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The Investment Banking Cover Letter Template You’ve Been Waiting For

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A long time ago I said that we would never post a cover letter template here :

“I was tempted to post a Word template, but I don’t want 5,000 daily visitors to copy it and to start using the same exact cover letter.”

But hey, we already have resume templates that everyone is using, so why not go a step further and give you a cover letter template as well?

Plus, “investment banking cover letter” is one of the top 10 search terms visitors use to find this site – so you must be looking for a template.

The Template & Tutorial

Let’s jump right in:

Investment Banking Cover Letter Template [Download]

Download Template – Word

Download Template – PDF

And here’s the video that explains everything:

(For more free training and financial modeling videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel .)

And if you’d rather read, here’s the text version:

Do Cover Letters Actually Matter?

At bulge bracket banks, people barely read cover letters.

Cover letters matter 10x less than resumes and 100x less than networking.

But there are a few special cases where they’re more important:

• Boutiques and Local Banks – Sometimes they actually read cover letters.
• Unusual Backgrounds – If you’re NOT in university or business school at the moment, you may need to explain yourself in more detail.
• Outside the US – In Europe, for example, some banks pay more attention to cover letters, online applications, and so on.

Similar to grades and test scores, a great cover letter won’t set you apart but a poor one will hurt you – so let’s find out how to avoid that.

Keep your cover letter compact and avoid 0.1″ margins and size 8 font.

With resumes you can get away with shrinking the font sizes and margins if you really need to fit in extra information, but this is questionable with cover letters.

Go for 0.75″ or 1″ margins and at least size 10 font.

With resumes there were a couple different templates depending on your level – but with cover letters that’s not necessary and you can use the same template no matter your background.

1 Page Only

Ok, maybe they do things differently in Australia (just like with resumes) but aside from that there is no reason to write a multi-page cover letter.

If you actually have enough experience to warrant multiple pages, do it on your resume instead and keep the cover letter brief.

Contact Information

List your own information – name, address, phone number, and email address – right-aligned up at the top.

Then, below that you list the date and the name and contact information for the person you’re writing to, left-aligned on the page.

If you don’t have this information you can just list the company name and address and use a “Dear Sir or Madam” greeting.

That’s not ideal – especially if you’re applying to smaller firms where cover letters actually get read – but it’s all you can do if you can’t find a person’s name.

If you’re sending the cover letter via email as the body of the email, you can omit all this information and just include the greeting at the top.

Paragraph 1: Introduction

This is where you explain who you are, where you’re currently working or studying, and how you found the bank that you’re applying to.

Name-drop as much as possible:

• Impressive-sounding university or business school ? Mention it. Even if it’s not well-known, you still need to mention it here.
• Your company name , especially if it’s recognizable, and the group you’re working in, especially if it’s something relevant to finance like business development.
• How you found them – specific peoples’ names , specific presentations or information sessions where you met them, and so on.
• The position you’re applying for (Analyst? Associate?) – especially for smaller places that are not well-organized.

This first paragraph is all about grabbing their attention.

Example 1st Paragraph:

“My name is John Smith and I am currently a 3rd year economics major at UCLA. I recently met Fred Jackson from the M&A group at Goldman Stanley during a presentation at our school last week, and was impressed with what I learned of your culture and recent deal flow. I am interested in pursuing an investment banking summer analyst position at your firm, and have enclosed my resume and background information below.”

Paragraph 2: Your Background

You go through your most relevant experience and how the skills you gained will make you a good banker right here.

Do not list all 12 internships or all 5 full-time jobs you’ve had – focus on the most relevant 1-2, once again name-dropping where appropriate (bulge bracket banks / large PE firms / Fortune 500 companies).

Highlight the usual skills that bankers want to see – teamwork, leadership, analytical ability, financial modeling and so on.

If you worked on a high-impact project / deal / client, you can point that out and list the results as well.

This may be your longest paragraph, but you still don’t want to write War and Peace – keep it to 3-4 sentences.

Example 2nd Paragraph:

“I have previously completed internships in accounting at PricewaterhouseCoopers and in wealth management at UBS. Through this experience working directly with clients, analyzing financial statements, and making investment recommendations, I have developed leadership and analytical skills and honed my knowledge of accounting and finance. I also had the opportunity to work with a $20M net-worth client at UBS and completely revamped his portfolio, resulting in a 20% return last year.”

Paragraph 3: Why You’re a Good Fit

Now you turn around and link your experience and skills to the position more directly and explain that leadership + quantitative skills + accounting/finance knowledge = success.

There is not much to this part – just copy the template and fill in the blanks.

Example 3rd Paragraph:

“Given my background in accounting and wealth management and my leadership and analytical skills, I am a particularly good fit for the investment banking summer analyst position at your firm. I am impressed by your track record of clients and transactions at Goldman Stanley and the significant responsibilities given to analysts, and I look forward to joining and contributing to your firm.”

Paragraph 4: Conclusion

This part’s even easier: remind them that your resume is enclosed (or attached if sent via email), thank them for their time, and give your contact information once again so they don’t have to scroll to the top to get it.

Example 4th Paragraph:

“A copy of my resume is enclosed for your reference. I would welcome an opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you and learn more about Goldman Stanley at your earliest convenience. I can be reached at 310-555-1234 or via email at [email protected]. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.”

Unusual Backgrounds

These examples cover how to apply to a bank if you’re in university, business school, or you’ve been working for several years.

If you have a more unusual background (e.g. you went to med school, graduated, started your residency, but then decided you wanted to be an investment banker), then you might need to add a few sentences to paragraph #2 or #3 explaining yourself.

Resist the urge to write your life story because no one will read it – interviews are a much better venue to prove how committed you are.

Email vs. Attachments

If you’re emailing your cover letter and resume, do you create a separate cover letter attachment?

Or do you make the body of your email the cover letter?

I think it’s redundant to create a separate cover letter and attach it, so don’t bother unless they ask specifically for a separate cover letter.

If you’re making the body of your email the cover letter, make it even shorter (4-5 sentences total) and cut out the address bits at the top.

Optional Cover Letters?

If you’re applying online and it says “Optional Cover Letter” should you still upload one?

You might as well because it takes 2 minutes once you have a good template – it’s not the end of the world if you don’t include one, but you never know what everyone else is doing and it’s not terribly time-consuming.

Cover Letter Mistakes

Remember the role of cover letters: great ones don’t help much, but poor ones get you dinged.

The biggest mistakes with cover letters:

• Making outrageous claims (“I’m a math genius!”) or trying to be “creative” with colors, pictures, fonts, and so on.
• Going on for too long – 10 paragraphs or multiple pages.
• Listing irrelevant information like your favorite ice cream, your favorite quotes from Wall Street or Boiler Room , and so on.

If you think this sounds ridiculous, remember the golden rule: do not overestimate the competition .

For every person reading this site, there are dozens more asking, “What it’s like to be an investment banker?” at information sessions.

Sometimes you hear stories of people who write “impassioned” cover letters, win the attention of a boutique, and get in like that …

…And I’m sure that happens, but you do not want to do that at large banks.

If you do, your cover letter will be forwarded to the entire world and your “career” will be destroyed in 5 minutes .

More Examples

As with resumes, there are hardly any good examples of investment banking cover letters online.

Most of the templates are horribly formatted and are more appropriate for equities in Dallas than real investment banking.

Here’s a slightly different but also good templates you could use:

• Best Cover Letters – MBA Template

More questions? Ask away.

Still Need More Help?

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When we’re done, your resume will grab bankers by the lapels and not let them go until they’ve given you an interview.

Specifically, here’s what you’ll get:

• Detailed, line-by-line editing of your resume/CV – Everything that needs to be changed will be changed. No detail is ignored.
• Your experience will be “bankified” regardless of whether you’ve been a student, a researcher, a marketer, a financier, a lawyer, an accountant, or anything else.
• Optimal structuring – You’ll learn where everything from Education to Work Experience to Activities should go. Regional badminton champion? Stamp collector? You’ll find out where those should go, too.
• The 3-point structure to use for all your “Work Experience” entries: simple, but highly effective at getting the attention of bankers.
• How to spin non-finance experience into sounding like you’ve been investing your own portfolio since age 12.
• How to make business-related experience, such as consulting, law, and accounting, sounds like “deal work.”
• How to avoid the fatal resume mistake that gets you automatically rejected . Nothing hurts more than making a simple oversight that gets you an immediate “ding”.
• We only work with a limited number of clients each month. In fact, we purposely turn down potential clients in cases where we cannot add much value. We prefer quality over quantity, and we always want to ensure that we can work well together first.

FIND OUT MORE

Other Options for Personalized Help: Wall Street Mastermind

Finally, if you want to go  beyond your cover letter and also get help with your resume, work experience, networking, and interview prep, check out Wall Street Mastermind .

They’ve worked with over 1,000 students to help them secure high-paying investment banking jobs out of school (and internships while in school), and their coaches include a former Global Head of Recruiting at three different large banks.

They provide personalized, hands-on guidance through the entire networking and interview process – and they have a great track record of results for their clients.

It could be a great fit for you if you’re looking for comprehensive coaching through the entire process rather than just a new version of your resume or cover letter.

You can book a free consultation with them to learn more .

About the Author

Brian DeChesare is the Founder of Mergers & Inquisitions and Breaking Into Wall Street . In his spare time, he enjoys lifting weights, running, traveling, obsessively watching TV shows, and defeating Sauron.

Free Exclusive Report: 57-page guide with the action plan you need to break into investment banking - how to tell your story, network, craft a winning resume, and dominate your interviews

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279 thoughts on “ The Investment Banking Cover Letter Template You’ve Been Waiting For ”

I love how hand downs and direct this page is. Trying to break into IB come from a (semi-)target school but very bad GPA, love how you are always motivating, but realistic. Keep it up!

I am a sophomore and have a low gpa (2.5) should I include this on my cover letter? how do I stand out and not get dinged, low gpa because had to work full time freshman year because my dad lost his job, and my family had health issues. Am an only child.

All you can really do about a low GPA is network extensively so that people who know you can recommend you, and so you can avoid being filtered out by screening tools. See: https://mergersandinquisitions.com/low-gpa-investment-banking/

Maybe include a brief mention of why your GPA is lower in your cover letter, but focus on how you’ve improved since your first year (mention the higher GPA since then).

Thanks for the write up!

If i am writing my cover letter in the body of the email, Do i write the name of the recipient instead of dear Madam ?

I like it not bad

Hey Brian – thanks for this article. Quick question: is there a certain point in your career (in my case, I’m an associate) when you can stop with the cover letters even if they give you the option?

Cover letters are pretty much always optional unless they ask for one.

I was wondering for your template, you gave a solid and formal introduction. I also see other career advice sites that recommend making the cover letter “memorable” and straying away from the cookie cutter method with more flashy intros. As an example just from another online source: When I was seven, I wanted to be the GEICO gecko when I grew up. I eventually realized that wasn’t an option, but you can imagine my excitement when I came across the events manager position, which would have me working side by side with my favorite company mascot. So what’s your opinion on this? I’m sure it’s different for every field, so would you say the average investment banker appreciates something like this, or would it just make them roll their eyes and make you seem too keen/tryhard.

Same Andrew again…

Sorry I should’ve watched your video fully before asking. But you mentioned to not get too fancy with fonts, photos, etc. But would the bit of personal information outside the cookie cutter approach separate you in the slightest? To me, cover letters sound like they have the same purpose as GPA. A 4.0 (good but generic cover letter) won’t give you any advantages, but a 2.5 (poorly done letter) will eliminate you from the application process.

Yes, cover letters are basically used to weed out people, not to select them. You can include some personal information such as an interesting student group, study abroad, or experience that led you to IB, but don’t go overboard with trying to appear “interesting.” Save that for actual networking and interviews.

If you are applying to traditional “high finance” roles such as investment banking, private equity, etc., you should not do anything creative with your cover letter. It will only backfire. Firms either do not read cover letters, or if they do, they simply look at them to make sure you didn’t do something silly or inappropriate. You’re taking a very big risk by writing a “creative” cover letter, and one that has very little upside with tons of downside.

For online applications that request your resume, but do not specify whether a cover letter should be included, should I submit a cover letter? Also since you can only submit one document in these cases, should you compile resume and cover letter into one document?

Thanks so much.

If they just request your resume, just include your resume. I would not even bother with a cover letter or combining them into one document.

Do we have to leave

“Enclosure: Resume”

At the bottom of the Cover Letter? Many thanks

*In Online Application where they ask you to attach your CV and Cover Letter – if that makes any difference

Brina, many thanks for the quick answer. Just a last question:

Shall we sign between sincerely and our name or under our name?Both options are good?

Alternative A:

(Signature)

Alternative B:

The first one is slightly better.

I just wanted to thank you for not only this Cover Letter template but also your Resume template. I have used both and I have received great feedback from interviewers and getting my foot in the door for asset management.

Thanks! Glad to hear it. Good luck!

This question targets the paragraph listing relevant experiences & skills gained through it.

As a University Student with some corporate finance and consulting experience but nothing directly related to investment banking, do you think it would be relevant to list explain skills gained during university classes (e.g. a term project that simulated the entire M&A process based on a real life deal) that involved valuation, simulated investor calls, etc. Or do you believe sticking to actual work experience would be best suited.

Thanks a lot for all the content you post.

Stick to your work experience if you have actual CF and consulting internships. Maybe add a line or brief phrase within a line that mentions your learnings from university classes as well.

I live in the UK and I’ve been told cover letters carry a lot of weighting in the initial application process. I have written a cover letter which is 8 paragraphs but it’s still 1 page. Do you think this would be ok or should I take some stuff out? Thanks in advance, great website you have.

By the way, it’s still size 10 font but I had to reduce the line spacing between the paragraphs to fit it all in.

Cover letters only matter in the “negative” sense, i.e. if you write something stupid or have typos, you could lose an offer or interview opportunity. Your cover letter should be as short as possible, so 8 paragraphs is too long, especially if you had to reduce the font size to 10, which is too small. So, be more concise and realize that bankers glance at hundreds/thousands of these letters each recruiting season…

How do one relate a tax internship experience which I acquired In an accounting consulting firm to an investment banking internship I hope to start with with BofA

Talk about how your tax findings/work affected the big picture… did they potentially change the company’s valuation? What was the impact on the company’s financial statements? Did anything you did result in changes to the internal controls at the company? Did you do any tax work related to M&A or equity/debt deals?

Hi Brian, I have read that the header of a cover letter should match your resume. Is there a reason the header from the M&I resume template was not included in this cover letter template?

??? I think it would be very odd if your cover letter started with your name in a bigger font size at the top… so, no if that is what you are asking about. A cover letter should start with the normal heading of a letter. Your resume is different because it’s intended to present the key points in bullet/highlight format.

I agree. Thanks.

I’m applying online to banks in the EMEA area and most banks ask for my motivation – they don’t require a cover letter. Could I still use this template? or wouldn’t it make any sense to use this template?

If its the case that this template would not be useful, do you have any tips on what to focus on in such a motivation letter?

I think this template is too long for a simple question about your motivation. Your motivation should basically be the last part of your “story” – assuming 150 words for a competency question and a 300-word story. See:

https://mergersandinquisitions.com/walk-me-through-your-resume/

How do you travel like a dug dealer? haha…You are funny. Great info. Thanks a lot. I’m trying to break the front door at Piper Jaffray so I can put my little two feet inside that door.

hey, i am actually studying law in France but i wanted to go on trading/investment banking/hedge fund area. What would you suggest me ? Which arguments should I point out ?

Thanks a lot !

??? I’m not sure I understand your question.

The links for Workbloom – Investment Banking Intern Template and Vanderbilt – Cover Letter Template are not valid anymore. Is it possible to fix that? Thank you very much!

Sincerely, Frank

We don’t have alternate links, sorry. But the template there wasn’t much different anyway.

Hi Brian, I had a question in mind. I have been working with a Big four Audit firm in India for the past 10 months now, and have a Bachelors in Commerce degree from a non-target University here. The role here is Back-end, as in we do not have client interaction, and rather coordinate with the US/EMEA teams – which deal with the clients directly – for the work. Recently, I got a call from GS for an Analyst position under the Data Resource Group for its IB Division in India. How do you suggest I pitch my auditing experience to get an offer for this position? Also, considering the work I do here is back-end and basically, formatting files around and punching in numbers! Thanks in advance for your help!

I would just point out how your audit work led directly to results with clients and how you were a part of the client-interaction process, even if you didn’t speak with them directly. As a result, you have a good understanding of what they’re looking for and how to get them results most efficiently.

Thanks for the template. Is it correct to include in the cover letter an entreprise which I am auditing or not?

Sure, you could, but you have to be able to tie that to whatever role(s) you’re applying for.

Hi there, thanks for the cover letter template you provided. It’s a great help. Just wondering does the same template work for UK application? As you mentioned they tend to pay attention to cover letters.

Yes this template works for UK applications.

Thank you for sharing your blog, it helped a lot cos I am also having a hard time in writing a cover letter and I suck! Hope you can help more. Keep it up!

Thank you for sharing the template and guide! I am a recent college grad and just started working in an economic consulting firm (last month). I want to make the career transfer to IB and I am trying my best networking everywhere. I am applying for an IB analyst position and editing my cover letter. Should I still mention in the cover letter my leadership roles in college or it does not matter much?

