience section of a resume aims to showcase your professional history and achievements, highlighting how your past roles and responsibilities align with the job you're applying for. 

To stand out in investment banking, focus on achievements in the following areas:

• Financial analysis
• Negotiation and deal-making
• Client relationships

When writing your bullet points, quantify your accomplishments where possible and emphasize leadership experience and teamwork skills.

Start the bullet point with a description of what you did, and then end with the outcome achieved. Begin the sentence with a verb to highlight the exact action and use numbers or data points so people know the significance of the impact you made. 

Here’s an example:

• Investment Banking Analyst, XYZ Bank, 2019-2021

• Led a team in a $50M merger by coordinating team efforts, guiding negotiations, and ensuring seamless post-merger integration, ultimately increasing client revenue by 20%. 
• Conducted comprehensive financial analyses for 10 major investment projects.

This section works effectively as it highlights specific, quantifiable achievements, demonstrating the candidate's direct impact and expertise in key areas of investment banking.

Don’t worry if you don’t have much real work experience. You can still include investment banking internships, skills gained from relevant or part-time work, or even exclude the section entirely (if you’re a student) to focus on your education or projects.

Tips for writing the work experience section of your resume

When writing the work experience section of your resume, start with your most recent job and list the experiences you gained that are most relevant to your target role. 

When writing bullet points, start with a verb and mention both what you did and the outcome of this action. Include specific data where possible. Writing about your experiences in this way clearly highlights your strengths which helps you stand out from other candidates.

Create your resume with Rezi to optimize the work experience section of your resume. Our AI-powered tool will rewrite your input in a way that is optimized to stand out to hirers. 

5. List Your Projects

In the projects section of a resume, include projects that showcase skills and experiences relevant to the job role, particularly those that demonstrate initiative, leadership, and industry-related knowledge.

To stand out in an investment banking role:

• Highlight financial analysis or market research responsibilities.
• Include projects where you demonstrated leadership or strategic decision-making.
• Mention any measurable outcomes or recognition received from your previous experiences.

Sample Project:

• University Finance Club President: Led a team of 10 in a university-wide stock market simulation, achieving a 15% portfolio return over 6 months.

This project works well as it demonstrates leadership, a solid understanding of finance, and quantifiable success, all of which are highly relevant and impressive in the context of investment banking.

6. List Your Education

The education section of a resume provides essential information about your academic qualifications. This is especially significant in fields like investment banking, where certain educational backgrounds are highly valued.

For someone in an investment banking role, the education section should include:

• Name of University or College
• Degree Obtained
• Major or Focus Area
• Graduation Date (or expected graduation date)
• Relevant Courses or Academic Achievements (if applicable)

Also, include your GPA if you graduated in the last 5 years and have a score of over 3.5. After 5 years, your GPA won’t be as relevant anymore, and your work experience will better indicate the depth of your knowledge.

Sample Education Section:

• Bachelor of Science in Finance, Magna Cum Laude, ABC University, May 2021

• Relevant Coursework: Corporate Finance, Investment Analysis, Econometrics
• President, Student Investment Club, 2019-2021

This format effectively highlights the candidate's relevant educational background, prestigious academic achievements, and extracurricular leadership roles, making it a strong fit for an investment banking resume.

7. List Any Relevant Skills

The final section of a resume is often dedicated to ‘Skills,' which aims to highlight your core competencies that prove your suitability for the job role. 

For someone in investment banking, this could include:

• Advanced proficiency in financial models and Excel
• Knowledge of financial software like Bloomberg Terminal
• Strong quantitative analysis skills
• Technical skills related to the role
• Fluency in multiple languages, beneficial for international dealings
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Relevant certifications that showcase your skills

These skills underscore your broader abilities and industry-specific expertise, adding depth to your professional profile.

Also, consider organizing your skills into categories related to different parts of your role. For example, the skills section of the Rezi investment banking resume template is split into Technical Skills, Soft skills and Areas of Internet.

8. Optimize your resume for ATS keywords

Hiring companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter and rank resumes based on their alignment with job requirements.

Including the right keywords in your resume can increase the chances of getting past the first stage of the hiring process. 

A simple way to add keywords is to go through the job ad and ensure that your resume covers all the required skills and experiences. 

A simpler and more comprehensive strategy is to use Rezi Resume Keyword Scanner to analyze the investment banking job description and identify relevant terms to include. It will then scan your resume to point out the keywords that are missing. 

3 More Tips for Writing a Resume for Investment Banking 

Focus on Quantifiable Achievements

Emphasizing quantifiable achievements in your finance resume can significantly enhance its impact. For roles like investment banking, where results are key, including specific figures and outcomes (like percentages of growth or money saved) makes your contributions concrete and measurable. Use this approach especially in your work experience section to demonstrate your effectiveness and value-add in previous roles.

Keep Formatting Professional and Readable

Professional and clean formatting is essential for making a good first impression. Investment banking is a traditional and detail-oriented field, so a resume with a clear, professional layout is crucial. Use a standard font, ensure there is enough white space for readability, and avoid overuse of colors or graphics. This will help you make the perfect resume that appears polished and easy to navigate.

Tailor Your Resume for Each Application

Customizing your resume for each job application is vital. Research the company and the specific role to understand what they value most, and then highlight the experiences and skills in your resume that best align with these requirements. Tailoring your resume shows that you are not only a great fit for the role but also that you have put thought and effort into your application.

Investment Banking Resume Template Example

Here’s a complete example resume you can use as inspiration for your own. The resume was created and optimized using Rezi. Click here to create a free account and build your resume today.