https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/files/resume_sample_0.pdf
Graduating next semester and going to apply for jobs.
Have no formal experience and my GPA is too trash so not putting it.
My goal’s to become a financial or PE analyst as I love doing valuations.
Go and do the CI designation (CI Institute)
Hey buddy. You have some work experience at the bottom, but it’s not clear which of your bullet points in the higher sections belong to which position. You should reorganize the resume using the jobs as headings, rather than “Finance”, “Communication and Leadership”, and other more abstract titles.
Also, a lot of details are missing. Take this line: “Performed top-down valuations on equities for both academic and personal purposes.”
The reader will have a lot of potential questions. What equities? What approach did you use? Was this related to a specific project or class? Why did you do this? Was there any application or result from your work?
Or this one: “Experienced in the application of trend analysis and short-term trading strategies.”
So you applied some sort of trading strategy? What was your result? How much did you invest? What asset class did you use? The lack of details here is worse, because it calls into question whether you actually did this stuff or if you are just embellishing or exaggerating your resume with something you think sounds good. I’m not saying you are, but interviewers see lots of applicants like that, and any sign of this pushes the application into the trash pile.
I think you have an ok frame to work with, but the organization needs work, and you need to spend significant time adding substance to your points.
Thanks for your reply.
The problem is that I don’t want to go over one page.
The reason I organized the resume based on skill is because my work experience is unrelated to the field I’m going. The only thing that could overlap would be my sales experience.
I’m thinking of just cutting the finance part and go into detail into my excel, vba, and sql knowledge since all my finance related experience is done for academic purposes or on simulation. The only “real-life” finance related activity I’ve done is doing my family’s taxes.
You should not have any risk of going over one page. Your resume has a lot of white space. The font is big. You don’t need to dedicate a quarter of the page to training on Bloomberg or FactSet - you should just mention Bloomberg under computer skills, and (maybe) mention that you used FactSet for your “analysis” projects, assuming you actually did those.
It’s still important to show some work experience. Even if it is not related to finance, sales, teaching (communication), and entrepreneurial experience, are all useful things to demonstrate.
You should put SQL, VBA or Excel as single words under “Skills”. You are not good enough to impress employers with this. Instead, elaborate on your projects that employed those skills.
Nothing on the sample resume is exaggerated or a lie.
So would you say 1/3 of my resume should be work experience, 1/3 finance related projects, and 1/3 certificates and computer skills?
Go to mergers and inquisition website and look for their investment banking resume template. It’s a good guide on how to structure on word your bullets.
https://www.mergersandinquisitions.com/investment-banking-resume-university-student/
new template required… the resume looks junk. I would not even be bothered to read it.
I’m not saying that you lied or exaggerated. I’m saying that the lack of details calls into question the authenticity and substance of your lines. If you have more to say, then you should.
I would like to comment more profound, sorry for my earlier response.
Well if you want to be an PE analyst I think you should review the investment banking questions typically asked for the interviews and have the equity valuations and FRA on the CFA L1 and L2 very well understood, they helped me a lot to go through the final round of a big investment bank firm. Recently I became aware of the CI desgination and you said you wanted to do be an PE analyst, that is why of my recommendation.
For your resume, I think although nothing is exaggerated or a lie, you could make it a lot friendly to read it, because if not, many people wont read it (im telling you from experience). For example, bloomberg market concept (if you are apllying to an PE firm, they will know what is it, you could just put on software: Bloomberg and that is. Further
Software:
* Microsoft office
* VBA
* Financial research
*etc
I took a quick scan earlier. the biggest issue with all new grad resumes (and dont’ take this personally) is they have no quantifiable or proven skills, and it’s pretty frustrating for them because they have to write very vaguely and in general terms like “equity, investment research” etc. If you get into specifics, as long as relevant, you are probably already ahead of 70% of fresh grads. Same with comp skills - its highly unlikely that your excel skills will be on par with a 1y analyst, so unless you have some programming background it’s not really a selling point. Get into specifics or put less emphasis on it, the ambiguity will kill you.
The good news is there is no time in your life after this point where lack of job experience is as small a detriment. Your largest detriments now are your school/GPA/lack of network/image. You can control two of those things. Get cracking on cleaning up the resume, persona, interview technique and throw some hail Marys lil cubby.
serious question - if you dont have any connections (and if you did you wouldnt be asking us) why on earth do you think you have a shot at PE? These firms pull from the top of the classes at the top schools and you are neither. Its not impossible to get a role like that coming from a no name school but with a crap gpa as well you chances drop even further.
there are still options but its going to be tough (speaking as someone from a super non target w/ a bad gpa) and youll likely have to take a BO gig
I feel like what you’re saying here makes a lot of sense. I can’t say that my SQL and VBA skills are even intermediate yet, they’re basic, so I don’t see how I can sell my self based on these even if I go into details.I’m not a novice in excel but I sure am not advanced, I still have a lot to learn.
So the problem now is WHAT should I go into detail about if all these supposedly relevant skills are not strong selling points?
Your bad GPA and experience can’t be a barrier if you want is really. The point is how strong you are when you follow your dreams.
dude i am usually or at least try to be a rosy painter of AF. I have no idea what hiring in BO is like although from my experience - hedge funds before and now at a PE firm - all the BO guys at my funds have/had either MBA or MS in Accounting and/or CPA. Maybe you could join a bank or smaller asset manager - non hedge or PE fund - as their BO person and climb your way out to FO.
One thing for certain is that make sure you keep your goals and dreams alive and fresh and always continue to work towards it ie. taking financial modeling courses, gmat for mba, networking etc. AND remember the famous words from my college golf head coach, “no one is stopping you but yourself. Make it happen kid” Opportunities will come to you so keep at it.
^this is the right attitude to take because the alternative will mean you never get anywhere, never get a ‘finance’ job, never start in the BO because of a crappy GPA/non target, and never get your gmat/MBA so you can get a shot at the dream.
Having walked this path I can tell you that wallowing in sorrow because of all the things you didn’t do is going to cost you more than accepting what has past and overcoming obstacles. People can respect (and hire) the latter, but the former will never get you a look in.
BO/MO is getting hard to crack these days too. Everyone is overqualified and there are a lot of people from target schools (UG, MA) with decent GPAs all trying for the same route. So yeah, it’s not going to be easy getting into BO with crap credentials, but you gotta do what it takes to keep the dream alive.
As for the skills, I would try to quantify with some school projects you’ve done or an ad hoc project. Be honest with your level/functionality and its most likely for an entry level job you’ll have to do an Excel (or SQL) test any way.
Point is if you’re getting no bites for those high Finance jobs after a few months you’ll need to change your strategy - unemployment is never a fun thing to explain. Do the right things like benzo said above, make the right moves, get the right people to notice it, and things will happen. Remember you only need one offer, how good it is, is up to you.
yup im with infinitibenzo & el_macca - its not like your life is over, you should just set realistic targets. Shoot for a BO gig with a bank or something and work your way around. I was in a similar situation to you and had to work at various admin shops for a few years before finding my role at a fund that I guess one would quantify as MO but is certainly more interesting and more related to finance than what i was doing before. You didnt knock it out of the park in high school and get into a great college, you didnt knock it out of the park in college to land great internships & a gig, but that doesnt mean you cant work your tail off in whatever role you get and earn some better work. Best of luck, ill be rooting for you.
Try Doing unpaid internship. It will actually help. But make sure the company you are applying for will provide you and give you helpful task and guidance for you to add it in your resume.
^
you very cute techgeekguy1980