Many thanks!

You can mention them briefly, but you should focus on your current role.

Thanks for the template! After working as an ER associate for 2 years in my hometown, I am moving from North America to Europe in the next few weeks. Should I mention in my cover letter something to the effect of “After visiting [country] several times over the past few years, I applied for and received my Work Visa” or will the recruiter assume I have a visa and do not require sponsorship? I just do not want to be passed over if they are assuming I will be a headache for them!

Furthermore, I am also hoping to move from ER to corporate. Besides tailoring the letter to reflect skills mentioned in the posting, are there any other changes that need to be made when moving out of capmarkets?

Thank you for your time!

Sure you can include this. Yes, I’d talk about why you want to move from ER to corporate and talk about why you prefer corporate over ER (perhaps you prefer the type of work in corporate better and you see yourself in a corporate vs. in a bank) and you want to move over to XX industry [the industry the corporate you’re applying for is in] given XX reason [ideally you’ve covered that industry in ER before]

Thank you Nicole. Should I be putting this explanation in paragraph 2? Or later on in the letter?

I’d probably list this later in the letter.

Hi, I’m studying in the US and applying to summer IBD internship in 3 different locations (New York, London, HK), so who should I address to in my cover letter since there is only one cover letter for three different recruiters? Thanks!

I’d say Dear Sir/Madam or To Whom It May Concern

when you express abbreviations, let’s say M&A, how do you put it in a cover letter? i.e., (“M&A”) or (M&A) without punctuations mark?

M&A is fine I believe

Hi! You mentioned that putting the name of the recruiter is always better than just a “Dear Sir/Madam”. When applying in London, do you think it is appropriate to address the cover letter to a recruiter I haven’t personally met that I just found his name via an internet search, specifically from Linkedin. Also, there are dozens recruiters for the same company on Linkedin, should I still address the letter to a specific person? What about if it is the director of HR? Should I address it to him/her directly?

Yes, I’d address the email to Director of HR. If you don’t know the person’s name, I’d say “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”

Hey, I have a question concerning applying for an internship at G&S in Europe. Instead of a cover letter they want you to submit a motivational statement with 300 words when applying, which is according to them similar to the cover letter. But I am a bit unsure that I express my motivation for applying for an investment banking postion with this cover letter because it focuses more on previous internships. Should I outline my internships and then explain that I want to pursue an career in IB because of them? and should I mention my extra curriculare activities which involve leadership experience and exotic interests?

I’d briefly touch on your previous experience and focus on why IB, and why GS. If the previous experience can serve as your IB spark, use them. So yes you can mention that you want to pursue a career in IB because of your previous internships, but don’t dive too deep given word limit and you can address that in interviews. No, the latter part should be demonstrated on your resume, unless you have space in the statement

What should you do in [Signature]?

I’m not sure I understand your question. I’d just insert your signature there.

Upload an image of your handwritten signature?

Yes you can do that. Copy and paste it below “Yours sincerely/Best Regards”

I resigned from my previous role in April this year as we were planning a family move to another country However, it did not materialize due to some unexpected changes and I have to start looking for a job again. This has left an employment gap of about 3 months in my resume. During this period, I have taken the BIWS course to enhance my knowledge. Shall I mention my current status and address that in my cover letter? or leave it out and talk about it when asked during interview?

Xavier, you can list that on your resume and cover letter. You may also want to talk about other activities you’ve done during those 3 months.

I am a first year associate working at a boutique bank on the trading floor and trying to switch into equity research/banking side. How is the cover letter different from the cover letter template above. Do I need to specifically state why I am switching?

Yes you need to address why you’re switching

Do you have any suggestions as to how I can gracefully address this? The reason why I am switching is because I don’t feel like I am learning much out of my positions – not being given much responsibilities, etc…

I’d focus on the positives on why you prefer the other division versus your current one; not what you’re lacking.

Hi, I am wondering when introducing my skill sets and experience in the second paragraph of the cover letter, is it appropriate to use bullet points? e.g. my key skills/experience include: bullet point: A bullet point: B

Yes you can do that, though a lot of times we find that its best to follow our template, unless you’re a very experienced candidate

I worked at a boutique investment bank for an internship and I was wondering how I may explain my low gpa on my cover letter. I would focus on my strengths and what I learned from the position but sooner or later the question of gpa will be addressed either during an interview or sent through email. How would I approach this?

This may come up in interviews and I’d address it then. I am not sure why you had a low GPA. If you had family/personal reasons you can list that. Otherwise if you were taking more advanced courses because you were too ambitious and got a lower GPA as a result of that you can list that too.

I’m applying to various finance and IB positions and my documents will be seen as a package sent through my school. I created my resume in a very similar format to the template on your website, only using .5″ margins. I have the same header layout (with name and personal info) on both my resume and cover letter. My question is regarding holding these .5″ margins on both of my documents to keep a consistent look. I’m just curious as to whether this would be a good or bad idea, or as to whether you think it would even matter.

I haven’t seen the format of your resume so I am not 100% sure. 0.5 margins maybe a bit crowded but depending on your content it can be doable. If you have lots of solid content, yes this is applicable. Otherwise, I’d shorten your content and go for the standard margins

Hey, this template isn’t just for investment banking right, it can be used for targeting internships in accounting as well? Same with the resume template?

If you change the paragraph from why IB to why accounting, you can use this template. The resume template is tailored to IB though you can use it for Accounting roles too

I graduated from a top school 1.5 years ago, but unfortunately ended up at a not so impressive bank. What’s the best way to name drop the school in the cover letter? Thanks.

First paragraph – you can just say that you are working at XX bank and have recently graduated from XX school

I am applying to three different divisions in the same investment bank that are different in nature (2 back office and one front) and there is only one cover letter for all three that asks you to describe your motivation for each. Since they are different positions, how do I go about this?

I’d be generic and focus on why finance and how you can make an impact to the firm

How about adding the recommendations from the previous job? Is it worth? Should we add it even if they do not menton about that?

You can provide recommendations upon request

Hi, I am wondering whether I need to include a signature in my cover letter for online application. If so, should I just insert it in the pdf document or scan a paper copy of the cover letter? Thanks!

Yes you can include it. Both works.

Yo’re welcome.

Just a follow-up question: I am applying for summer analyst position at CS, and they only allow one application per applicant. Should I use the same cover letter during campus recruiting (addressed to an alumnus) for my online application? Since I am applying to CS HK as well, I am wondering whether I should use a slightly different cover letter.

Sure I think this shouldn’t be a problem. Yes the HK one should be slightly different – i.e. why HK, why Chinese market

Dear M&I staff,

I’m a master student in Europe. I’m currently attending a Master of Science in Finance after completing a bachelor in business administration. Do you have any specific suggestion about my first paragraph? Also, if I can’t find the name of the recruiter, how can I start the letter? I was thinking about expressions such as “To whom it may concern…”; does this work?

Thanks in advance

Yes it does, or Dear Sir/Madam.

First paragraph – I’d follow the template on the post

Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is [Insert Name] and I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Finance at [Insert University Name] where I have also been awarded a Bachelor of Science with honors. How would this sound?

Sounds good, though I’d probably just use My name is [Insert Name] and I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Finance at [Insert University].

Hey Brian/Nicole, Thank you guys so much for this website. I spend days on it reading your articles! lol I’m just wondering when I do the name-dropping on the cover letter, is it alright to put the company names in bold? or is that too much? What do you guys think?

Thank you for your kind comment. You should credit Brian for his hard work! I don’t think its necessary to bold company names. I think its probably better to leave it “unbolded.”

i a lil older i was originally an engineering major, left school (didnt graduate), started working as a stock broker, then mortgage broker, and then more sales background. I then re entered school and graduated with a degree with finance, gpa not so high bc of past screw ups, but now looking to break into finance. I love finance, and cant figure out how to convey that in a cover letter. can you help?

Focus on the impact you’ve made in your previous roles. Then say while you’ve enjoyed and learn a lot from your previous experience, you realize [Talk about your IB spark here], and that you realize you wanted to pursue IB because [XYZ]. Then say that you’re confident that your [XX] skills can be an invaluable asset to the firm (something around those lines)

If I’m applying for a job based on an online job posting (LinkedIn / other job board), then in my 1st paragraph, ho would you address the section about how you learnt about the job / company ?

(I find it awkward to say that “I recently learnt about your company through your online ad on abc.com”)

ThankX Guys!

I recently learned about your company from [a contact/an event/an online job posting] and was impressed with what I learned of [List what you’re impressed with here]

Hey Nicole,

Thanks for your reply.

I’m finding it awkward to write “I learnt about your company from an online job posting” bcoz I feel it sounds like I did not know them before seeing the posting (which, in turn, sounds insulting for the company).

Instead, can I just say “I recently found out about the XYZ position at ABC Capital & want to apply for this position”?

Sure, this sounds good. No, this isn’t insulting – this is why companies post on job postings! It is best if you have already spoken to people at the company and use that as an intro. line.

please i am an undergraduate in my final year with just one internship experience and one teaching experience, that was before i gained admission. i want to know if it is appropriate to include my date of birth and list of referees; i will also like to know the maximum length of resume ideal for some one in my category. Thanks.

Please see https://mergersandinquisitions.com/free-investment-banking-resume-template/

No, I don’t think you need to include your DOB and list of referees. Maximum length of your resume would be 1 page.

Hi Brian, thanks so much for creating this awesome website.

I’m a year one student in a non-target uni in HK who’s interested in IBD. My first semester GPA wasn’t stellar because I had a hard time balancing family issues and adapting to a new country.

I’m currently applying for several pre-internship programs, and am afraid my less-than-3 GPA will cause my immediate disqualification. What can I do?

I’ve had several leadership positions in high school, am great at networking/socializing, and speak a few languages. But my first semester GPA is lackluster. Please advice, should I explain in my cover letter?

Best Regards, Sara

Yes, your GPA is likely to be alarming to interviewers. Sure, you can explain the above on your cover letter, though I would focus on your strengths and what you have achieved first. You want to draw people to your strengths. I’d also try as hard as you can to boost your GPA next semester and craft a very good explanation when you land interviews.

Hey there M&I,

Firstly, I’d just like to thank you for this template – it truly is priceless.

I’m from Melbourne, Australia and I’d like to break into Investment Banking for a long-term career.

I’m starting a Bachelor of Commerce degree at The University of Melbourne and I was thinking of double majoring in Accounting and Finance.

I feel as though this will put me in a good position for Investment Banking and will also provide me with a few alternatives should I be unable to make it to Investment Banking or decide that it’s not for me.

Sorry about the long-winded explanation, I guess what I want to know is whether or not the double major sequence I have suggested is desirable in Investment Banking or there is a better sequence you could suggest to me.

Also, what do you have to say about people getting summer internships after first year? I haven’t heard of anyone doing this before, but have you? How should I go about trying to increase my chances?

Thanks very much!

Thanks. Yes, that sequence is fine but I don’t know if it would give you an advantage. From what I understand about Australia, I believe most people who get into banking there actually have dual Commerce and Law degrees.

Summer internships after year 1: very tough. You’d have to aim for small local firms. And probably not common in Australia.

I’m applying to a Private Equity internship and I completed the BIWS fundamental and advanced modeling courses. Should I talk about this in my cover letter? Right now I just have a general statement about it and that I worked on some case studies.I was wondering whether I should go more in depth and mention a specific case? Leave it as a general statement? Or take it out completely

Yes, definitely mention the specific case studies as that makes it sound much better than just saying you completed the courses.

Document for listing them on your resume (you may be able to apply parts of this):

http://biws-support.s3.amazonaws.com/BIWS-Courses-Resume-Instructions.docx

Thanks Brian,

I took your advice and mentioned specific case studies.

One other thing, currently in the second paragraph of my cover letter I talk a lot about my internship experience, but this internship doesn’t have to do with IB, its accounting and sales for a hotel. I did spin it in away that says that I picked up skills from this internship that I can apply to IB, PE, etc. Should I focus less about this and more on the BIWS courses, and projects in school I worked on since it doesn’t directly relate?

I would probably do an even split in that case.

I found this guide and template very useful. I was wondering, though, if I were to apply online to bb investment banks that didn’t make any meeting at my university and require a cover letter, what should I write in: “I was recently introduced to your firm via [Friend / Contact at Firm / Presentation] and was impressed with what I learned of [Your Culture / Working Environment / Bank-Specific Info.].”

I know about these banks just because of their fame, so should I just skip this part?

Sure though having this line may be more convincing.

I am now applying to Société Générale M&A summer internship in Power, Utilities and Infrastructure department. I tried to find some alumni working there. I could manage to find one via linkedin; however, i cannot contact him because he sets a permission. I wonder what should i write on cover letter if i can’t find a contact in SG?

Dear Sir or Madam / [Name of Recruiter if you have it]

Dear Nicole,

I feel sorry not to explain it clearly.

Quoted from the IB template: ” I was recently introduced to your firm via [Friend / Contact at Firm / Presentation] and was impressed with what I learned of [Your Culture / Working Environment / Bank-Specific Info.] ”

I searched SG career website but they mention the work environment and culture very vague. I tried to find an alumni working there; however,the alumni office hasn’t replied me yet.Even worse, SG hasn’t held any campaign event at our uni. At present moment,I can’t manage to get a contact at firm. I did search they have an aggressive expansion plan for the department 2 years ago. Should I mention this instead?

Much thanks

It would help if you have spoken to a contact who is working/worked there or attending one of their info sessions. Otherwise, yes it may be useful to mention of their department’s aggressive expansion plan.

Hi! What if I have not attended any presentation and I do not know nobody that work in a specific bank? Can I still apply online? I am applying to investment banks in London and I know that they recruit using the online application process.

Yes you can still apply online.

Hi Nicole/Brian,

Adding to what Paolo has mentioned, what about the cover letter? Since we do not know anybody that work in that specific bank (nor attend any presentations), who do we address the cover letter to? (Or is it better not to submit one if the cover letter is optional?)

Secondly, is it alright to say that we found out about the job/vacancy by browsing through their website?

Again, thanks for your continuous kind support.

Regards, Rifki

Quoting from the article:

“If you don’t have this information you can just list the company name and address and use a ‘Dear Sir or Madam” greeting.’ ”

If it’s optional, I wouldn’t even bother submitting it especially if you don’t know anyone there. Yes saying you saw it through a website is OK.

Thanks Brian!

I’ve just graduated in Finance and Accounting but wasn’t able to get summer internships in my 2nd year. What else can I write in section 2+3? I’ve got work experience in wholesale, an accounting firm and an insight day at a Merrill Lynch which were just before I started uni, i.e. 2009 can I still use these in this section or would it look bad since they are old?

I’ve taken part in many trading simulation games in teams etc which show all the skills you have mentioned in the paragraph, would it be acceptable to use this as an example even though it was a simulation?

They wouldn’t look bad but not exactly current. Ideal if you have recent experiences to list. Otherwise you can list them

Yes – show the returns you generated

Thanks for the useful resources.

Last year, I hadn’t as much insight and experience with IB (I was coming from law and bearely started to study a MSc-Finance in a good school). I still got two interviews with a nice boutique and a bb. I got reject at the final round.

This year I’m applying again (I’m currently doing an off cycle M&A internship)

1. Shall I mention I applied last year, and why I like the firm so much? or shall I just make a regular cover letter and avoid to mention I applied a year ago?

2. How many interviews should I go through to secure an offer, or what is the average? I’d like to know whether I am doing something bad or just if it is because you need to go through several interviews to finally get something?

3. What would shall I do with the current market if I secure another off cycle internship or a full time M&A position in a leading law firm? (I prefer finance than law, but I m getting old and need to start working as oppose to “intern”)

Sorry for this long thread, thanks for your help.

1. you can mention it if you want though I don’t think its necessary 2. hard to say – depends on you. people generally go through more than several rounds of interviews to land an offer 3. network a lot

Last year, I hadn’t as much insight and experience in IB profiles (I am coming from law and bearely started to study a MSc-Finance in a good school). I still got two interviews with a nice boutique and a bb. I got reject at the final round.

— Shall I mention I applied last year, and why I like the firm so much

Hi, I have an upcoming interview with a bulge bracket bank in Capital Markets. I submitted my resume about 1 month ago and got selected recently. My resume was updated recently and is much much more in depth than before. Should I reach out to the recruiters and ask if I can have them replace the resume on the website with my new one? Or would this be frowned upon? Thanks!

Yes, please do that!

Thank you for your tips, they are great!I have two questions:

1. All templates I find are about experienced people. If you are a person with no experience (or with a very short experience in a different area), how can you turn this fact around and convince someone to hire you? Should you really emphasize your academic background?

2. I started a PhD but early on I realized that it was not the right fit for me. How and where should I mention this? Should I explain why? I am afraid that no one will be considering me for a job position because I am quitting the PhD…

Thank you so much!

1. There are templates for inexperienced hires – pls look for the one for undergraduates. If you have NO work experience at all, I’d suggest you to emphasize your academic background and extracurricular activities. 2. Explain this on your cover letter & interviews. No, it shouldn’t be a problem if you know how to spin your story. Most jobs don’t require a PhD these days anyway.

Hi, Thank you very much for uploading the template.

