How to Improve Your Resume Before Investment Banking Recruiting

Investment banking recruiters scan resumes for academic performance, relevant experience, leadership, technical interest, and attention to detail. This guide shows you how to strengthen each area before recruiting begins, even if you have not yet completed a finance internship.

Author: Michael Harris Updated 11 min read

Start by assessing what your resume currently proves

A strong investment banking resume offers evidence, not just a statement of interest. Saying that you are passionate about finance carries little weight unless your coursework, activities, internships, or personal projects support the claim. Before editing individual bullets, ask what your current resume proves about your academic ability, work ethic, leadership, analytical skills, and interest in transactions.

Review the document from a recruiter’s perspective (this first pass should feel uncomfortably quick) and see whether someone can find your school, graduation date, GPA, experience, and activities within a few seconds. Do your bullets explain what you accomplished, or do they simply list responsibilities? Is there clear evidence that you explored investment banking beyond reading a job description?

Continue reading with a Guides subscription

Purchase Guides or Guides + Question Bank access to unlock the rest of this article.

Continue Learning

Explore more applications guides or practice with the question bank.