Investment bankers provide financial analysis to corporations, governments, and large institutions. These positions are highly lucrative due to the high earning potential of bonus structures. You must create an accomplishment-driven resume to separate yourself from the competition during your job search.
The key is to build a resume that highlights your advanced knowledge of financial strategy and brands you as a thought leader within the investment banking industry. Throughout this guide, we’ll provide expert tips to help you translate your career experience into a powerful marketing document.
Most Popular Investment Banking Resumes
Investment Banking Associate Resume Example
Why this investment banking resume example is strong:
This candidate includes budgets and percent increase numbers to showcase their professional accomplishments. Additionally, the resume consists of a list of their certifications.
Equity Research Analyst Resume Example
Why this investment banking resume example is strong:
This resume includes bulleted lists to showcase the candidate's professional experience, key skills, and certifications.
Senior Investment Banker Resume Example
Why this investment banking resume example is strong:
This senior-level resume summarizes the candidate’s experience in the profile summary to make it easy for hiring managers to see their skill level at first glance.
Financial Analyst Resume Example
Why this financial analyst resume example is strong:
This resume includes the candidate’s relevant skills and education in bulleted, easily read lists.
Finance Resume Example
Why this finance resume example is strong:
This finance resume features the candidate’s key skills near the top and backs those up with statistics-based information about their experience.
Banking Resume Example
Why this banking resume example is strong:
This banking resume focuses on a detailed profile statement to showcase the candidate's experience.
Investment Banking Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
How To Write an Investment Banking Resume
1. Write a compelling profile summarizing your qualifications
To grab the hiring manager’s attention, you must create a strong opening summary that captures the most compelling aspects of your professional experience. Start by detailing your job title, years of experience, and three to four specializations that align with the job description.
As an investment banker, also emphasize the types of industries you’ve worked in. Use the summary to show hiring managers that you’ve acquired knowledge of various kinds of businesses, which is essential for making the right financial decisions.
Professional Profile - Example #1
Profile
An investment banker with five years of experience specializing in financial analysis, client relations, economics, and commercial banking. A proven track record of developing investment strategies for high-net-worth clients and maximizing portfolio performance.
Professional Profile - Example #2
Profile
An investment banker with over 10 years of experience providing investment strategies for opportunities within the alternative energy, automotive, and utility industries. A proven track record of maximizing portfolio growth and profitability by evaluating competitive advantages and identifying long-term market potential.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
When crafting your professional experience section, consider whether or not your bullet points are accomplishment-driven, emphasizing the value you generated for clients and organizations. Also, ensure that your document effectively captures the full scope of your financial analysis and investment strategy expertise.
Leverage monetary figures, percentages, and financial data from your career as an investment banker to maximize the impact of your bullet points. Incorporating numbers into your document will draw the reader’s eye and establish credibility and a sense of scope for your professional achievements. For example, you could highlight the size of the investment portfolios you managed or how your financial strategies positively impacted return on investment (ROI).
Professional Experience - Example #1
Professional Experience
Investment Banker, Johnson and Goldman Inc., San Francisco, CA
October 2017 – present
- Develop financial models and investment strategies for client portfolios valued at $300,000 to $1 million and provide recommendations for valuations, mergers and acquisitions (M&A,) and product offerings
- Conduct equity research, identify long-term investment opportunities in companies with best-in-class management teams and business models, and recommend investment opportunities in businesses committed to solving complex customer problems
- Perform in-depth valuations of intangible assets for purchase price allocations by evaluating income, market indicators, and company financials
Professional Experience - Example #2
Investment Banker, Klein and Davidson Consulting, New York, NY
September 2016 – present
- Create dynamic investment strategies for client portfolios valued at up to $1.5 million, develop complex financial models, and deliver presentations to clients and prospects
- Build relationships with corporate leaders and lead investigative meetings between high-profile investors and C-level executives during the due diligence phase
- Identify opportunities within the clean energy space, including solar companies and electric vehicle manufacturers
3. Include relevant education and certifications
In addition to your education, you’ll need to highlight certifications to advance your investment banking career. Many institutions require these credentials, even for entry-level roles. Some certifications you should target are the Series 7, Series 63, Series 66, and Series 79 licenses, all acquired through FINRA. Obtaining a Certified Financial Analyst designation is also worth considering, as this is one of the industry’s oldest and most prominent credentials.
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Series 7, FINRA, 2018
- Series 63, FINRA, 2016
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
Example
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Economics
- Columbia University, New York, NY September 2007- May 2011
4. List relevant key skills and proficiencies
Most organizations rely on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to identify qualified candidates for potential job opportunities. If your resume has certain keywords, your application may reach the hiring manager. To mitigate this risk, evaluate the job description and integrate key terms that match the needs of the organization you’re applying to. Below are keywords you may encounter throughout your job search:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Accounting | Client relations |
| Due diligence | Economics |
| Equity research | Finance |
| Financial analysis | Financial modeling |
| Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) | Investment banking |
| Investment strategy | Leadership |
| Market analysis | M&A |
| Portfolio management | Relationship building |
| ROI analysis | Strategic investing |
| Strategic partnerships | Valuations |
5. Highlight your leadership and client relations skills
Showcasing your leadership capabilities and client relations experience while pursuing investment banker opportunities is important. In this role, you’ll be interfacing with high-level executives and attending meetings with various cross-functional teams to conduct due diligence and provide recommendations to grow client portfolios. Interpersonal skills are essential for investment bankers, as you’ll need to communicate high-level financial strategies and concepts to the C-suite.
How To Pick the Best Investment Banker Resume Template
If you struggle to find a suitable template, you’re not alone. With various options, finding the ideal fit for your professional needs can be challenging. The most important aspect of any resume template is structure and organization. Hiring managers will be interested in your financial expertise and investment banking accomplishments first and foremost, so avoid flashy colors and graphics that may draw the reader’s eye away from your content.
Frequently Asked Questions: Investment Banking Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for investment banking resumes?-
Needing more action verbs when crafting your professional experience section is common. It's essential to differentiate your word choice, as your bullet points may appear stale or redundant. We've compiled a list of action verbs to keep your content fresh and compelling:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Built |
| Collaborated | Conducted |
| Coordinated | Created |
| Determined | Developed |
| Drove | Enhanced |
| Evaluated | Identified |
| Implemented | Led |
| Managed | Negotiated |
| Oversaw | Performed |
| Provided | Supported |
| Finance | |
How do you align your resume with a job description?-
According to the Corporate Finance Institute, the average annual salary for investment bankers ranges from $125,000 to $500,000, depending on your experience level. Align your resume with individual job descriptions to differentiate yourself from the competition. Start by researching the company and incorporating qualifications, skills, and achievements that match their needs.
For example, suppose an organization heavily focuses on investment opportunities in startup technology companies. In that case, craft bullet points that highlight your ability to evaluate long-term ROI potential based on market indicators and product use cases. You'll increase the odds of landing your next job opportunity by showcasing specific examples of you developing investment strategies and facilitating portfolio growth.
What is the best investment banker resume format?-
Reverse chronological is the ideal format for investment banker resumes. Hiring managers will always be most interested in your recent experience, which places those jobs at the top of your document. Avoid functional resume formats here.
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Crafting a matching cover letter can be a strong asset for your job application. This allows you to showcase aspects of yourself as a professional that you can’t usually highlight on your resume. In your middle paragraphs, mention the organization's reputation, mission statement, or culture and why this draws you to apply for the position. For more information, please see our business cover letter guide.