But what if I don’t have background info or experiences specific to the investment banking industry even though I have banking experience in a different field such as Loan Officer? Will that matter?

I will be considered as a fresher in that case how can I convince anybody about changing my profession to investment banker or wealth management analyst from this profession?

And can you also please help me with a sample C.V for freshers in Invest and Wealth Management.

I do have an MBA in finance.

You’ll have to figure out why IB and pitch your story well.

You can use the same template for Wealth Management – just focus on your research and investment experience

I’m planning to use this short cover letter as my email body. My question : “Should I opt for a longer version with more elaborate details?”

— Dear Sir/ Madam [or the recruiter’s name],

I would like to express my interest in a position as [position] for [company].

As you may perceive from my summary, I’ve been leveraging my consulting and technical skills from my previous career as an IT Consultant to break into the finance industry. Thus, I’m adapt at translating clients’ problems into a satisfying, concrete solution. I also possess good leadership skill and can work well with others. [ + other skills the company valued / demanded for this specific job]

I would love to expand my career with your company, and am confident that I would be a beneficial addition to your company. I have enclosed my resume and I would welcome a personal interview at your earliest convenience.

[Name and contact address] —

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I’d keep your email short, sweet and succinct. Anything longer than that is too much.

Hello, my question is regarding the introduction —

“Paragraph 1: Introduction This is where you explain who you are, where you’re currently working or studying, and how you found the bank that you’re applying to.”

I have nearly 2 years of consulting experience, but have recently been laid off. Since I’m no longer working or studying, how would I approach this as far as introduction?

Just introduce yourself and tell interviewer you’ve been laid off due to the lackluster economy – they should understand. Tell them what you’ve been doing with your free time i.e. traveling, studying, picking up a new hobby, etc. As long as you sound like you are doing something productive/interesting with your life, you should be fine

Errors – If there are minor typos that most people don’t see at a glance, are you in the clear? I’m not sure if people read cover letters that closely especially during OCR when hundreds of people apply at the same time from one school.

It depends on whether your reviewer is attentive to details or not!

I don’t exactly have a stellar GPA, so I was wondering if the cover letter is where I would explain myself? Or is it better to just not mention it? Thanks! And love this website!

It depends why you don’t have a stellar GPA – if you have a legit reason i.e. you had sick parents you needed to take care of etc I think it would help

Thanks for the article. I just had a quick question. I was originally interested in marketing and completed two internships my freshman year undergraduate (currently a junior applying for summer analyst positions). Since then I have had several research internships. Would it be a good idea what lead my decision to go from marketing to banking in my cover letter?

Any input would be awesome. Thanks!

Yes I would explain why you changed your mind in your cover letter and point to a specific person/incident

I am studying at a “frontier market” university and am currently an exchange student at a highly ranked (Top 100) universities.

Should I use an exchange studies university in a cover letter instead of a university where I’ll be graduating and mention it accordingly (I am currently an exchange student at…)?

No, I think you should still use the university where you’ll be graduating

ha frontier market. I am putting where I am an exchange student with the frontier school I attend.

I’m applying for an internship in the US, but I’m studying in Germany. Should I mention that my University/Business School, is one of the best business schools in Germany?

Thank you for your answer!

I don’t think it makes a difference. You could try but reviewers might not necessarily care too much re that

Hi, thanks so much for this article. I am writing a cover letter to J.P. Morgan, but I cannot find the office address in HK, shall I omit it at the top?

But what if I don’t have background info or experiences specific to the investment banking industry? does that automatically rule me out as a candidate even though they specify that finance background is not necessary?

Could I simply emphasize my skills and abilities that I have gained through other experiences such as working for an NGO?

Not necessarily.

just one other quick question. At Goldman Sachs, one could apply for internship in several divisions and they have asked motivation for applying to different divisions. Would it make this impression that you yourself do not know what division is right for you when you make applications for several divisions? Thanks a lot.

With Goldman, yes. However, in a way you still need to hedge your bets because one division’s MD might like you and the other’s MD might not.

I’ve shown my CL to the Head of HR in my firm and he adviced me to write something “catching” as a title between the date and “Dear Sir or Madam,..”. So do you think it would be okay to write there: “Why I am a good fit for taking part in your spring programme”? Or does this sound too arrogant?

Thanks a lot! Jevira

This sounds generic.

Have you got another idea or just put there: Spring Programme at XYZ. :D Thanks, and sorry for the time you lose with all my questions..

Come up w something original he said right? I don’t know if the above is original. You should just ask him what his suggestions are. I’d love to help but I need to think through it and have to look at your CL; wouldn’t be fair to other customers who are paying for our CL editing service.

Thanks very much for your helps. I have a few questions and I would greatly appreciate if you could help me. I am doing a double degree master in Complex Systems Science (A multidisciplinary field), so I have studied one year at Warwick, UK and now I am studying the second year at Ecole Polytechnique, France. 1) Should I mention anywhere that I have had a multidisciplinary approach since in my field I have to interact with people with completely diverse backgrounds, from Physics and math to economics and Philosophy? 2)I have got a full scholarship from European commission for my studies. How should I mention it? 3)I think many people are not very acquainted with the structure of such joint programs between two universities in two different countries. In my CV, shall I mention it as two masters and not saying that they are in fact joint? 4)My master thesis has been about financial contagion and I do not have ant job or internship opportunity, so how should I write the second paragraph?

Thanks in advance and sorry it becomes too long. Mostafa

1. Not sure how you will be wording this one. Difficult to use this to stand out 2. Yes 3. No, put joint but you can separate the two in diff lines 4. Can’t help you on this one.

Hi, it’s me again. Does this template also apply for online applications where you have to upload the cover letter? Or can my personal adress, the banks adress and the date can be removed withous replacement?

Yes these templates apply to online apps too

No, I don’t think you should remove the details you mentioned

I’m a first year university student in the UK, and looking to apply to a spring division internship at Goldman Sachs (and probably many others in the near future).

I have litte actual experience in terms of working for firms, but have competed in many stock market challenges/competitions, and I have come to university a year early, having been moved up a year.

Clearly with my lack of experience, I will need to slightly change the template you have provided above; how would you recommend I do this?

Many thanks.

I nearly asked the same thing – but my question didn’t even appear.

You should elaborate on your stock market challenges/competitions

Is it okay to write under my asset mgmnt firm that I “increased producivity of checking several entries by about 60%”? It was an excelsheet with about 120 rows in which I had to find the entries which were more than once in these rows. (it was an excel formula I made for that).

Or does it sound ridiculous?

Oh, its in the CV, not the cover letter.

yes it does sounds a bit ridiculous and monotonous. Sorry.

So I’ll delete :) Thanks. Its very difficult to boost your CV.

btw: may I send you, Nicole, my CV that you could look over that? You see my email adress, i guess. I’d really appreciate it! Thinking, that it sounds “too” ridiculous…

We’re not offering resume editing at the moment but will be introducing it shortly, so you can watch for that announcement.

What does “shortly” mean? Within this month? And will it be free? If not, how much would it cost? If you’re launching in the very near future, please reserve one place for me :-).

Haha yes but not free. Sure.

Thanks for your work!

My question is that if I apply for some regions where original language is not English i.e. China, Japan, will it be ok I send a 2-page resume/cl with one in English and another Chinese/Japanese/whatever? or seperately in 2 .pdfs?

Thanks again

No. Not necessary. Just send a one-page resume in English

If bilingual required?

No still submit one pager unless they ask

Thanks Nicole.

Another not-related question, do you think that a 4-month full time internship in PE department of commercial banks, say, standard chartered, strong enough to pass the summer/FT online selection? prior to that i had internship in big-4. a senior in university and will pursue a finance master degree right after. thanks

Should do but again it depends on what position you are interviewing for and which division you are looking at. Also depends on who is screening you..However, I believe your experience should suffice

Do you think sending a cover letter with a CV directly to the Head of investment banking dpt is inappropriate? The bank is hiring (according to website). Sent my CV to HR a month ago, no responce.

Sure, just send him a brief email and your resume. No point in sending a cover letter – address what you need to say briefly on the email

What is your opinion about listing client names. Obviously working in a deal situation it would not be acceptable to mention a client name and the transaction itself if this is not public but in my case I have done a lot of work which didn’t result in deals however I am quite keen on mentionning the clients as I have worked with many PE and large Corporate clients. Is it fine to write: “selected list of clients: A,B,C,D,E…

Why would you want to use names there? Just for more credibility when you discuss deals? I would still avoid using names if possible for dead deals. You can still mention that you’ve worked with some big PE names such as X but I wouldn’t go into details; pretend deal is still ongoing even if it died, and leave out the names.

https://mergersandinquisitions.com/why-investment-banking-deals-fail/

You do such a great service for idiots like me!Keep it up.

Hi! For my motivation letter, which the company requires on their application website, shouldn’t I just say I like money and that I want to work for their company because I would like to earn a lot? Or should I go with the “It’s my passion… I like to be challenged… I’d like to contribute innovations for the growth of the business…” bits? Thank you!

applications for bulge brackets. thanks!

Um #2, always

Okay, thanks!

I am beginning to write my cover letter for a number of boutique banks in the fall to apply for analyst positions. What do I if I don’t know anyone at the firm and can’t namedrop a presentation I attended (1st paragraph)? Can I just say

“My name is John Smith, and I am a recent graduate of Fordham University (Class of 2011). I am interested in applying for an analyst position at XYZ firm”

Is there anything else I can add to the first paragraph to flesh out my cover letter a bit? Thank you very much and keep up the good work!

That’s fine

Hi, I recently switched to a major in economics from engineering. The engineering curriculum at my school is very challenging and had a negative impact on my GPA over my freshman/sophomore year (3.4 currently). Would it be appropriate to list that I was previously an engineering major on my resume to reflect the challenging curriculum I was previously engaged in?

Yes that’s a good idea or at least reflect coursework on there

Thanks for the cover letter and resume templates, they’re really helpful. A friend of mine used your templates to score a summer internship in corporate finance advisory at a big four company in london and I was able to score a SA offer in the IBD of a BB firm in frankfurt, germany. we’re both germans btw.

depending on how fulltime recruiting develops we should set something up for a “breaking into IB in europe”-feature if you see the demand for this. So long, Nick

Congrats, interesting to hear that it works in other countries. There are a few articles on Europe (UK, Germany, Italy) already but could use more if you have a unique angle.

A company was recruiting at my college, and all they asked for was for us to send them a 1-page motivational letter? Any idea what I can include in the letter? Eg, why me? Why should I get the offer? Why should I get the bursary? My strengths and weaknesses?

They don’t want a cv, they just want a motivational letter. I’m not too sure what to include in it. Any help would be appreciated.

I would just follow the cover letter template here and expand on it a bit… don’t go into strengths/weaknesses, just follow the outline above.

Thanks Brian for putting up such a nice website and sharing valuable stuff with us aspirers. I might be using a wrong space to look for your suggestions anyways here I go. My challenge here is to make a successful transition from a business development/ strategy side (prior 3 yrs of exp. with a commercial bank) to IB. Being done an MBA recently from a decent B school in UK where I gained the required skill sets for IB, I was targeting at BB which doesnot seems to be working out my way so I m considering the small boutiques as well to start with. I thought a good cover letter can win recruiters attention in my case. Any advice on the approach I should carry to enter into IB & put my prior experience into use to encash it is highly appreciated.

If you do a search for “Networking” and “Cold-calling” you’ll see the most helpful advice – cover letters do not make a difference, focus on your cold-calling and networking skills and do not give up until you try hundreds of places.

is it okay to put stuff on your resume you don’t mention in your cover letter? or should your resume ONLY include stuff from your cover letter?

It’s fine, you can’t even mention everything in the cover letter anyway

In the 3rd paragraph you explained that we should say something along the lines of “I am impressed by your track record of clients and transactions at Goldman Stanley…”

This is obviously a great way to tailor your cover letter, but I was wondering where you find out information of transactions. I’ve found some doing a simple Google search, but is there an independent authority that tracks all of these? As well, how do you know which transactions to mention? The ones that the firm is particularly proud of or ground-breaking?

Use the WSJ Deal Journal or NYT Dealbook to find recent deals they’ve done, anything sizable or significant e.g. the Goldman / Facebook deal

I realized I made a grammatical error in the last paragraph of my cover letter today. I never noticed it before and I’ve sent it to three places already, one BB and two boutiques. Big deal?

No, no one reads cover letters anyway

Firstly thanks for the website, it’s great.

My question is: in most summer IB internships, they ask several cover letter-like questions like “In 250 words max, describe your career aspirations” etc., however there’s usually an option to upload a cover letter as well. Would you advise keeping it concise or would you include examples of IB-related things, adapted to the question, despite the fact you’re effectively rewriting the cover letter?

This is in UK by the way.

Thanks in advance.

Just keep it concise – competency questions are not a big factor vs. CV/interviews.

Thank you for the template.

Quick questions:

Should we use the email format for a doostang message as well?

No keep it way shorter like 2-3 sentences maybe

Dear M&I,

I guess I’m the most complicated case here. I’m currently doing BA in Art History and Italian at UCL, London, now doing my Erasmus in Italy. However, last summer I worked as a M&A Summer Analyst in a small boutique bank specializing in cross-border M&As. There, I started from scratch, with no finance experience/knowledge, but learnt a lot and had lots of hands-on experience, since the company was really small and I was involved in literally everything.

I’m applying for summer internships in large investment banks and about to start writing my cover letters. I assume I must explain myself for studying Art History & Italian and my out-of-the-blue interest in I-Banking, plus use my last summer experience as a selling point. Any other specific hints?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Well, why did you work there? What made you interested in doing that? Reference a specific person or if nothing comes to mind use something from the news or your background e.g. I was always really interested in Italy and the UK and got interested in finance as a result of [xx] so I wanted to explore cross-border M&A and leverage my skills/interests like that.

Hi, I have completed my masters in Drug Discovery and Translational Biology. But currently I am planning to apply for any investment banking positions. As I don’t have any background or experience in the given field, i don’t what to write in the 2nd and 3rd paragraph.

Can you please help me,

Talk about the analytical skills you gained and how they apply, or the leadership / project management skills or anything else like that from previous internships or school.

Hey guys, this letter just repeats what is inside the Resume anyway. What is the additional value for the potential employer to read this kind of resume? There are no additional information. Wouldnt it be better to wite about your motiviation, your personal (not work) background, and reasons to chose this department/bank ? Or would it harm to do this?

Furthermore, the letter includes the information about resume enclosure 3(!) times. I like this site but this template really does not look too promising for me!

So don’t use it? The point is that no one reads cover letters, but in case they do, you don’t want to screw up by saying anything controversial or anything that could be misinterpreted.

If you start writing your personal story, bankers might mistake it for a soap opera script rather than cover letter.

Cover letters have no value at all, but just like grades if you screw one up it could hurt you. This template is intentionally boring and gives very little information because otherwise people would download this and insert pictures of unicorns, write about their past relationships, and other nonsense.

Great comment, made me laugh

Do you recommend being creative in cover letters, ie varying sentence structure, using big/expressive words ?

No, creativity is for marketing or poetry – this is finance.

I’m a US student currently at Oxford for my junior year. All the applications for the UK offices are online. I know you have already answered the question before, but I don’t want to make any mistakes. So just to clarify:

1. Omit the physical addresses, mine as well as theirs. 2. Omit the recruiters name leaving only the name of the bank 3. Omit the signature 4. Do not enclose resume since that is a separate attachment

Thanks so much in advance.

Hie ,i realy luv ur advice!.,Im doing a Bsc in Financial modelling with UNISA.is this a good start for a career in investment banking?.i finish next year, could u tell wat i can do to make myself marketable after graduation.

Honestly, I’m not sure on that one because I’m not familiar with the school. If a lot of banks recruit there, it’s fine; otherwise you should transfer elsewhere.

Its University of SouthAfrica ,im also staying in Africa.is there something i could do 2 giv me an added advantage over my coleagues?.

This article has some tips on South Africa: https://mergersandinquisitions.com/investment-banking-south-africa/

Hey M&I,

What’s your take on headlines (i.e.Application for IB Analyst) and postscripts? I’ve heard from many friends to add them on because they will grab attention. But then again, they aren’t going into banking.

Thanks, Mack

Not applicable for banking

i will be applying to merrill lynch. In the template, you stated many of the internship and job roles that provide the skills required to be a great investment analyst. However, i was just wondering, if i have a perfect gpa, perfect sats score, how can i use these to my advantage in my cover letter?

You can’t really, just list them and be done with it – no point in trying to emphasize those because there’s not much to say and they speak for themselves.

Hi, If the firm’s online application says “you can only attach one file: this should contain your CV, cover letter and any other materials relevant for the position”, does it mean in the word document file I upload, the 1st page is resume, the 2nd page is cover letter and the 3rd is transcript? It looks pretty strange because the document is gonna be 4-5 pages. But since they only allow me to upload one file, I’m not sure what to do with the cover letter and the transcript. Or can I just omit them and attach the resume document only? Thanks a ton.

I would not send the transcript unless they specifically ask for it, otherwise just create a 2-page file with your cover letter and CV

First of all, great website! It’s really helpful and I think you guys are doing a great job.

