I-Banking Resume #2: PE Worthy?
By BankersBall on Mar 22, 2008 in Investment Banking Resumes
The demand for reader help continues. Comment on.
Objective of this candidate: “Trying to take the next small step to a larger PE fund (~$100M) or decent middle market investment bank. Ultimate goal is to go to a good b-school so people forget about where I went to undergrad”Click the image below to view a larger version. View all investment banking resume critiques.
UPDATED: we have a revised resume that incorporates these suggestions to share. Any more recommendations?
On Mar 22, 2008, bballer pro said:
You should check the hyperlink on your pdf. it links back to your email address.
On Mar 23, 2008, optimus subprime said:
From the quick scan, it looks pretty solid. Summary of Quals looks a bit tacky, but I think I see it’s purpose. I would only kill the Computer Skills section. Also replace “UNC Lacrosse” with “The Team.” The only issue I see with your resume, is that it screams that you are / will be a Colorado lifer…which limits options.
But if you really are working at a sponsor in Denver, and you wnat to get into baking…why don’t we just switch jobs?
On Mar 24, 2008, Blutskralle said:
Let me ask a question:
What about that summary of qualifications is going to make someone want to hire you?
I have always found them somewhat overwrought. The language is also extremely generic. I could pick cards out of a hat and come up with that. If you are going to include one of those summaries, as that is the first thing someone will read, then put one in worth reading.
Every single applicant will claim to be “goal-oriented” and a superior communicator. If you are, don’t say it, show it through how you express the rest of what you are after. As a general rule, if people have to tell me they communicate well (rather than my noticing it), they probably don’t.
I would can your resume without interviewing you as is. You are wasting my time with a bland summary as a lead. Is that the most important thing you have to say?
On the other hand, you worked in PE, which is a big advantage. Were this me, I would put that job at the top, and lead with my most impressive project there. You can hook someone with your experience there. Show your skills in the bullet points. If you communicated well, explain how you used that to deliver the goods. If you want to stick with the summary of qualifications, you’d better make it one that someone will remember.
Also, drop the tech speak and computer skills section unless you want to work in IT, to echo the comment above.
On Mar 25, 2008, Eastern Europe PE said:
My biggest concern is that you haven’t actually done (be part of the team) any deals while working in PE. 2006 –> present is kinda of a long period, see?
You should try saying that you researched and considered in excess of 70 (my guess) investment opportunities, out of which 10(?) reached an advance stage, etc.
On Mar 26, 2008, asdf said:
it’s spelled “lexis nexis”
On Mar 26, 2008, Michael said:
Y does everyone continue to find it necessary to put “Microsoft Office skills” on their resume?
On Mar 27, 2008, Jo Mama said:
at what point do you take gpa & sat scores off? i have 5 years of experience so i feel like they’re not necessary but then everytime i deal with an hr person they ask for that info. i wouldn’t want someone to eliminate my resume in a prescreen just because i didnt include that info (because they’re not horrible but not spectacular).
On Mar 30, 2008, l00da said:
Michael: because no one has the balls to keep it off.
Not that it matters- I work with analysts at a bulge-bracket bank who still refuse to learn keyboard shortcuts. True, it is wealth mgmt and not banking which is why explains the fact that they’re halfway retarded. (and then there’s the fact that I’m there too I guess…)