Jul 24, 2026

Please butcher my cv - LDN summers/springs 2027

Quick context: coming into second year economics, applying for 2027 summer internships and spring weeks. Would love honest feedback, especially from anyone in IB or PE.

Questions:

Do the PE bullets (building an LBO and DCF, deriving a purchase multiple with no stated asking price) actually sound credible for someone at my stage, or does it come across as a bit much?
Does the mix of PE and maritime/infrastructure work read as one coherent story, or does it just look like a scattered collection of internships?
With two buy side roles on here, would a bank reading this assume I'll just bail for PE in two years? If so, how would you fix that without cutting either one?
The most recent role only has two bullets since it just started. Does that look thin, or is that just normal for something new?
Is there anything here you'd cut outright to make room for something stronger?
Does this read like a strong candidate for generalist BB or EB banking, or does it come across as too locked into one sector already?
Any single bullet you'd just flat out rewrite? Curious what you'd change.

5 Comments

WSO Monkey Bot

1mo

Based on the most helpful WSO content, here’s a breakdown of your CV concerns and actionable advice:

1. PE Bullets Credibility

Building an LBO and DCF or deriving a purchase multiple can sound credible if framed correctly. For someone at your stage, it’s essential to emphasize learning and assisting rather than leading. For example:
- Instead of: "Built an LBO and DCF model..."
- Try: "Assisted in building an LBO and DCF model under guidance, analyzing key drivers and sensitivities."
This approach demonstrates exposure without overstating your role, which could otherwise come across as exaggerated.

2. Coherence of PE and Maritime/Infrastructure Work

The mix of PE and maritime/infrastructure can work if you tie it together with a narrative. Highlight transferable skills like financial modeling, valuation, or strategic analysis that apply across sectors. For example:
- "Developed financial models and conducted due diligence across diverse sectors, including private equity and maritime infrastructure, showcasing adaptability and analytical rigor."
Without a unifying thread, it risks looking scattered, so focus on the skills and insights gained rather than the industries themselves.

3. Buy-Side Roles and Perceived PE Exit Risk

Banks might indeed assume you’re eyeing PE exits. To counter this, emphasize your interest in banking-specific skills and experiences. For example:
- "Eager to leverage transaction experience and financial modeling expertise in a fast-paced investment banking environment, contributing to deal execution and client advisory."
Avoid language that overly glorifies PE or suggests a pre-determined career path.

4. Thin Bullet Points for Recent Role

It’s normal for a new role to have fewer bullets. Focus on high-impact contributions or early responsibilities. For example:
- "Initiated research on market trends to support investment decisions, contributing to team discussions on deal pipeline."
As you gain more experience, you can expand this section.

5. Cutting Content for Stronger Additions

If any bullet feels repetitive or low-impact, consider cutting it. For example:
- Avoid generic phrases like "Worked on various tasks to support the team."
- Replace with specific, quantifiable achievements or responsibilities.

6. Sector Lock-In Concerns

To avoid appearing locked into one sector, diversify your language. Highlight generalist skills like financial analysis, teamwork, and problem-solving. For example:
- "Analyzed financial statements and market data across multiple industries, providing insights to support investment decisions."
This positions you as adaptable and open to various sectors.

7. Rewriting a Bullet

Example of a rewrite:
- Original: "Built an LBO model to evaluate acquisition opportunities."
- Revised: "Supported the development of an LBO model to assess acquisition opportunities, identifying key value drivers and risks."
The revised version adds context and emphasizes collaboration, making it more credible.

Final Thoughts:

Your CV has strong potential, but the key is to balance ambition with credibility. Focus on transferable skills, avoid over-specialization, and ensure every bullet adds value. If you’re targeting BB or EB roles, tailor your narrative to highlight your enthusiasm for banking and your ability to thrive in a dynamic, client-facing environment.