I am visually impaired, however I have always followed regular education and have performed like anybody else (also in jobs, at associations, etc). Many banks stress their emphasis on diversity and now I am wondering if I should include this fact in my cover letter / online application? On the one hand I feel it would fit great into the whole “what are you most proud of”-question, but I am also scared it might work against me?

Please note I’m applying London, not NY. (I think European regulations might differ from US-ones). I go to a European target school.

Personally I would not list it on your CV / cover letter / online application, but maybe bring it up in an interview if it fits in naturally.

Hi Brian, I was beginning to start writing coverletters–atleast get them going, but I’m confused on where to find the unique strength of each BB, which makes it diff from its competitions. One of the things which makes a good cover letter is that its specific to a firm, but I dont know how to find such information. For instance, I was looking at MS, Barclays website in the section ,’Why MS’ or ‘Why Barclays’, and it seems every firm had the same agenda. We are committed to diversity , team player etc. Obv I need to go into more depth than this. Brian where I can find information specific to each BB on their website? I would really appreciate it. Thanks a lot.

You should read the WSJ Deal Journal blog and look for recent mentions of the bank and what deals they have been advising on – then reference those in the cover letter.

Hi Brian, I’m in a similar position as the above poster. For companies without a personal contact I want to talk about a specific deal they’ve advised on.

I’m just unsure how to formulate such a sentence without encouraging diffcult to answer questions.

E.g. I was thinking of something along the lines of “I was impressed with your company’s role as target advisor in the $X bn acquisition of companyX”

I’m afraid this would result in the question of ‘why were you impressed?’.

Any chance you could give a sample sentence of how you would talk about a deal in a cover letter?

P.S.: Keep up the good work with BIWS, love the constant updates. Highly recommended, well worth the money!

You can say something like “I recently saw news of your role as an advisor in the $X bn acquisition of company X and was immediately interested, since I’ve followed the [X] industry for awhile.”

Hi, I graduated from a target, went to medical school after graduation, but left after two years to pursue a career in investment banking. I now work at a small investment research firm, and I am applying for 2011 analyst class.

How much “explanation” do I need to do in cover letter? Or should I just focus on my job experience and modeling skills?

I don’t think you need much explanation since you quit medicine after 2 years, so just focus on other aspects

Is the physical address at the top still necessary if you’re attaching the cover letter as a .PDF in an online form?

I can’t thank you enough for all these info Brian,

In all honesty, I did have a sudden family death last year for which I had to leave school in the middle of the semester and come back after about two weeks. I got in a lot of psychological stress and uncertainty and I ended up messing up my grades significantly for two semesters. However, I did improve last semester with a full workload (maximum number of credit hours allowed at my school + advanced level classes) and got near 4.0.

How should I mention this on my cover letter? Also, how would I do that on an electronic cover letter which should only be about 4-5 sentences?

Thanks again in advance.

I would just say you had a health issue and had trouble balancing everything, but quickly learned your lesson and received perfect grades right after that. Giving a family excuse sounds fake so I would probably not write that even if it’s true.

Thanks but the thing is that wasn’t my freshman year. It was my sophomore year. So I did well my freshman year than poorly as a sophomore and improved as a junior.

Also, what about the electronic cover letter? Would it be ok to take up some sentences to explain my situation?

Just say you did poorly “at first” and then improved and have perfect grades this past year. I would still keep your cover letter short as no one has time to read a lot.

I would appreciate your advice on this.

I’m a senior at a target school in Far East Asia. It’s really tough to get into a BB here and I’m thinking of visiting each BB and handing them my resume and cover letter to ask for a junior equity research position. I doubt I’d be able to personally meet the head of research or a senior analyst without prior arrangement, so I’d be probably handing my resume and cover letter to HR. I need to stand out but I have no equity research internship experience. What I do have, is a equity S&T internship at a BB and a RA (intern) at a top-tier mgmt. consulting firm. Plus experience managing a personal portfolio and trading derivatives in notable amounts.

Now, my problem is this. I made it to the final round for a junior ER position at GS but unfortunately was not given the offer (the offer ended up going to someone with some full-time experience in ER; had I been competing against fresh-out-of-college candidates would the result have been different?). I would like to mention this in my resume or cover letter hoping that it would serve as evidence that I’m really interested in ER and that I have the potential. But I’m worried that this might send the wrong signal. Who would like to accept a candidate knowing that he was unsuccessful elsewhere? I’m worried that I might appear arrogant in their eyes. I’m thinking of visiting CS, UBS, Citi, MS, ML, JPM, etc. In ER here in Asia, they’re at least at par with GS if not better…

I realize that answer to this may depend on the culture here. Please advise. Thanks.

I would not mention an unsuccessful interview with GS for the reasons you mentioned.

Hi Brian! Long time reader, first time poster. I’m currently a rising senior at a target school on the tale end of my internship at a strong boutique bank in New York. I only have one week left, and I’ve been given zero modeling opportunities. I’m very disappointed. I figure that I should ask for some modeling work. But I have some questions.

1) Does it reflect poorly in interviews for full-time that I didn’t do any modeling? Should I “stretch” the truth?

2) Do you have any other relevant comments about doing a junior year internship and not getting any modeling experience? I’m concerned with how this hurts my full-time credentials, how this might affect my resume, and how overall my standing will decrease relative to my peers because I didn’t get modeling experience.

It’s quite common not to have modeling experience… just say you did research and assisted with potential clients / potential buy-side deals but don’t say anything about modeling. Most people do no modeling in their internships so it doesn’t matter much anyway.

What’s a better part-time fall internship, BB PWM or no-name boutique (I mean no name.. say 3-7 employees)?

Both are about the same, but the boutique is better for your resume because you can write “Investment Banking Analyst”

off-topic question:

I often read though it’s June interviews are still taking place.

When do banks in America/Europe begin accepting applications for: 1) summer interns (analyst) 2) full-time (analyst/associate)

Is the end of a summer intern equivalent to the end of the full-time offer application period? Because ppl. might are offered a full-time offer after their summer intern.

To put it in a nutshell: When is recruting/application time generally?

Summer interns are December/January, full-time is August-September.

And when do you start as summer intern, when u successfully applied in dec/jan or successfully applied for aug/sep?

Summer interns usually start in June

This post reminded me of the classic cover letter to Lehman that was on Leveraged Sellout. I tried to see it, but it appears LSO has shutdown. Is this the case? Are the days of re-reading the same, hilarious stories over?

I don’t know because it’s not my site, but yes it appears to be down. Maybe check the google cache.

Thanks for the release of this article, much appreciated.

Curious on an unrelated question though, when you try to develop relationships with bankers and do the initial outreach to set up an information interview, how far ahead should you plan? I mean should you give them dates within the week you email, 2 weeks ahead, etc?

Also, for specific time slots you ask for, what time is it usually best for a banker to talk to someone about that? Like early morning, late night, right after lunch, etc?

Thanks again, H

Give dates within the next 1.5 weeks so they have a few days to respond. Usually right after lunch is best for bankers, for traders you have to call after market hours are over

Hi Brian, Thanks for the website, I have a quick question for you. I am in one of the new Masters in Finance/Management programs. I am at a target school for undergrad/MBA (think UNC/Duke/UVA). However, since the program is very new, banks don’t know much about it. Aditionally, although I have had some Wealth Management internship experience, I don’t have an I-Banking internship.

Given my situation, do you think it is better for me (in terms of B-school and exit opportunities) to go into a top ten consulting firm (excluding MBB) or try for mid-market/boutique investment banks (My school is very good in placing people in consulting), assuming I don’t get into a BB. I ultimately want to end up in PE or HF (preferably PE).

Thanks for your help.

I would still say banking because consulting –> PE is very tough unless you go for firms like Golden Gate Capital that hire a lot of ex-consultants… and even there they’re mostly from MBB. Much easier to go from smaller bank –> PE than to go from smaller consulting firm –> PE.

Should I mention the fact that my company is in F500? It’s know in Europe, but I doubt it is known in North America.

You can add it in, yes

I don’t have any inside experience about the recruiting process, but a friend/colleague of mine (BB) mentioned that while recruiting for regional european branches/off-cycle internships often look at the cover letter, they almost never do it for summer positions in London.

Everyone seems to have different stories re: cover letters, but they are certainly less important than resumes, networking, or interviews

What about for laterals?

Same template applies but talk about how your previous banking experience applies to the new position you’re applying for

I appreciate your template for its compactness, I understand I shouldnt overestimate the competition, but Im trying to sell myself to the recruiter, so simply mentioning my skills and experience will not differentiate me from the “competitor”…?

I personally dont have so much experience in the finance realm (although Im genuinely interested in it and have managed to get a ten day insight into a BB) so do you encourage mentioning transferable skills I acquired through extra curricular activities, ie football = teamwork, etc, etc…

Cover letters are not really the place to “sell” yourself, which is why this is short… much safer to keep it boring and then do the selling via networking / interviews.

I know this is supposed to be basic, but the first paragraph is pretty useless. Your name, university/job position and contact details will already be on your resume so what’s the point in wasting time and space repeating the details on your cover letter. Also, saying “I am interested in pursuing an [Investment Banking Analyst / Associate] position at your firm” is also somewhat redundant, since the recruiter knows what position you’re applying for.

The template is good as a starting point, but on the off chance someone actually does read your cover letter, I would try to do a lot more than just make redundant statements.

This template is for both email and traditional letters… and in email it’s certainly not redundant. Even with traditional letters you are introducing new information by giving the name of the person you met at their firm as well as your major / where you’re working more specifically.

so do you expect the same stats as what you have written for the resume template? A given population, and a limited percentage will download it, and even a limited percentage will copy it word for word?

Cheers, thanks for all the great info!

In the grand scheme of things, yes – online a lot of people use these templates but most people who apply to banks do not use them.

I’m currently a rising junior at a semi target looking to be a SA next summer. This past summer I interned at a discount brokerage firm but had significant responsibilities (they didn’t have to hire an additional broker because of me) and got a lot of experience and face time with clients.

I have an opportunity to apply for a PWM internship for the fall with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Should I continue with my current internship through the fall or would it look better to move to the more distinguished name? I imagine the work would be similar. thanks

Go to the better name

nice template, it sure will be easier for internationals like me to write one now. thanks.

Thank you for the cover letter template.

“If you’re making the body of your email the cover letter, make it even shorter (4-5 sentences total) and cut out the address bits at the top.”

Do you mean we should drastically cut down the entire 4 paragraph cover letter into 4-5 sentences?

Yes, make it so they don’t have to scroll much (if at all) when reading on a Blackberry. 1-2 sentence intro, 2 sentences on your work experience and how it makes you fit for the job and then 1 sentence conclusion.

A nicely put article! Anyway, I like the new template for the website too!

A question that is unrelated to the article:

How far does an interviewer expect you to know in a previous live deal that you were previously involved in as an INTERN? I mean really, to be fair, often times, even if interns are being put into live deals, they are only doing menial works (including me), such as researching, data mining, presentation slides building, etc.

How far of financial analysis would the interviewer expect you to know?

Also, in terms of financial modeling, you’ve said it before that it is the kind of work that everyone should want to be exposed to. But what if the financial modeling is not for a live deal, but for a potential deal? Would it still look better than the menial works in live deals?

Thank you! You have no idea how helpful you have been.

They expect you to know what you indicate you know… so don’t set expectations very high. And yes any type of modeling work is better than menial tasks

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At most investment banks , cover letters that accompany resumes are barely read, if read at all.  Applications are typically screened according to your resume , with school and GPA as the first filter.  If you went to a “name” school and have a strong GPA, then your resume and cover letter are read in more detail.  To help you get through the screening process, we’ve created this guide to writing an investment banking cover letter.

Unfortunately, cover letters are often more of an opportunity to make a mistake than an opportunity to impress. Your best bet is to keep your letter short and straightforward, taking care to not say anything too daring or risky.

If you do have something unique to note, a particular value-add, then your cover letter can be a great tool for showcasing it.

Investment banking cover letters are fairly formulaic. The sections below give a breakdown of each of the areas of information that should be included and what information to put in each.

There are three main components to a standard investment banking cover letter:

• Introduction
• Experience & Fit

As we noted before, it’s a simple, straightforward (not fancy) document.

Introduction (one paragraph)

Experience & fit (two paragraphs).

Next, go on to describe whatever relevant experience you have that makes you an ideal candidate for the bank to hire.  This can include work experience, university clubs/associations, certification programs, or other activities .  Try to connect your experience back to investment banking skills such as financial modeling and valuation .

Explaining why you’re a good fit for the firm is very important.  To demonstrate fit, you have to understand the bank’s culture (i.e., the values they talk about externally, which may be different from the actual internal work atmosphere).  It’s important for the recruiter to feel confident that you’ll fit in well with the firm. Therefore, make sure you’ve done your homework and are familiar with the primary values the bank espouses in their marketing materials.

The best way for you to determine if you are a good fit with the bank is to network with people who work there and learn first-hand what the culture is like. Once you know what it’s like, you can make an honest assessment of how close a fit you actually are. In any event, whatever you’re able to glean about the company culture, try to work something into your investment banking cover letter indicating how well you’ll fit in. For example, if you determine that the company is especially focused on providing first-class customer service, you can indicate that you focus on providing the specific kind of service that each individual client wants.

Conclusion (one paragraph)

Finally, wrap things up by reiterating how keen you are to work at the bank, why you’re well-suited, and pointing out that you’ve enclosed your resume and are reachable at your contact information to discuss the opportunity. The conclusion is an almost pure formula section. No real new information should be presented there. Simply tie up everything you said in the first two sections.

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3 Investment Banking Cover Letter Examples Made in 2024 

• Investment Banking Cover Letter
• Investment Banking Internship Cover Letter
• Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter
• Write Your Investment Banking Cover Letter

Identifying investment opportunities is where you shine. Risk and return profiles are identified, valuations are completed, and acquisitions are performed successfully with you on the job.

But have you invested enough time writing a cover letter that complements your investment banking resume and helps land your next job?

We’ll help you get started with our investment banking cover letter examples . They’ll provide an easy template for success and, when coupled with our AI cover letter generator, will ensure you stand out in this results-driven field.

Investment Banking Cover Letter Example

USE THIS TEMPLATE

Microsoft Word

Google Docs

Block Format

Copy this text for your investment banking cover letter!

123 Fictional Avenue New Orleans, LA 70112 (123) 456-7890

October 01, 2023

Ethan Davis Capital One Securities 123 Fictional Lane New Orleans, LA 70112

Dear Mr. Davis:

As a fervent believer in the power of data-driven decision making in my professional career and personal investment endeavors, I spend my evenings studying financial market trends and identifying potential opportunities when I’m not engrossed in aiding clients in reaching their financial goals. Pairing my passion for finance with my keen understanding of various industry nuances, I am excited to join Capital One Securities as an investment banking associate.

During my tenure at UBS, I honed my expertise in data analysis, using advanced tools like Python and Excel to sort through vast amounts of information. I successfully identified vital investment opportunities that contributed to the growth and diversification of portfolios, thereby increasing the company’s average annual return on investment by 8.2%.

As a financial analyst at Valmiki 504, also based in New Orleans, I dove headfirst into financial statement analysis, scrutinizing balance sheets, cash flow, and income statements. Consequently, my analysis contributed to improvements in client portfolio performance, with a 6.7% increase in average annual returns.

Being involved in numerous Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) deals as part of the strategic financial advisory team at Dorsey & Company, I implemented a systematic approach to risk analysis and valuations. My prowess in executing due diligence and navigating financial models was instrumental in securing successful deals for the advisors. Our team collectively increased completed M&A transactions by 9.4% during my time there, benefiting clients through synergistic growth.

I am eager to leverage my enthusiasm and skillset to augment Capital One Securities’ position at the forefront of the financial sector. I look forward to discussing how my expertise can contribute to the growth and continued success of Capital One Securities and its client base. Thank you.

Liam Andersen

Enclosures: Resume Application Academic Transcript

Why this cover letter works

• Follow this with a compelling narrative of relevant work experiences , backing up impacts made in previous workplaces using numbers, percentages, and revenues. Skills such as data analysis, financial statement and risk analysis, and software Python and Excel should suffice in your piece.

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Investment Banking Internship Cover Letter Example

Copy this text for your investment banking internship to your cover letter!

123 Fictional Avenue New York City, NY 10001 (123) 456-7890

Liam Harris JPMorgan Chase & Co. 123 Fictional Lane New York City, NY 10001

Dear Mr. Harris:

Influenced by the allure of the world of finance and its complex interplay of numbers, I spend my leisure hours tracking global economic indicators when I’m not thoroughly engrossed in my academic pursuit of finance. This fascination for finance and my keen interest in building personalized investment portfolios ignited my enthusiasm to be part of JPMorgan Chase & Co. as an investment banking valuation intern.

During my time at New York University, I honed my skills in Python to analyze complex financial datasets, proving instrumental to our team’s success in the annual Love Data Week competition. The models I developed contributed to us outperforming 52+ teams and winning by a margin of 3.2%.

As a research Intern at the NYU Stern School of Business, utilizing tools like Bloomberg Terminal and FactSet, I completed a research project on the impact of modern trade wars on international markets. The efforts culminated in a published paper that was well-received in academia.

Additionally, my coursework in statistical analysis spurred my interest in predicting financial trends. By employing these skills, I earned the second spot in the college’s annual forecast challenge, predicting S&P 500 performance with an accuracy level of 92.3%.

