Resume: Research Associate/IB Analyst in Canadian Firms

Hi, guys,

First of all, my name is not John Doe. I am in an awkward situation with regards to career prospects. I am an MBA and CFA Level 2 Candidate in Canada that isn't a recent graduate. I am also enrolled in the CA program, but that's not something I tend to include on my finance resumes.

I want to get a Research Associate or Investment Banking Analysts position, or any associate level position for that matter. I would also be OK with an internship.

Having spent close to 6 years trying to get into an accredited CA firm, and having failed miserably, I have pretty much given up and decided to pursue a career in finance. As my resume shows, I was all over the place. In fact, because of my weak networking abilities, finding a job in anything has proven difficult. As a result, I have been underemployed since finishing my undergrad 5 years ago. I am at a low point in my life.

Please take the time to look over my resume, and in addition to helping fix it up, provide some advice on possible career routes for someone in my situation.

I am starting from scratch and don't know what to do.

Attachment Size
John Doe Associate Resume V.0 118.92 KB 118.92 KB
John Doe Associate Resume V.1 118.92 KB 118.92 KB
9 Comments
 

Thanks for your input, kinghongkong.

As for your advice, go on ahead and provide it. I imagine that there isn't that much difference between Canada and the U.S. when it comes to research associates/IB analysts positions, although here in Calgary it's mostly about oil/gas.

Given my lack of finance experience, I need help making the resume look as "financial" as possible.

 
Take_It_To_The_Bank

There's clearly a discrepancy in the date format that needs to be fixed. Lack of attention to detail will get you dinged. Never put only one word on a new line.

I see the problem with the inconsistent date format and attention to detail, but I'm not too sure I understand what you mean by "never put only one word on a new line." Can you please elaborate.

Thank you for your advice.

 
Take_It_To_The_Bank

If you are writing a bullet point, make sure the sentence does not end with one word on a new line. That looks bad and creates too much whitespace.

OK, I understand. What do you think about the overall resume -- does it hold any water?

 

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Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

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  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (23) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (82) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
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