Sources: What to Focus on in London BB and EB Summer Internship Applications?, Did not land a summer internship? Now what? (London edition), Summer 2017 Investment Banking Interns - Do's and Don'ts List, Barclays Macro Research - 2022 Summer Internship, Resume Guidelines from a WSO Drop Reviewer

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I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Prospect in IB - Restr

1mo

Also a second year econ, applying for LDN SA 2027, so take my advice with a grain of salt. Not going to answer your questions because I'm not in a position to do so tbh, but just a few notes/thoughts.

Actual experience and resume looks solid imo, definitely a top tier candidate. However, based off of a quick read a few issues:

Don't end your bullet points under education with a full stop, looks weird
Quantify your impact not just, you know, numbers. So did xyz causing 25% increase in abc or whatever.
Too much whitespace:
- Your work experience section is currently smaller than your extracurriculars, and that's dumb given you haven relevant experience.
  - Beef up a few of the bullets for the PE experience so that they fill out closer to the end of the lines
  - Definitely think you can add some more stuff for your current maritime internship, looks relatively weak compared to the rest. Bullshit a bit if you need to, even if just for internships for the next month. Definitely add numbers/impact.
- The same for your extracurricular bullets, I'd suggest cutting it a bit to 1 bullet or just adding more, although 1 is generally much better. Especially for the sillier stuff.
* Most of this is minor stuff though, just keep it in mind when editing once you get proper advice
Remove the languages section if you only have English there, looks kinda stupid. Especially given that you've done your high school and uni in the UK, no real need for it.
Your interests section looks funky asf.
- Everything is in lowercase for whatever reason.
- Also you might actually be passionate about it, but having "sustainable energy" as a an interest reads worse than someone listing finance. It'd be great if you had any experience/projects to back it up. I know you've done the geothermal thing but it's a loose connection.
- Star Wars is fine I suppose, but if you're interested in sci-fi as a genre or something that sounds better imo. If you're a diehard fan, go for it. Just don't be a gulp shitto kinda fan. Star Wars fans are often pricks in my experience, and this is coming from one. A Star Wars fan, that is. I'm wonderful.
- Football is really vague and generic, try including a team if you support one - good talking point. Helped me with interviews.
- I don't know how I feel about listing country music but I know people who list heavy metal, so, maybe.
Also would suggest looking into using a different template, something about yours just seems kinda off? Not sure what it is.
Also, if the email ID listed is your university email - change it. Make an official one for yourself that you can continue to use down the line. Asking because its outlook and who the fuck has an outlook id.
London/location shouldn't be in the same line as your contact info imo, again look at other popular formats.
Also, forgot to mention, I'm assuming your PE experience is a search fund. Even if not, and it is a full sized firm, framing it as off-cycle PE analyst is a bit misleading, given the work. There's nothing wrong with fluffing your experience up, but your work just looks like that of a deal sourcing intern. Which is completely fine, I'm working at one rn, but if you make it seem like more than it is and then disappoint, I think the title ends up doing more harm that it does good. Maybe investment analyst intern or PE intern?

Anyways, good luck! Looks like you have a really strong profile, just need to a tweak a few things and you're good to go. Post in other places/a few more times so you can get your questions answered. Good luck with recruiting, wishing the best for you!

Come back and let me know once you bag your offer :)

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Prospect in IB-M&A

1mo

Honestly, the comment above is the most effort I've seen anyone put into a CV review, and they generally are pretty accurate.

CV is slightly above average, but the Professional Experience is very weak. You really need to expand on the first experience. Same for extracurriculars; best to just have 2-3 really good ones vs many low quality

Remove GCSE's (too long ago) and potentially A levels (a bit weak)

The project thing is also just filler, if you can replace it with any other actual experience it would be better compared to just building 1 DCF.

I would place this CV in the top 45%, you can probably hit top 35%

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jobfitpack

14d

The PE bullets are credible if you frame them as work you supported, rather than implying you owned the deal. The maritime/infrastructure mix can work if you focus on transferable skills like valuation, underwriting and transaction exposure. Two bullets for a new role is completely fine, and I wouldn’t cut a buy-side role just to look more committed to banking. Just have a strong “Why IB?” answer ready. For firm-specific preparation, try JobFitPack. It offers targeted mock interviews based on the company and role, which can improve your chances of passing.

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