The idea of playing an indispensable part at the trailblazing vanguard of the finance industry exhilarates me to no end. I look forward to discussing my qualifications in detail at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

Zara Jafari

• Of course, the majority of your piece will focus on academic accomplishments. But don’t just highlight your technical know-how. Briefly narrate instances where you translated classroom knowledge into tangible impact during class projects, competitions, simulations, and possibly an internship or volunteer program.

Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter Example

Copy this text for your investment banking analyst cover letter!

123 Fictional Avenue Memphis, TN 38101 (123) 456-7890

Ava Wilson First Horizon National Corporation 123 Fictional Lane Memphis, TN 38101

Dear Ms. Wilson:

Responding to First Horizon National Corporation’s compelling belief that creating new horizons is critical to client success, I am eager to join your dynamic team of innovators as your next investment banking analyst. Firmly believing in the heightened potential that emerges when diverse insights merge and align toward a shared financial goal, I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with your team of skilled analysts and finance experts.

One of my skills, Comparable Company Analysis (CCA), helped me carve a significant niche at Raymond James. By applying such in-depth analyses, I was able to implement strategies that led to an annual yield increase of 7.3% for our locally focused portfolios, demonstrating the power of well-applied industry knowledge. Moreover, proficiency in pitch book preparation has augmented my communicative prowess, allowing me to clearly convey complex financial narratives. This proficiency manifested in more than just words, driving a 16.4% growth in local investments by effectively showcasing our value propositions to Memphis clients.

My firm grasp of capital structure analysis further complements these core competencies. Using Bloomberg Terminal and FactSet, I dissected intricate financial data at NewSouth Capital Management, which eventually reduced client portfolios’ cost of capital by 14.7%.

As seen from my history of aiding Memphis-based organizations like Bluff City Coffee & Bakery and Medtronic, I am committed to building solid relationships and paving ways for clients to reach their long-term financial objectives seamlessly.

Inspired and motivated by First Horizon’s dedication to guiding its clients toward fruitful opportunities, I look forward to contributing to your mission. I appreciate your consideration and look forward to discussing how my experiences and skills could further bolster the growth of First Horizon National Corporation.

Nina Petrovic

• Go ahead and show off your professional arsenal (cue comparable company analysis, pitch book preparation, or capital structure analysis). Weaving in quantifiable wins, like an annual yield increase of 7.3%, anchors your credibility.

Related cover letter examples

• Investment banking resume
• Financial analyst
• Bank teller
• Account manager

How to Format Investment Banking Cover Letter

When optimizing a client’s investment portfolio, you always ensure you account for their specific needs and financial situation to get them the best results. Take a similar approach to your investment banking cover letter. 

The job description will help you succeed here. It’ll outline the company’s mission and the top investment banking skills they’re looking for so you can include them in your cover letter to stand out.

For instance, you could explain how you’ll use your negotiation skills to help an automotive company continue expanding its market while achieving its goal of bringing fair vehicle prices to consumers.

Investment banking cover letter introduction

When meeting a client for the first time, you’d want to learn their name to instantly create a connection. You should do the same in your investment banking cover letter by trying to address a specific hiring manager by name, if you can find it in the job description or the company website.

Then, once you get into the opening paragraph, grab attention by referencing your passion for the company’s mission and the top skills they’re looking for, like financial modeling or using the Bloomberg Suite.

The example below will show you a cover letter that gets off to a good start but falls short when they don’t get into any specifics about the company’s investment banking needs.

Needs more details!

Dear Ms. Tyson,

I was pleased to see the investment banking opportunity your company has available. With my seven years of experience in the financial field, I believe I’ll be the right fit for your company’s needs.

An opener like the one below is a better option that relates directly to the applicant’s enthusiasm for First Horizon National Corporation’s dynamic and innovative investment banking team. 

A compelling and detailed opener!

Dear Ms. Wilson,

Investment banking cover letter body

Data is a crucial part of the decisions you make as an investment banker. It’s also pretty important to help you write a successful cover letter.

One of the best ways to optimize your body paragraphs is by sharing examples using metrics. For instance, you could explain how you used your market forecasting skills to help a portfolio of 125 clients grow their earnings by an average of 34% annually.

If you don’t have much work experience , you could also write about how your education in finance, accounting, or other related fields has equipped you for the role. For example, you could talk about how you analyzed statements of cash flows with 98% accuracy during your managerial accounting course.

A great body paragraph with data-driven performance!

Investment banking cover letter closing

After you wrap up a meeting with a client, you’d want to relate back to what you covered to ensure they’re up to speed on the next steps you’ll take when optimizing their investment portfolio. You should do the same with the closing of your cover letter by relating back to the essential job skills you emphasized, like private equity and market analysis, and how you connect with the company’s mission.

It’s also best practice to thank the hiring manager for their time and close with a light call to action like “I look forward to discussing the needs of this investment banking position with you further.”

The closer below doesn’t quite hit the mark since it’s missing the call to action or any specific details about the investment banking role.

Lacking impact with this one!

I believe my skills and experience will be of great value to your company’s growing investment banking needs. Thank you for taking the time to review my application.

Isaac Martens

A better closer is the one below that directly relates to Capital One Securities’ goal to grow in the financial sector and help its client base succeed. 

An impactful closer relating to the company’s mission! 

I am eager to leverage my enthusiasm and skillset to augment Capital One Securities’ position at the forefront of the financial sector. I look forward to discussing how my expertise can contribute to the growth and continued success of Capital One Securities and its client base. Thank you.

Sincerely, 

One page is the optimal length for investment banking cover letters. If you’re struggling to shorten it, try to focus on the primary needs of each job. For instance, if you’re applying to a commercial investment banking role, your M&A and equity research abilities may be essential to emphasize. 

Your investment banking cover letter should be customized for each job. It’ll help you stand out when applying to one company that works with high-yield bonds and another that specializes in structured financial management so you can present relevant skills for both. 

The best way to make job skills stand out is to include relevant ones to each company’s needs and share metrics-based examples of how you used them successfully in previous jobs. For instance, you could explain how you used S&P Capital IQ to help companies utilize their assets 54% more efficiently. 

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Investment Banking Cover Letter [Examples, Template & Tips]

In this article, we’ll cover:

Investment Banking Cover Letter Examples

How to write an investment banking cover letter, investment banking cover letter template, tips on how to write a cover letter for investment banking.

An investment banker or investment banking analyst’s major responsibilities include raising capital for businesses and individuals by issuing debt and selling equity, overseeing mergers, conducting research, and preparing legal and financial documents.

Want to get into investment banking? Well, you’re in for a fierce competition. To boost your application, make sure your investment banking cover letter pitches yourself effectively to future employers.

We’re going to guide you on how to craft a top-notch how to write a cover letter for investment banking jobs.

General investment banking cover letter

Dear Hiring Manager,

My name is Kellie Huang - a recent MBA graduate from National Taiwan University. I was introduced to your firm via Professor Kuo and was excited to see the junior investment analyst opening at your firm, Barclays. With my educational background and former Morgan Stanley internship experience, I believe that I would make an excellent fit for this role. 

During my previous internship and Morgan Stanley, my main tasks included preparing marketing materials for M&A and capital-raising engagements, conducting industry and company-specific research, maintaining accurate records on funding sources, and developing written materials, including offering memorandum and new business presentations. Through this internship program, I have gained strong modeling and analysis skills as well as the ability to work effectively either in a team or independently.  

Barclays is known in the industry for providing comprehensive financial, advisory, and capital-raising services, which makes me look forward to joining and contributing to your firm.

I have attached my resume for your further review of my qualifications. I would welcome an opportunity to further discuss how my skills and experience could help Barclays in an interview. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Kind regards, Kellie Huang

[email protected] linkedin.com/kelliehuang95 (+886)-555-9999

Investment banking internship cover letter

Dear Mr. Steven,

My name is Nathan L. Reynolds - a final year student majoring in Finance at UT Austin. I’m writing in support of my application for the Investment Banking Summer Analyst Program at Cowen where I would love to pursue my dream and build my career.

My fascination with finance and banking started at an early age, which motivates me to enroll in UT Austin and enables me to complete the Insights Programme for first-year students at McKinsey. The program gave me exposure to the fundamentals of financial analysis and modeling, value interest, and equity research. I am also predicted to graduate with first-class honors since I have an excellent record of academic achievement, with 8 A* and 2 A grades at the GCSE level. 

Besides that, I'm an active participant in many clubs and organizations which demonstrates the team player skills you are looking for.

An opportunity to complete the internship at Cowen would be a dream come true for me. I would be happy to answer any questions you have in person or online, at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Sincerely, Nathan L. Reynolds

15 Live Oak Street, Austin, TX 78746  [email protected] (+361)-993-5566

Goldman Sachs cover letter

Chaikerra Guice 21138 Chadbourne Trace Lane, Richmond, TX 77407 (281)-220-9084  [email protected]

September 19, 2023

Dear Goldman Sachs Hiring Manager,

After reviewing on handshake your job description about the Summer Analyst opportunity at Goldman Sachs, it’s clear that you’re looking for a candidate who is extremely familiar with the responsibilities associated with the role and can perform them confidently. I am certain that I have the necessary skills to successfully do the job adeptly and perform above expectations.

During my academic career, I managed to gain five years of work experience for Kroger Co. as a sales representative in a fast-paced environment. I was trained in many departments and had the opportunity to shadow a Human Resource Manager. I also observed 100 different training programs they have to offer including, recruiting, training, Talent Acquisition, and compliance with rules and regulations. 

Moreover, I had the privilege of working for Baylor University’s Student Activities in a managerial role by helping with 10 different community service projects. I learned professional skills such as guiding, educating, supporting, and instructing students by building meaningful relationships with them. 

I look forward to elaborating on how my specific skills and abilities will benefit your organization. Please contact me at (281)220-9084 or via email at [email protected] to arrange a convenient meeting time for an interview.

Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely, Chaikerra Guice

Source: Chaikerra Guice’s Goldman Sachs Cover letter

JP Morgan cover letter

Yousuf Kadir 5832 Reba St. Morton Grove, IL 60053

November 8th, 2023

J. P. Morgan 270 Park Ave., New York, NY, 10017

Dear Recruiter,

My name is Yousuf Kadir and I am currently a sophomore at Northwestern University studying Economics and Business. I was recently introduced to J.P. Morgan’s sophomore investment banking program via Ian Chan and was impressed with what I learned of J.P. Morgan’s competitive and collaborative culture. I am interested in pursuing an investment banking summer analyst position at your firm.

I have previously completed an internship at Aurora Investment Management, a hedge fund of funds in Chicago. Through this experience, I worked on managing projects and analyzing financial analyses. From this, I have learned skills including attention to detail and analytical skills, thus the relevant experience to pursue a career in banking.

Given my background at Aurora Investment Management and my attention to detail and analytical skills, I am particularly a good fit for the investment banking analyst position at your firm. I am impressed by the track record of J.P. Morgan, the responsibilities given to an investment banking summer analyst, and I look forward to joining and contributing to your firm.

I would welcome an opportunity to discuss my qualifications with you and learn more about J.P. Morgan at your earliest convenience. I can be reached at 847.486.1424 or via email at [email protected] . Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, Yousuf A. Kadir

Source: Yousuf Kadir J.P. Morgan Cover Letter

Morgan Stanley cover letter

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to apply for the Summer Analyst Programme as advertised on the TARGETjobs website. I am in the final year of my BSc in Electrical & Electronic Engineering course at the University of Nottingham with plans to begin an MSc in Finance in 2015. I am seeking my first internship towards a career in investment banking (M&A) and I feel, with my detail-oriented nature and my quantitative and technical background as an engineer, I am prepared for the highly quantitative and analytically demanding finance environment.

Like in engineering, investment banking, in particular M&A, is another way of creating synergy i.e. the interaction of elements (companies) that when combined are greater as a whole, than individually, and this is what draws me to this field. I am excited by the prospect of finding more cost-effective, efficient, and profitable ways for companies, by integrating, to operate and provide services. 

The experience on numerous projects during my education has developed my ability to think critically, conduct research, write reports and communicate effectively, for example prior to my enrollment in the university, I was part of a team that worked with Fairline Boats Ltd to develop a 3D storyboard and simulation for the advertising campaign of their new boat. I was exposed to different new and innovative technologies in which I had to assimilate quickly, identify issues and propose solutions.

I hope that, on consideration of my attached CV, you will feel that I have the skills and experience to succeed in your summer analyst programme and become a valued member of Morgan Stanley.

I very much look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Source: Cover letter for an internship position at Morgan Stanley

Below you will find essential parts that make up a great investment analyst cover letter, including tips for writing each part.

✍🏻 Adopt a standard cover letter format.

The 6 sections that need to be included in a cover letter format for investment banking positions are: 

• Letter header - Provide the personal and contact info of the sender (you), date, and the recipient (recruiter, employer, or hiring manager).
• Salutation - Start with Dear, Hi, or Hello, and address the receiver directly.
• Introduction paragraph - Introduce who you are and mention which position you're applying for.
• Body paragraph(s) - Explain your motivation to apply and what makes you the best fit. 
• Closing paragraph - Remind the reader to review the attached files and express your gratitude.
• Signature - End the application letter with a proper sign-off and use your real name.

✍🏻 Express your interest in the role and your enthusiasm for investment banking.

This marks the difference between an investment analyst cover letter vs a resume. A resume only mentions your educational qualification and professional experience while an investment banking cover letter further explains your interest in the job. 

“Passion will get you the job.” This is especially true when you're writing an investment banking internship cover letter. Think carefully about what you are truly passionate about instead of what you think the hiring manager expects to read. In such an increasingly competitive market like investment banking, it’s passion and personality that help entry-level candidates and juniors get a leg up on the competition.

✍🏻 Explain why you are an ideal candidate. 

Here are a few tips:

• Use quantified results to elaborate on your experiences and accomplishments, for example: “In the last role at LTA Inc, I’ve supported IPO initialization for 8 startups onto NYSE and Nasdaq.”
• Insert positive words to describe yourself, such as: capable of, able to, dependable, energetic, flexible, etc. 
• Mention what you can do to bring value to the firm. Check out the Goldman Sachs cover letter example : “With plenty of experience in foreign investment and finding funds for domestic startup capital, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss your investment plans for the coming year at Goldman Sachs.”

✍🏻 Finish with a strong CTA.

In the final paragraph of your investment analyst cover letter, make sure you’ve inserted a strong CTA (call-to-action) to remind the employer to review your application and speak with you further regarding the job opportunity. By doing so, you can show them your motivation to apply and interest in the role, as well as give them a push to reach out to you for an interview.

✍🏻 Don’t forget to attach your resume/CV.

A cover letter is generally submitted as part of your job application (alongside your resume or CV). Hence, keep in mind to attach your documents to the email and make sure the files should be named consistently and properly.

Not sure where to start? Here is a template that you can download for free and use for your own investment banking job application. 

[Your Full Name]  [Your Address]  [Your Email Address]  [Your Phone Number]

[Date written]

[Recipient’s Name]  [Recipient’s Job Title]  [Company Name]  [Company Address]

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms./Mx. [Name] , 

I am writing this cover letter to apply for the [job role] position at [company name] , as advertised on [website name] . I feel that I would be a valuable asset to your company as well as the [department/team] because of the following qualifications: 

During [number] years of experience in [area of expertise], I am responsible for [list at least 3 major job tasks]. The greatest accomplishments I've achieved in the former roles are [achievement 1] and [achievement 2] . 

My key skills include [soft skills] and [hard skills] , which enable me to accomplish the achievements mentioned above. I’m also [personal traits] . That makes me strongly believe I am the right fit for the role and can bring more value to the [company name] ’s growth. 

Please kindly find attached my resume. I thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon. 

Sincerely,  [Your Name]

💡 Focus on your soft skills and personal traits. 

Here comes the two important factors that determine whether or not you're qualified for the role. To do so, you need to research the firm and make sure you can fit into the corporate culture. 

Here are some must-have soft skills for your investment banking cover letter :

• Stay calm under pressure
• Work well in a team 
• Honesty & Integrity
• Relationship building skills

💡 Be brief but engaging.

As a general rule of thumb, your investment analyst cover letter should range between 200-350 words. If it's too short, the hiring manager may think that you didn't put much effort into it or don't have many things to show. On the other hand, a cover letter exceeding 400 words can seem too long and make recruiters miss important points. Be brief and direct with your point to keep their attention.

💡 Mention any referrals or mutual networks.

As networking is especially essential within financial services, you can get a leg up on the competition by including any referrals or mutual networks in your investment banking cover letter. 

Example of a successful cover letter for JP Morgan internship program, with a referral: 

“I was recently introduced to J.P. Morgan’s sophomore investment banking program via Ian Chan and was impressed with what I learned of J.P. Morgan’s competitive and collaborative culture.”

💡 Be confident, but do not over-exaggerate.

Confidence is key in job hunting and can be conveyed through your writing. To keep that positivity throughout your investment banking cover letter, here are a few tips without overdoing it:

• Avoid overusing phrases like “excellent", “think outside of the box”, “strategic thinker", “expert", etc. 
• Admit that you haven't gained plenty of work experience or significant achievements 
• Willing to take on any challenges as a newbie

💡  Utilize bullet points. 

