Investment Banking CV — How to Write Yours

Investment banking CVs follow strict conventions. Recruiters expect: one page (not two, not three), clear hierarchy with sections (Education, Experience, Skills), consistent formatting, and minimal fluff. Why? Banks receive 3,000-5,000 CVs per year. They filter on: (1) education (2:1 minimum, often higher), (2) relevant experience (internships, analysis projects), (3) attention to detail (typos are disqualifying). Your CV must pass this filter in under 10 seconds.

Use a simple, professional font (Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman) in 10-11pt. Margins should be 0.5 inches. Avoid colours, graphics, or decorative elements — pure black text on white background. Use bold for section headers and company names. Use bullet points for achievements. This standard format signals professionalism and is easy for recruiters to scan.

Contact information should be minimal: Name (large, at top), Email, Phone, LinkedIn URL. Nothing more. Do not include date of birth, nationality, or marital status (illegal to request in UK, signals outdated thinking if you include it).

One critical formatting rule: each bullet point should be concise (1-2 lines maximum). Long paragraphs are hard to scan and signal lack of clarity. Edit ruthlessly. If a bullet is more than two lines, it's too long. Break it into two bullets or cut the detail.

The experience section is where you demonstrate commercial acumen and analytical thinking. For each role, include: Company name, Job title, Dates (Month/Year format), and 2-3 bullet points of quantified achievements. Format: "[Company] — [Title], [Dates]" then bullets below.

The critical difference between weak and strong experience bullets: Weak: "Analysed financial statements and built models." Strong: "Built financial model stress-testing three acquisition scenarios, identifying £2m cost synergy opportunity that formed basis of investment recommendation."

Notice the strong version: (1) specifies what you analysed (three scenarios), (2) quantifies the outcome (£2m), (3) explains impact (formed basis of recommendation). This is what bankers need to see.

For each experience entry, lead with your most impactful achievement. If you did many things, pick the 2-3 that show analytical thinking, commercial acumen, or impact. Don't list 5-6 bullet points; you're limiting your CV to one page and must prioritise.

If you don't have banking internship experience, include university projects or part-time roles. A project in financial analysis or case competition is relevant. Leadership in a finance society is relevant. Part-time retail work is less relevant but still shows work ethic — if included, quantify ("Increased customer satisfaction scores by 15%") or highlight if you led initiatives.

Mistake 1: Weak action verbs. "Helped with analysis," "Worked on financial models." Strong verbs: "Built," "Analysed," "Identified," "Recommended," "Managed." These signal ownership.

Mistake 2: Vague achievements without quantification. "Contributed to successful project launch." Better: "Led project delivery resulting in £1.5m cost reduction." Quantification makes achievements credible.

Mistake 3: CV longer than one page (unless you have 3+ years experience). Recruiters assume you can't prioritise if you submit a long CV. Be ruthless in cutting non-essential information.

Mistake 4: Including personal interests that aren't impressive. "Enjoy watching Netflix" doesn't belong. "Completed CFA Level 1" belongs. "Active in university investment club" belongs.

Mistake 5: Spelling and formatting errors. These are disqualifying. Your CV is a test of attention to detail — errors signal you don't care or can't notice mistakes. Proofread 5+ times. Have someone else read it.

Mistake 6: Vague education section that doesn't signal banking interest. Don't just list degree. Include relevant modules, projects, or achievements that show you understand finance.