How many deals to put on your CV?
Hi all,
I am putting my updated CV together for buyside recruiting and had a question regarding how many deals to list on my CV.
I can either put 4 deals that I know very well and can talk an interviewer through (full sellside where I did the model, sucessful IPO, etc.), or put a broader list of 10-15 deals that I've worked on but where work was more shallow due to the nature of the deal (only did comps, only did superficial structuring or admin work, deal didn't go very far, etc.) - besides, I may not be able to talk through the market dynamics of these 10 other deals.
I'm wondering if people would be put off by seeing an IB senior AS with only 4 deals on its CV (granted, I have 2-3 from another place I can also talk through), but on the other hand, I only want to speak about those 4 deals as I won't shine on the others.
I also thought about having a section called "main deals" and another called "other deals" or something, but it sounds slightly ridiculous.
Any thoughts?
Based on the most helpful WSO content, quality trumps quantity when it comes to listing deals on your CV for buyside recruiting. It's better to focus on 4-6 deals that you know inside out and can confidently discuss in interviews. These should be deals where you had significant involvement, such as building models, conducting due diligence, or playing a key role in the process.
If you want to include a broader range of deals, you can create a "Selected Transactions" section for the 4-6 key deals and a separate "Additional Transaction Experience" section for the others. This approach allows you to highlight your depth of experience while still showcasing the breadth of your exposure without overloading the CV. Just ensure you can speak to any deal you list, even in the "Additional" section, as interviewers may still ask about them.
Sources: 7 Practical Buyside Recruiting Tips for IBD Analysts, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/private-equity/a-guide-on-how-to-navigate-on-cycle-pe-recruiting?customgpt=1, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/breaking-into-private-equity-from-banking?customgpt=1, Breaking into Private Equity from Banking, corporate development regrets?
I only have 3 announced transactions on my resume, but touched a few more in a similar way (admin work, limited support, didn't announce, etc.). However all three are >$1b.
Nobody has ever thought it was too few and I would be scared to have deals on my sheet I didn't know from A-Z as I have spent some interviews only discussing my deals in depth. Quality > quantity.
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