Consider using bullet points when writing your investment banking cover letter and resume. That will make it easy to read for employers and save a lot of space. 

When to use bullet points in a cover letter:

• List out job responsibilities in previous roles 
• Mention professional accomplishments in the field
• Highlight hard and soft skills

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5 Compelling Examples of Investment Banking Cover Letters

By Status.net Editorial Team on July 13, 2024 — 6 minutes to read

Your cover letter is important because it introduces you to potential employers and sets you apart. It should explain why you’re a good fit for the role and highlight your skills and experiences.

Investment Banking Cover Letter Template

Dear [Employer’s Name],

I am writing to express my interest in the [Job Position] at [Company Name]. With my background in [relevant field], I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team.

Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

Examples of Investment Banking Cover Letters

Dear Ms. Smith,

I am eager to apply for the Analyst position at Goldman Sachs. My degree in Finance and my internship experiences have prepared me well for this opportunity. I am confident in my ability to contribute effectively to your team.

Sincerely, John Doe

Dear Mr. Brown,

Enclosed is my application for the Investment Banking Intern position at J.P. Morgan. My background includes strong analytical skills honed through my academic projects and internship at a local bank. I am excited about the possibility of bringing my skills to your esteemed firm.

Sincerely, Jane Smith

Dear Ms. Miller,

I am pleased to submit my application for the Associate role at Morgan Stanley. I possess a Master’s in Business Administration and demonstrated success in past roles. I am enthusiastic about the chance to leverage my skills at your company.

Sincerely, Alice Johnson

Dear Mr. White,

My application for the Junior Analyst position at Bank of America Merrill Lynch is enclosed. With my Bachelor’s in Economics and my analytical experience, I am ready to excel in this role.

Sincerely, Michael Lee

Dear Ms. Wilson,

I am excited to apply for the Financial Analyst position at Citigroup Inc. My academic achievements and previous internships have given me the knowledge and skills needed for this role.

Sincerely, Emily Davis

Crafting Your Cover Letter

Key components of a cover letter.

Open with a professional salutation such as “Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name].”

Write an engaging opening paragraph, detailed body paragraphs highlighting your experience and skills, and a strong closing paragraph.

• Intro Paragraph
• Body Paragraphs
• Closing Paragraph

Writing a Compelling Intro

Your introduction should grab the reader’s attention. Mention how you found the job listing and why you are excited about the position.

Speak directly to the company’s needs:

• “I am thrilled to apply for the Investment Banking Analyst position at ABC Bank.”
• “After reading about your firm’s innovative approach, I am eager to bring my financial skills to your team.”

You can include specific examples like:

• “I have followed ABC Bank’s success through recent financial publications.”
• “My interest in ABC Bank was sparked by your recent merger.”

A strong introduction sets the tone for the rest of your cover letter.

Highlighting Relevant Experience and Skills

In this section, focus on your relevant experience and skills. Match your experiences to the job requirements. Use bullet points to make your cover letter easier to read and understand. Examples:

• “In my role at (…), I analyzed data to improve investment strategies.”
• “I successfully led a team to close several multimillion-dollar deals.”
• “At (…) Bank, I managed client portfolios and delivered above-average returns.”
• “I used advanced Excel skills to create detailed financial models.”
• “Through internships, I gained experience in market research and trading.”

Each example should be concrete and show direct relevance to the job.

Presenting Your Achievements

Showcase your achievements clearly. Explain how your accomplishments align with the job’s requirements. Try to use numbers to quantify your success when possible. Examples:

• “Increased departmental efficiency by 20% through process optimization.”
• “Generated $5 million in revenue through strategic investment initiatives.”
• “Awarded Employee of the Month for exceptional performance in Q3.”
• “Developed a new analytic tool that improved forecasting accuracy by 15%.”
• “Successfully managed a difficult client portfolio, achieving a 12% growth.”

(Achievements provide solid proof of your capability and can differentiate you from other candidates.)

Concluding with a Strong Call to Action

End your cover letter with a strong call to action. Restate your enthusiasm for the role and express eagerness to discuss your application further.

Examples of strong closing statements:

• “I would love the opportunity to discuss how my background and skills can be an asset to your team.”
• “Looking forward to the possibility of contributing to ABC Bank’s success.”
• “I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience.”
• “Thank you for considering my application. I am excited to speak more about this opportunity.”
• “Please contact me at your earliest convenience to schedule a discussion.”

Make it clear that you are ready to take the next step and are keen to hear back.

Personalizing Your Application

Tailoring experience to the job description.

You need to match your experience to what the job description asks for. Start by highlighting your accomplishments that align with the job requirements. For instance, if the job calls for strong analytical skills, mention a project where you excelled in data analysis. Use specific examples to show your skills.

Make sure to use keywords from the job description in your cover letter. This will catch the hiring manager’s attention and show that you understand what they are looking for. Also, avoid using vague or generic statements. Specifics demonstrate your suitability better than broad claims.

Networking and Personal Connection

Networking can give you an edge in the job market. Reach out to current or former employees to learn more about the company. This can provide valuable insights that you can mention in your cover letter. It also shows the hiring manager that you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in their company.

You can also mention any personal connections you have within the company. For example, if you spoke with someone during a networking event and they encouraged you to apply, mention it. This adds a personal touch to your application and could make it more memorable.

Addressing the Hiring Manager Directly

Always try to find out the name of the hiring manager you are addressing in your cover letter. Addressing them by name shows that you took the time to research and adds a personal touch. If you can’t find the name, use a specific title (such as “Dear Hiring Manager”)

Include your contact details in an easy-to-find place in your cover letter. This makes it simple for the hiring manager to get in touch with you.

What should be included in an investment banking cover letter?

Your cover letter should have a clear opening that states your interest in the position and company. You should also mention any relevant experience, skills, and education that align with the role. Personalizing your letter by mentioning the company’s achievements can also make a good impression.

How to write a cover letter for investment banking with no experience?

If you have no experience, focus on your education, relevant coursework, and any internships or volunteer work that show you have the skills needed for the job. Highlight any finance-related projects or responsibilities you have undertaken. It’s important to show enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.

How long should an investment banking cover letter typically be?

Stick to about three to four paragraphs. Make every word count and avoid unnecessary details.

What makes a cover letter stand out for investment banking positions?

To stand out, tailor your cover letter to each application. Use specific examples to demonstrate your skills and achievements. Show enthusiasm for the position and the company.

How can I highlight my skills in a cover letter if I am new to investment banking?

Even if you’re new, focus on transferable skills like analytical thinking, attention to detail, and teamwork. Mention any finance courses, projects, or internships. Related: 150 Example Phrases: Top Transferable Skills Every Company Wants

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19 Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter Examples for 2024 (Download Templates)

Craft an exceptional Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter with our online builder. Explore a variety of professional example cover letter templates tailored for all levels and specialties. Capture the attention of employers with a sleek, professional Cover Letter. Secure your dream job today!

Table of Contents

Most popular investment banking analyst cover letter examples.

Explore additional Investment Banking Analyst cover letter samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

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Bank Examiner Cover Letter Example

Securities Analyst Cover Letter Example

Business Banking Relationship Manager Cover Letter Example

Accounts Payable Analyst Cover Letter Example

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Treasury Analyst Cover Letter Example

Tax Analyst Cover Letter Example

Senior Financial Analyst Cover Letter Example

Senior Treasury Analyst Cover Letter Example

Senior Credit Analyst Cover Letter Example

Revenue Analyst Cover Letter Example

Reimbursement Manager Cover Letter Example

Relationship Banker Cover Letter Example

Private Banker Cover Letter Example

Loan Manager Cover Letter Example

Loan Analyst Cover Letter Example

Lending Manager Cover Letter Example

Investment Banking Associate Cover Letter Example

Investment Banker Cover Letter Example

Investment Manager Cover Letter Example

Fund Manager Cover Letter Example

Fixed Income Analyst Cover Letter Example

Equity Analyst Cover Letter Example

Derivatives Analyst Cover Letter Example

Corporate Financial Analyst Cover Letter Example

Commercial Banker Cover Letter Example

Collection Manager Cover Letter Example

Business Banker Cover Letter Example

Billing Analyst Cover Letter Example

Bank Teller Cover Letter Example

As you embark on your journey towards securing a coveted position as an Investment Banking Analyst, crafting a standout cover letter is essential to making a lasting impression on potential employers. This guide will walk you through the intricacies of writing an effective cover letter tailored to the competitive landscape of investment banking. From understanding the key components that employers seek to tips on showcasing your skills and experiences, this article is packed with valuable insights to elevate your application. Here’s what you can expect to learn:

• The essential structure of a compelling cover letter
• Key phrases and terminology specific to investment banking
• Strategies to highlight your relevant experiences and skills
• Common pitfalls to avoid in your cover letter
• A detailed cover letter example to inspire your writing

Prepare to transform your cover letter into a powerful tool that captures the attention of hiring managers and sets you apart in the vibrant world of investment banking.

What does a Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter accomplish?

A cover letter for an Investment Banking Analyst position serves as a critical tool for candidates to articulate their skills, experiences, and motivations in a concise and compelling manner. It complements the resume by providing context to the applicant’s qualifications, showcasing their understanding of the industry, and demonstrating their enthusiasm for the role and the firm. A well-crafted cover letter can distinguish a candidate from others by highlighting unique attributes, relevant projects, or internships that align with the demands of the job. To create an impactful cover letter, candidates can refer to a comprehensive cover letter guide or utilize a cover letter builder for structured assistance.

Key Components of a Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter

• Introduction and Personalization : Start your cover letter with a strong introduction that includes the position you're applying for and the company name. Personalize it by mentioning any connections you have to the company or specific reasons for your interest in the firm.
• Relevant Skills and Experience : Highlight your relevant skills and experiences that align with the responsibilities of an Investment Banking Analyst. Include quantitative skills, analytical abilities, and any internships or projects that showcase your expertise in financial modeling, valuation, or market analysis.
• Demonstrated Passion for Finance : Convey your enthusiasm for the finance industry. Share any experiences, coursework, or extracurricular activities that have fueled your passion for investment banking, making it clear why you are committed to a career in this field.
• Conclusion and Call to Action : Conclude your cover letter by reiterating your interest in the position and expressing your eagerness to discuss your application further. Include a polite call to action, inviting the hiring manager to contact you for an interview.

For more insights, you can explore cover letter examples and learn about the cover letter format to ensure your application stands out.

How to Format a Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter

When applying for an Investment Banking Analyst position, a well-structured cover letter is essential to make a strong impression on potential employers. This document should effectively communicate your qualifications, enthusiasm for the role, and understanding of the investment banking industry. Here are key points to consider when formatting your cover letter:

• Personalized Greeting : Address the letter to a specific hiring manager or recruiter to demonstrate your effort in researching the firm.
• Compelling Opening Statement : Start with a strong opening that captures attention, mentioning the position you are applying for and a brief statement about your interest in the company.
• Relevant Academic Background : Highlight your educational qualifications, such as degrees in finance, economics, or related fields, emphasizing any honors or relevant coursework.
• Professional Experience : Detail any internships or work experience in finance or banking, focusing on specific responsibilities and achievements that relate to the analyst role.
• Technical Skills : Mention proficiency in financial modeling, valuation techniques, and relevant software (e.g., Excel, PowerPoint, Bloomberg) that are critical for an investment banking analyst.
• Analytical Abilities : Showcase your analytical skills by providing examples of how you have successfully interpreted financial data or conducted market research.
• Teamwork and Collaboration : Emphasize your ability to work in teams, highlighting any collaborative projects or experiences that demonstrate your interpersonal skills.
• Attention to Detail : Illustrate your meticulous nature by mentioning experiences where accuracy and thoroughness were crucial to success.
• Passion for the Industry : Convey your enthusiasm for investment banking, discussing what motivates you about the industry and any relevant trends you are particularly interested in.
• Strong Closing Statement : End with a confident closing that reiterates your interest in the position and your eagerness to discuss how you can contribute to the firm, along with a professional sign-off.

Investment Banking Analyst Entry-Level Cover Letter Example #1

I am writing to express my interest in the Investment Banking Analyst position at [Company Name], as advertised on [where you found the job listing]. With a Bachelor's degree in Finance from [Your University] and hands-on experience through internships, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team and support your clients in achieving their financial goals.

During my internship at [Previous Company], I had the opportunity to assist in the preparation of financial models and valuation analyses for various M&A transactions. This experience honed my analytical skills and deepened my understanding of complex financial instruments. I collaborated closely with senior analysts to conduct thorough market research and industry analysis, which culminated in presenting actionable insights to our clients. This exposure not only strengthened my technical skills but also taught me the importance of effective communication and teamwork in a fast-paced environment.

Additionally, my role as a finance club member at [Your University] allowed me to further develop my quantitative and analytical skills. I participated in case competitions where I worked with peers to create comprehensive financial strategies and pitch them to a panel of industry professionals. This experience sharpened my ability to think critically and strategically under pressure, while also reinforcing my passion for investment banking.

I am particularly drawn to [Company Name] due to its reputation for excellence and commitment to client success. I am eager to bring my strong work ethic, attention to detail, and enthusiasm for finance to your team. I am confident that my academic background and practical experiences have equipped me with a solid foundation to excel as an Investment Banking Analyst.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how my skills and ambitions align with the goals of [Company Name]. I am available at your convenience for an interview and can be reached at [Your Phone Number] or [Your Email Address].

Investment Banking Analyst Mid-Level Cover Letter Example #2

I am writing to express my interest in the mid-level Investment Banking Analyst position at [Company Name], as advertised on [Job Posting Source]. With over five years of experience in investment banking, specializing in financial modeling, valuation analysis, and client relationship management, I am confident in my ability to contribute effectively to your team and support the firm's continued success.

In my current role at [Current Employer], I have successfully managed multiple projects within the M&A division, where I honed my skills in conducting due diligence and crafting detailed pitch books for prospective clients. My ability to analyze complex financial data and present actionable insights has been instrumental in securing key deals, notably the acquisition of [Company Name], where I played a pivotal role in valuing the target company and structuring the transaction. This experience has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of the investment banking landscape and the strategic considerations involved in high-stakes negotiations.

Prior to my current position, I worked at [Previous Employer], where I developed a strong foundation in financial analysis and modeling. I collaborated with senior bankers to prepare detailed financial projections and market analyses, which were critical in advising clients on their investment strategies. My proactive approach and keen attention to detail resulted in improved processes within our team, ultimately leading to more efficient project execution and enhanced client satisfaction.

I am particularly drawn to [Company Name] because of its reputation for excellence and innovation in the investment banking sector. I admire your commitment to delivering tailored solutions for clients and fostering long-term relationships. I am eager to bring my skills in quantitative analysis and strategic thinking to your team, contributing to impactful deals that align with your clients' goals.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background and passion for investment banking can align with the vision of [Company Name]. I am excited about the possibility of contributing to your esteemed firm and am available at your convenience for an interview.

Investment Banking Analyst Experienced Cover Letter Example #3

I am writing to express my interest in the Investment Banking Analyst position at [Company Name] as advertised on [Job Board/Company Website]. With over [X years] of experience in investment banking and a proven track record of delivering innovative financial solutions, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your esteemed team. My background in financial analysis, M&A advisory, and capital markets has equipped me with a robust skill set that aligns with the demands of this role.

In my most recent position at [Current/Most Recent Company Name], I successfully led a team in conducting comprehensive financial analyses for high-profile mergers and acquisitions, culminating in transactions valued at over $[X billion]. My ability to build intricate financial models, conduct thorough due diligence, and develop compelling pitch materials was instrumental in securing client buy-in and enhancing deal execution. I collaborated closely with cross-functional teams, including legal and compliance, to ensure seamless transaction processes and adherence to regulatory requirements.

Prior to that, while working at [Previous Company Name], I was responsible for managing client relationships and providing strategic financial advice to corporate clients across various sectors. I spearheaded the analysis and execution of multiple fundraising initiatives, assisting clients in raising capital through equity and debt offerings. My strong analytical skills and attention to detail allowed me to identify market trends and investment opportunities, leading to successful outcomes for my clients. Additionally, my experience in preparing and presenting detailed presentations to executive teams and stakeholders has honed my communication skills, ensuring that I can articulate complex financial concepts clearly and effectively.

I am particularly drawn to [Company Name] because of its reputation for fostering innovative financial solutions and its commitment to client success. I am eager to bring my extensive experience in investment banking and my passion for financial markets to your team. I am confident that my strategic mindset, analytical proficiency, and dedication to excellence will make a significant contribution to your firm’s continued success.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and enthusiasms align with the goals of [Company Name]. I am excited about the possibility of contributing to your team and driving impactful financial strategies.

Cover Letter Tips for Investment Banking Analyst

When crafting a cover letter for an Investment Banking Analyst position, it's crucial to convey not only your technical skills and academic background but also your enthusiasm for the industry and the specific firm you're applying to. Begin with a strong opening that captures attention and clearly states your intent. Highlight relevant experiences, such as internships or coursework, that showcase your analytical skills, financial acumen, and ability to work under pressure. Make sure to tailor your letter to each firm, demonstrating your understanding of their culture, values, and recent transactions. Lastly, maintain a professional tone throughout while allowing your personality to shine through.

• Tailor Your Letter: Customize your cover letter for each firm, referencing specific deals, values, or initiatives that resonate with you.
• Highlight Relevant Experience: Detail any internships or relevant coursework, emphasizing skills like financial modeling, valuation techniques, and analytical abilities.
• Showcase Soft Skills: Investment banking requires teamwork and communication, so illustrate your ability to collaborate and convey complex information effectively.
• Quantify Achievements: Use numbers and metrics wherever possible to demonstrate your accomplishments, such as percentage improvements in projects or contributions to team success.
• Be Concise: Keep your cover letter to one page, ensuring every sentence adds value and relates back to the job description.
• Demonstrate Industry Knowledge: Show an understanding of current market trends, recent deals, or specific challenges facing the investment banking sector.
• Use a Professional Format: Maintain a clean layout with a professional font and clear sections, making it easy for recruiters to read.
• Proofread Carefully: Spelling and grammatical errors can undermine your professionalism; review your letter multiple times and consider having someone else proofread it.

How to Start a Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter

As an aspiring Investment Banking Analyst, crafting a compelling cover letter introduction is crucial to making a strong first impression. The opening lines should capture your enthusiasm for the role, highlight relevant skills or experiences, and demonstrate your knowledge of the industry. Here are some effective examples to inspire your own introduction:

I am thrilled to apply for the Investment Banking Analyst position at [Company Name], where my passion for finance and my analytical skills can contribute to your team. With a recent degree in Finance from [University Name] and an internship at [Previous Company], I have honed my ability to analyze complex financial data and assist in strategic decision-making. With a strong background in financial modeling and valuation techniques, I am excited to submit my application for the Investment Banking Analyst role at [Company Name]. My experience at [Internship Company] allowed me to develop a keen understanding of market trends and client needs, which I believe will enable me to add immediate value to your team. As a highly motivated finance graduate with hands-on experience in investment analysis, I am eager to bring my skills to the Investment Banking Analyst position at [Company Name]. During my internship at [Previous Company], I successfully collaborated with senior analysts to execute multiple high-stakes transactions, showcasing my ability to thrive in fast-paced environments. I am writing to express my interest in the Investment Banking Analyst position at [Company Name]. My academic foundation in Economics, combined with my internship experience at [Internship Company], has equipped me with the quantitative and qualitative skills necessary to contribute effectively to your esteemed firm. I am excited to apply for the Investment Banking Analyst role at [Company Name], as I believe my strong analytical abilities and dedication to excellence align well with your team’s goals. My recent project at [University Project/Previous Company] involved detailed financial modeling and market analysis, which sparked my passion for investment banking and prepared me for this opportunity.

How to Close a Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter

As you conclude your cover letter for an Investment Banking Analyst position, it's important to reinforce your enthusiasm and suitability for the role while inviting further discussion. Here are some examples to consider:

“I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team and leverage my analytical skills to drive impactful financial solutions. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how I can add value to your firm.”

“Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to bring my strong quantitative skills and passion for finance to your esteemed company, and I hope to discuss my potential contributions in an interview.”

“I appreciate your time and consideration. I am enthusiastic about the prospect of joining your team and am confident that my background in financial analysis will be an asset in achieving your firm’s objectives.”

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss how my skills in financial modeling and market analysis align with the goals of your team. Thank you for your consideration.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter

When applying for a position as an Investment Banking Analyst, your cover letter serves as a vital introduction to your qualifications and interests in the field. A well-crafted cover letter can set you apart from other candidates, but common missteps can hinder your chances of making a positive impression. To ensure you present yourself effectively, consider avoiding these frequent mistakes:

• Generic Greetings: Using "To Whom It May Concern" instead of addressing the letter to a specific person can make your application seem impersonal.
• Lack of Research: Failing to demonstrate knowledge about the firm or its recent deals can indicate a lack of genuine interest.
• Overly Formal Language: Using excessively formal language can come off as stiff; aim for a professional yet conversational tone.
• Repetition of the Resume: Simply restating what is on your resume without adding new insights or motivations can make your letter redundant.
• Neglecting to Highlight Relevant Skills: Not emphasizing skills specific to investment banking, such as financial modeling or analytical abilities, can weaken your application.
• Typos and Grammatical Errors: Simple mistakes can make you appear careless; always proofread your letter meticulously.
• Too Lengthy or Too Short: A cover letter that is either too long or too brief can signal a lack of focus; aim for a concise one-page format.
• Failing to Convey Enthusiasm: Not expressing genuine excitement about the opportunity can lead to a lack of connection with the reader.
• Ignoring the Closing Statement: A weak or absent closing statement can miss the chance to leave a lasting impression; always reiterate your interest and invite further communication.
• Using Clichés or Buzzwords: Overused phrases can make your cover letter feel uninspired; strive for originality and authenticity in your language.

Key Takeaways for a Investment Banking Analyst Cover Letter

In conclusion, crafting a compelling cover letter for an Investment Banking Analyst position is crucial in showcasing your analytical skills, financial acumen, and passion for the industry. A well-structured cover letter should highlight your relevant experiences, such as internships or coursework, while demonstrating your ability to thrive in a high-pressure environment. Utilizing resources such as cover letter templates can significantly enhance your presentation, ensuring that your narrative aligns with the expectations of prospective employers.

Moreover, leveraging a cover letter builder can streamline the process, allowing you to focus on tailoring your content to reflect your unique strengths and aspirations. By combining a strong narrative with a professional format, you increase your chances of making a lasting impression on hiring managers in the competitive field of investment banking.

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2 Investment Banker Cover Letter Examples

Investment Bankers excel at analyzing financial data to make strategic decisions, turning complex market trends into profitable investments. Similarly, your cover letter is your chance to turn your professional achievements and skills into a compelling narrative that showcases your strategic thinking. In this guide, we'll delve into the best cover letter examples for Investment Bankers, demonstrating how to translate your financial acumen into a persuasive pitch.

Cover Letter Examples

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The best way to start an Investment Banker cover letter is by immediately capturing the reader's attention. This can be done by stating your unique value proposition or a significant achievement relevant to the role you're applying for. For example, "As an Investment Banker with over five years of experience in managing portfolios worth over $500 million, I have consistently delivered above-market returns." This not only shows your capability but also quantifies your success, making it tangible. Remember, the start of your cover letter should be compelling enough to make the hiring manager want to continue reading.

Investment Bankers should end a cover letter by summarizing their interest in the role and the value they can bring to the company. They should reiterate their key skills and experiences that align with the job requirements. It's also important to express enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the company's goals. For example: "I am excited about the opportunity to bring my unique blend of skills and experience to your firm and am confident that I can contribute to your team's success. I look forward to the possibility of discussing my application with you further." Finally, they should end with a professional closing such as "Sincerely" or "Best regards," followed by their name. It's crucial to maintain a professional tone throughout, as this reflects the formal communication style typically expected in the banking industry.

An Investment Banker's cover letter should ideally be one page long. This length is sufficient to present your key skills, experiences, and motivations without overwhelming the reader. In the fast-paced world of investment banking, hiring managers often have limited time to review applications. Therefore, a concise, well-structured cover letter that immediately highlights your value proposition is more likely to grab their attention. Remember, the cover letter is not meant to reiterate your entire resume, but rather to provide a snapshot of your most relevant qualifications and achievements.

Writing a cover letter with no experience as an Investment Banker can seem challenging, but it's all about showcasing your relevant skills, passion for the industry, and eagerness to learn. Here's how you can do it: 1. Start with a strong introduction: Begin by addressing the hiring manager directly if you can find their name. State the position you're applying for and briefly mention how you heard about it. 2. Show your passion: Explain why you're interested in investment banking. This could be because you're fascinated by financial markets, enjoy problem-solving, or have a knack for analyzing data. Whatever your reason, make sure it's genuine and shows you're committed to this career path. 3. Highlight relevant skills: Even if you haven't worked in investment banking before, you likely have skills that are relevant to the role. These could include analytical thinking, attention to detail, communication skills, or proficiency in relevant software like Excel. Use specific examples to demonstrate these skills. For instance, you might talk about a project where you analyzed complex data and presented your findings to a team. 4. Demonstrate knowledge of the company: Show that you've done your homework by mentioning something specific about the company that appeals to you. This could be their culture, a recent deal they've worked on, or their training program. This shows that you're not just interested in any investment banking job, but specifically this one at this company. 5. Show your willingness to learn: Emphasize that you're eager to learn and grow. You might mention specific areas you're interested in developing further, or express enthusiasm about the company's training program. 6. Close on a positive note: Thank the hiring manager for considering your application and express hope for the opportunity to further discuss your qualifications. Remember, your cover letter should complement your resume, not repeat it. Use it as an opportunity to show your personality and passion for investment banking. Be sure to proofread carefully before sending it off.

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Investment Banking Cover Letter Template & Tutorial

In this article, we’ll show you how to write an investment banking cover letter. We’ll explain the importance of cover letters, give you an investment banking cover letter template, and walk you through writing your own version sentence-by-sentence. This is a hands-on exercise and you should write with us as you go. By the end of this article, you’ll have a professionally-written letter ready for applications!

How Important Are Investment Banking Cover Letters?

Let us begin by saying that for the vast majority of US investment banking jobs at the big banks, cover letters are not important .

Just in case you suspect we had a typo, let us reiterate. Cover letters are not important for US investment banking jobs.

Why do we say that? Because most bankers don’t read them. First, bankers often don’t even receive the cover letters. At some banks, HR compiles the applications and only sends the candidates’ resumes to the bankers. Second, even if bankers do receive the cover letters, most don’t want to read them.

Why don’t most bankers want to read candidates’ cover letters? Because they add no value and because they’re incredibly time consuming.

The cover letter just states what job you’re applying to and why you think you’re qualified. For the former, bankers already know what job you’re applying to. As for the latter, anyone can write that he/she is hardworking, is interested in finance, and has leadership skills. These sentences are almost meaningless.

Why is reading cover letters time consuming? Each letter takes a few minutes to read. Bankers have to evaluate hundreds of candidates. Putting two and two together, it’ll take bankers way too many hours to read these letters.

In fact, we contacted a few bankers who were members of recruiting teams and were responsible for screening candidates. None said they’ve ever read a single applicant’s cover letter…ever.

While investment banking cover letters aren’t important, they do matter in the recruiting process because banks ask for them. You may need to upload a cover letter to complete the application. Also, while bankers usually don’t read them, you should have a passable letter just in case someone reads it.

Investment Banking Cover Letter Strategy

So now we know that you need cover letters because applications ask for them, but bankers don’t usually read them. What should your strategy be?

The strategy to a successful cover letter is to treat the cover letter as a check-the-box type of item. As long as you have a passable letter, you’ve checked the box. If you don’t have a passable letter, you don’t check the box and that can potentially hurt you. Said differently, a great cover letter won’t help you while a horrendous cover letter can hurt you.

Cover letters don’t have a linear relationship where the better the cover letter, the better your candidacy. Instead of trying to write as great of a letter as possible, your focus should be to not mess up. Make sure you don’t have spelling / grammar mistakes, bank name mistakes, etc.  This also means you should write a letter that follows industry convention. That’s it! That’s all you need for cover letter.

If you have extra time, invest it in familiarizing technical questions and in your resume , which actually gets looked at. Most bankers glance (not read) over resume to decide who to interview. Therefore, you should invest your time and energy to write a compelling resume.

Investment Banking Cover Letter Template

Here’s an investment banking cover letter template. Please download this example and you can edit this letter as you read through this article.

This template is applicable to all candidates: undergraduates, MBAs, other graduates, and current professionals. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a student or a working professional. The guiding concepts and letter structure are the same.

The items inside brackets [ ] are things you should replace with your own personal information. Once you input your own information, delete the brackets. At the end, you’ll have a professional investment banking cover letter that you can submit.

Cover Letter Format & Structure

Let’s establish three basic rules for the investment banking cover letter.

First, it should always be one page. Don’t go beyond one page.

Second, it should be concise. Don’t write a lengthy essay. We recommend keeping it under 300 words.

Third, it should contain the right bank name. This is a very common mistake. Don’t send a letter addressing Goldman Sachs to Evercore.

Fourth, font size should be at least 10. Anything less than 10 is too small for the eyes of people who stare at screens all day.

Avoiding the Common Mistake

The most common mistake candidates make in investment banking cover letters is mixing up bank names.

Logistically, when you apply for investment banking summer internships (or full-time roles), you’ll be submitting applications to many banks. Because there are so many, it’s very easy to forget to swap out one bank’s name with another. The key to avoid this mistake is to limit the number of times you reference the bank’s name.

When we went through recruiting, we used another finance website’s template, which referenced bank’s name 4 times in the letter. Compounding this is the fact that the four references were spread throughout the letter. We had to diligently go through the letter once for every bank to update the name reference. That was very time-consuming and prone to mistakes.

Our template only references the name of the bank twice: first in the greeting and second in the first paragraph. Equally important, we kept the two references in close proximity so you can easily alter the bank name. This is intentionally designed to help you reduce the risk of this mistake.

With that, please open the template (Word document from the link above) and let’s start writing.

Your Contact Information

The first step is to fill in the contact information in the upper right corner.

As with any formal letters, you should include your name and contact information at the top of the letter. Notably, we recommend you to explicitly state your university so it’s easily identifiable. Physical address is optional. Please take a minute and write in your contact information.

If you look at other cover letter templates, you’ll notice that other templates also have fields for banks’ physical address. We think that’s not only useless but also a source for confusion.

What if you apply to multiple offices (i.e. New York, San Francisco, and Chicago) in a single application? Which address are you supposed to write? What if the HR sits in New York but the banker sits in Chicago? What if one banker of your school’s recruiting team sits in San Francisco while another sits in Chicago?

Adding to this confusion, some banks have multiple offices in a single city. How do you decide which one to use? It is a nightmare trying to figure out these things out.

Banks’ physical addresses add no value whatsoever to an already low-value document. It takes away value quite frankly – it consumes your time AND it creates a source of confusion. The 10X EBITDA cover letter template has no room for useless fields.

Date & Greeting

The second step is to write the date of the letter and the greeting.

Other finance websites’ templates address the greeting to a specific person (i.e. Mr. John Doe / Ms. Jane Doe). We don’t agree with that. Who are you supposed to address it to anyways? Sometimes schools will have specific HR contacts for each position positing. But just because that’s the HR contact doesn’t mean that person is the one who will read your cover letter.

This leads to key question. How are you supposed to know who’ll be reading your letter (if it is lucky enough to get read)?

Instead, we recommend addressing the greeting to the bank’s recruiting team. For example, you can write to the “Moelis Recruiting Team” or the “Centerview Recruiting Team”.

So please head over to the Word template and update the date, bank name in the greeting and bank name in the first paragraph.

First Paragraph: Self-Introduction

The third step is to complete our first paragraph of the letter – your self-introduction.

This paragraph should accomplish a few tasks. First, it should identify your background. Second, it should identify your class year. Third, it should identify the job you’re applying to. And fourth, it should explain why you’re interested in working at the firm.

Our template has already written that for you. All you have to do is swap out your university name, major, graduation year and the program you’re applying to.

Some templates we looked at include “name-drops”, where you’d specifically mention names of the banks’ employees you’ve spoken with. It goes like the following.

“I became very interested in working at your firm after speaking with Jane Doe and Jane Smith.”

You absolutely do not have to include names of bankers you met or communicated with. We’ve always felt that’s very forced and unnatural. It doesn’t help. That’s why our template does not have such a sentence.

Second Paragraph: Interest in Investment Banking

The fourth step is to explain your interest in investment banking.

We wrote a few sentences on why investment banking. There are no brackets here so you don’t technically have to replace anything. However, you’re certainly welcome to change the wording if you’d like to better explain why you’re pursuing investment banking.

Third Paragraph: Past Experiences

The fifth step is to write about your past experiences and what you learned from them.

This entire paragraph is in brackets because everyone has a unique background. You should follow this structure and write about your own past experiences. Five to six sentences here is sufficient.

There are two main things we want to point out here.

First, be selective about which experience you write about. Don’t write about every experience. Only write about the most important and relevant experiences.

Second, don’t brag. Stay humble. Some cover letters have sentences that make us cringe. These sentences usually brag about the candidates’ skills (i.e. “given by valuation skills”, “with my strong financial modeling background”), self-declare fit (i.e. “I’m a particularly great fit for this program), and/or contain lofty titles that come across as try-hard (i.e. “As the Managing Partner of our student investment club”). To be fair, some cover letter templates come with these sentences so candidates may think that’s the norm. Our advice is to stay humble and actively avoid appearing as boastful.

Fourth Paragraph: Resume, Thank You and Signature

Finally, our last step is to remind the audience you’re also including the resume and thank them.

Please remember to change your name at the bottom of the signature.

And that’s it! With that, you have a complete investment banking cover letter ready for submission.

Investment Banking Cover Letter with No Experience

How do you write an investment banking cover letter with no prior work experience? You’d use the exact same template above and follow the exact same steps! In the third paragraph, instead of talking about past work experiences, simply talk about your extracurricular activities. But the overall structure of the letter is exactly the same.

Cover Letter FAQ

If I write an amazing cover letter, does it improve my chances of getting an interview? In general, no. You can write the most beautifully composed sentences in your cover letter. If bankers don’t want to interview you based on your resume, the cover letter isn’t going to change their mind. Chances are they won’t even know how well written your cover letter is since they don’t even read it.

If bankers don’t read cover letters, why do applications even ask for them? Two reasons. First, there are many different people involved in the recruiting process. HR runs the applications and sets the required documents. From bankers’ perspective, just because HR asked you for cover letters doesn’t mean bankers have to read them. Second, just because the Investment Banking Division doesn’t value cover letters doesn’t mean other divisions don’t read cover letters. Someone else may value cover letters. From HR and IT’s perspective, it’s just a lot easier to get you to submit the letter and let each division decide for itself.

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About 10X EBITDA

We are a small team composed of former investment banking professionals from Goldman Sachs and investment professionals from the world’s top private equity firms and hedge funds, such as KKR, TPG, Carlyle, Warburg, D.E. Shaw, Citadel, etc. Our mission is to cultivate the next generation of top talent for Wall Street and to help candidates bring their careers to new heights. We’re based in the United States, but we have expertise across Europe and Asia as well.

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Investment Banking cover letter example

You’re the person in the know — the Big Cheese. As an investment banker, you let your analytical mind and strong expertise lead the way. You’re confident when it comes to helping clients raise the capital they need to expand their businesses. You have a way with numbers, and you’re not afraid to share it with the right people. If that sounds right, you might need an investment banking cover letter to take your next step on the career ladder. 

Chances are, you have a wealth of experience and skills you’re ready to shout about. However, cover letter real estate is limited. You need to keep this letter to one page, or around 300 words. That can be a tall order, especially when you’ve got a lot to say. 

Here at Resume.io, we have everything you need to help accelerate your job search. We offer expert-backed writing guides, 180+ cover letter examples, and a whole host of templates too. Within this writing guide, and the cover letter example, we will break down: 

• How to select the best format for your investment banking cover letter
• How to boost the impact of each section (header, greeting, intro, body, and conclusion)
• What approach and tone you should take when writing your cover letter
• The basic mistakes you need to know about and avoid here.

Best format for an investment banking cover letter

Before you can start working on your investment banking cover letter, you need to know how the structure works. Luckily, there are some key sections that it should include. The format of an investment banking cover letter should contain the following elements:

• The cover letter header
• The greeting/salutation
• The cover letter intro
• The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
• The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)

Sticking to this cover letter format is the best way to go. Put simply, it stops you from writing a rambling letter that seems to have no point. As you work your way through the cover letter, tick off each of the parts we have highlighted. In the next part of this guide, we will offer expert advice on what you can include in each of the above sections too. 

Of course, should you want more in-depth details on how to perfectly pitch your application, you can read our comprehensive cover letter guide now. Making sure that your letter captures the interest and imagination of a hiring manager has never been easier. 

Dear Mr. East, 

My early career as an investment banking analyst has taught me the essentials of value investing, equity research, and financial modeling of positions. I have worked on 20 accounts over the past three years. My work on the Jenkins valuation concluded that it was 45% undervalued and we made $12.5m on the resultant trade. 

Following my degree in computer science, I have embraced the latest AI predictive technologies in my work and collaborated on the award-winning Lastwell project. My extensive input on the $750m Killigan M&A was centered around AI analysis of business synergies that resulted in up to 20% efficiency savings in some areas. 

I have significant experience with IPOs, supporting initializations for 10+ technology companies to varying degrees. I was mainly involved with the risk management desk, creating models that underpinned their strategy propositions. I completed my MBA whilst working on the HalTech IPO, with my dissertation written in collaboration with their Financial Director. 

I am excited at the prospect of joining the Mulling team as you have an excellent reputation for developing your analysts – particularly in the international area. I speak fluent Arabic and would love to work on your growing Middle East desk. Cultural appreciation is vital to building lasting relationships and I know that my background will prove an asset to you. 

I look forward to the potential of an interview to hear more about your analyst program. Your head of L&D Sarah Fuller is a previous colleague and has been encouraging me to apply for a while. 

Sincerely, 

Mark Braceton

Cover letter header

The cover letter heading sits at the top of the page when you’re writing your application. It should include your name, email, and phone number. While this is hardly the most enthralling part of the document, it plays an important role. If a hiring manager is wowed by your application (and they should be!), they will want to get in touch with you quickly. 

Displaying your contact details front and center makes that simple for them. Ensure that this information is clear and easy to read. As a golden rule, you should use a plain font in a legible size. That way, the reader should have no problem gaining the details they need. 

Cover letter greeting 

If you’re applying for a role in the world of investment banking, you should know your stuff. When it comes to the cover letter greeting, it’s best practice to use the hiring manager’s full name. You may already know who is recruiting for the position. If that is not clear on the job advert or LinkedIn post, you might need to grab your detective’s hat and get to work. When you have the name, write it as follows in the letter: “Dear Mr. Smittons.”

Of course, there will be some cases when the hiring manager’s name remains a mystery. Should that happen, you need to avoid the cliche of “To whom it may concern.” That won’t do you any favors.  Instead, go for a more specialized approach, e.g. “Dear [company] team.” You want to make it clear that this is a tailored cover letter, not just a generic one.

Cover letter introduction 

Once you have greeted the hiring manager, the next step is to write your hook. The introduction of your cover letter should pique the reader’s interest. So, what is it that sets you apart from other candidates? Put your best foot forward. Take a moment to consider what your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is and highlight it in your opening lines. 

There are a few routes you can choose here. For example, you may want to focus on the fact that you have experience working in a similar setting. Alternatively, you could switch your attention to the expert training you have received or any specialist qualifications. 

If possible, you should quantify your experiences. For instance, you might say that you “deliver client results with 99.9% accuracy” — rather than just saying you “deliver results.” You will be going up against a wide array of eligible candidates. For that reason, you should do everything you can to differentiate yourself from the rest of the talent pool. For inspiration, check out our investment banking cover letter example.

Cover letter middle part (body) 

The middle paragraphs of cover letters are where the magic happens. By now, you should have already sparked interest in the reader’s mind. It’s time to use your best storytelling to explain why you are the perfect candidate for the job. Since you are applying for a highly professional and sought-after role, be sure to use a formal and mature tone throughout. 

Don’t make the mistake of simply regurgitating your resume — the hiring manager will have access to that. Instead, in these paragraphs, use the opportunity to state your case. You may choose to expand upon the experience listed in your resume or focus on the achievements you have gained over the years. You may choose to share work-based anecdotes that add color to your experience while also demonstrating your core abilities. 

When you have covered the above, you may also want to delve into what drives you. What made you decide to become an investment banker? What aspirations do you have for the future? Showing the reader that you are passionate about this sector may win you points.

On a fundamental level, you need to make it clear that you would fit right into the business. If you have done your research — about both the opening and the bank — you will be able to tailor your cover letter accordingly. Be crystal clear about what it is you have to bring to the business and how you envision that working out. Go ahead and paint a picture. 

How to close an investment banking cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)

When you’ve clearly explained why you’re the right candidate for the job, all that there’s left to do is sign off. You can conclude your cover letter in one or two sentences. These should be strong, confident, and have an air of enthusiasm about them. After all, this is your last chance to show the hiring manager that you are worth a second look. 

Start by affirming that you have the appropriate experience and skills to hit the ground running in this position. You can also include a Call to Action (CTA) directed toward the hiring manager. For example, you may say “I look forward to the prospect of sharing my thoughts with you in a formal interview.” That message shows that you are optimistic about your chances of getting to the next stage while avoiding making any presumptions. 

Another angle is to leave the hiring manager wanting more. For instance, you might say that you can expand on certain ideas during the interview. Keep your sign-off short and succinct. The clearer the message is here, the more likely you are to get an interview.  

Investment banking cover letter with no experience

New to investment banking? If you want to dip your toes into this pool, you may worry that you lack experience. While there’s no space to expand upon this on your resume, your cover letter gives you some creative freedom. Here are some tips to consider: 

• Focus on your education and any training you have undertaken
• Delve into why you want to become an investment banker
• Touch upon your transferable skills from prior work positions
• Include anecdotes that demonstrate your understanding of finances
• Stress that you have a willingness to learn and develop yourself
• Mention any extracurricular activities that align with the sector

Breaking into this sector can be tough. However, you can use your cover letter to persuade a hiring manager to take a chance on you, despite your lack of experience.  

Basic mistakes in an investment banking application letter (and how to avoid them)

If you’ve read the rest of our writing guide, you should be in a decent position to start working on your cover letter. Nothing should hold you back — least of all silly mistakes. Let’s take a look at some of the basic cover letter errors you need to avoid: 

• Grammar and spelling mistakes. Before you hit that “send” button, you need to make sure you have proofread the letter. You can also use free software, such as Grammarly, to double-check the document.
• Using too much jargon! While the hiring manager may be comfortable with the industry terminology, you shouldn’t take this for granted. Whenever possible, ensure that you use plain, clear language to get your message across.
• Pitching the tone incorrectly. There’s no room for colloquial language or slang here. When you’re writing your cover letter, make sure you are professional at all times.

Key takeaways

• Your investment banking cover letter should be no more than one page long. Aim for roughly 300 words and edit down if you have to.
• Show the hiring manager that you are a real professional by using formal language.
• Wherever possible, highlight examples and anecdotes that highlight your talents.
• Optimize your cover letter for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and beat the bots. Pepper your cover letter with keywords from the original job specification.

Want to give yourself a competitive edge? Getting the look of your application just right is a smart place to start. Take all of the hassle out of this task by using one of our field-tested cover letter templates. The next step on the career ladder could be just a click away. 

If you’re looking for some more inspiration on how to position your application, take a look at our related cover letter examples here: 

• Banking cover letter sample
• Finance cover letter sample 
• Finance manager cover letter sample
• Accounting and finance cover letter sample
• Finance assistant cover letter example
• Bank manager cover letter example
• Financial advisor cover letter sample

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A Cover Letter Template for Investment Banking

Reviewed by

Expertise: Private Equity | Investment Banking

NOTE FROM WSO:

• Attached at the bottom of this post is an investment banking cover letter template that is sometimes used for WSO cover letter review clients. WSO has decided to make it free in order to help those of you that can't afford a more tailored service.
• This particular cover letter template uses bullets to keep the points succinct and the format easy to read. You'll also notice that the header matches the WSO investment banking resume template format.

IB Cover Letter Advice from the WSO Community

Here's what you need to know about the cover letter.

CompBanker: The cover letter holds almost no weight, other than to put you at risk for being dinged. Make it very simple, very bland, and just say all the usual things. If you have mistakes in it or make outrageous claims, your cover letter will be circulated and laughed at.

Why Do Cover Letters Matter?

Like @CompBanker" said, you won't get the interview with your cover letter. Your goal for your cover letter isn't to single-handedly land you an interview with your eloquence and grandiose; it's to check the box and make sure it's proper enough that it doesn't get you dinged.

Less Is More for CLs

Our users shared great input on why 'less is more'.

bkm125: What you really want people to be looking at is the resume. The longer your cover letter is the larger the chance that you'll have a typo or say something stupid. Just tell them what job you're applying for, who you've been in touch with at the firm, and maybe a few sentences about your qualifications and lock up the deal with a solid resume.

Here's some great advice from @blackice".

blackice: The best thing you can do is name drop people you have talked to. That way I know you have done your homework, and I can ask the person you talked to how your chat was. I think cover letters are better when they are focused on your past work experience as opposed to general and arbitrary sentiments about how you are a "hard worker and team player with a strict attention to detail".

Common Cover Letter Mistakes

qonnect.me: Here are mistakes I have seen:

Excuses: "I realize my professional experience is more in technology and lacks in finance. I believe that was just bad luck due to graduating from my MBA program at the height of the "Great Recession". However, I am 100% committed and motivated to prove myself in a finance position."

Please do not pin all of your circumstance on luck, especially in a cover letter. Even if the reader is a big believer in luck, you're telling him you're unlucky. Who wants to hire someone who's unlucky? It seems the bad luck streak started in utero, if you ask me.

Revealing Your Ignorance: Even worse than just plain ignorance, the below quote was from an attached research report that this guy wrote. Since he thought it was worth including, I assume the report was something he was proud of, but it was cringe-worthy.

"I am placing a STRONG BUY recommendation on [company]. ("ticker") and believe that [the company], at the current price of $10.00, trades at a 123% discount to my estimated fair market value of $22.30" (Both made up numbers to scale to the actual numbers listed in the 'report').

The report should have never been attached. It made a weak applicant look even worse. He's clearly never done anything but 'book learn' on these subjects. It's painfully obvious by reading the report. He uses four valuation methodologies on the stock with the sole intention of showing that he knows more than one valuation method.

If you're thinking of including a research report on a company when you're cold emailing people, it's a high risk strategy. Your research probably sucks unless you've been doing it professionally. If there is any doubt at all about including a 'research report', do not do it.

(Side note: The research report had a lot of opinions and not a lot of facts, and it lacked connections between really basic facts about the current state of the business to the 'projections'.)

The Hail Mary Cover Letter

If you don't think you have a chance to get the job, you can toss a Hail Mary with your cover letter. Here's a cover letter an audacious undergrad used in an effort to stand out and grab the attention of its reader. A big swing that's either a hit or miss. We don't recommend using this cover letter unless you lack the slightest chance of getting the interview in the first place.

Dear BLOCKED, My name is (BLOCKED), and I am an undergraduate finance student at (BLOCKED). I met you the summer before last at Smith & Wollensky's in New York when I was touring the east coast with my uncle, (BLOCKED). I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to talk with me that night. I am writing to inquire about a possible summer internship in your office. I am aware it is highly unusual for undergraduates from average universities like (BLOCKED) to intern at (BLOCKED), but nevertheless, I was hoping you might make an exception. I am extremely interested in investment banking and would love nothing more than to learn under your tutelage. I have no qualms about fetching coffee, shining shoes, or picking up laundry, and will work for next to nothing. In all honesty, I just want to be around professionals in the industry and gain as much knowledge as I can. I won't waste your time inflating my credentials, throwing around exaggerated job titles, or feeding you a line of crap (sic) about how my past experiences and skill set align perfectly for an investment banking internship. The truth is I have no unbelievably special skills or genius eccentricities, but I do have a near perfect GPA and will work hard for you. I've interned for Merrill Lynch in the Wealth Management Division and taken an investment banking class at (BLOCKED), for whatever that is worth. I am currently awaiting admission results for (BLOCKED) Masters of Science in Accountancy program, which I would begin this fall if admitted. I am also planning on attending law school after my master's program, which we spoke about in New York. I apologize for the blunt nature of my letter, but I hope you seriously consider taking me under your wing this summer. I have attached my resume for your review. Feel free to call me at (BLOCKED) or email at (BLOCKED). Thank you for your time. Sincerely, BLOCKED.

Interested in Investment Banking - Breaking In

IB Interview Course Here

• Using phrasing like: "After my summer analyst stint, I learned the entire deal execution process..."; "I am extremely proficient in Excel and financial modeling ...". You get the idea. Be confident, but don't over-emphasize anything out of the scope of your ability to speak to it.
• Not enough emphasis on teamwork. This is important. People should know that you are able to work with others. This is easy to incorporate, just give a brief two sentence overview of what your team structure was and why it made sense.

Patrick Curtis is a member of WSO Editorial Board which helps ensure the accuracy of content across top articles on Wall Street Oasis. Prior to becoming our CEO & Founder at Wall Street Oasis, Patrick spent three years as a Private Equity... This content was originally created by member econ and has evolved with the help of our investment banking mentors.

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It's really hard to create a template for cover letters because everyone is so different. Just make sure the formatting at the top (where you have your name, address etc..) is the same on all your documents. For example, if you open you resume, cover letter, transcript and references in 4 different pdfs, and alt+tab between the four files, the top section should be identical.

Other than that, there shouldn't be any template for cover letters, I don't think.

3-4 paragraphs about why that firm, why you, what have you done. etc...

Thanks you...

Make sure the first paragraph includes name drops, and location/group if you're applying to a specific group.

Any more cover letter advice? I haven't received any callbacks with my old cover letter, so I'm trying to put together a new and improved one. Here's what I've came up with thus far: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/please-review-my-resume-3#comment…

If you are not getting interviews it likely isn't the layout of your cover letter or resume that is is the problem, it is the content. Why not post your cover letter / resume here and let people take a look at it?

judowned: If you are not getting interviews it likely isn't the layout of your cover letter or resume that is is the problem, it is the content. Why not post your cover letter / resume here and let people take a look at it?

I finally got a job... Thanks to everyone who chimed in.

econ: judowned: If you are not getting interviews it likely isn't the layout of your cover letter or resume that is is the problem, it is the content. Why not post your cover letter / resume here and let people take a look at it?

Congrats man

congrats how did you land the job? just applying online? what kind of position is it?

Good work Eazy - E

[quote="econ"] NOTE FROM WSO:

• Attached at the bottom of this post is an investment banking cover letter template that is sometimes used for WSO cover letter review clients. WSO has decided to make it **free** in order to help those of you that can't afford a more tailored service.

Interested and can't find it. Does anybody has the template?

Found it? can't find it either

Nah I had to use the Mergers & Inquisitions template. Quite good still.

@ econ "  can't find the template mate. An update would be much appreciated!

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